NBA · 6 months ago

Predicting the 2025 NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs and Winner

John Canady

Host · Writer

7) Eastern Conference Finals: No. 2 Celtics vs. No. 1 Cavaliers
This is the matchup that nearly every basketball fan in the world hopes to see in the Eastern Conference Finals. These two squads split the season series 2-2, but almost every game contained competitive back-and-forth buckets between two of the best offenses in the league.

Cleveland was crowned the top seed in the Eastern Conference, but they can’t claim that the East runs through them until they’re crowned the conference champions. Unfortunately for them, I still believe the East runs through Boston.

Prediction: Celtics win 4-2
1) Eastern Conference Round 1: No. 8 Hawks/Heat vs. No. 1 Cavaliers
The bizarre part about the play-in tournament is that the grand prize for winning the gauntlet of games to clinch your spot as the No.9/No.10 seed is a first-round matchup with the top seed. The Atlanta Hawks are the squad that was granted the opportunity to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Atlanta has the benefit of having head coach Quin Snyder, who coached Donovan Mitchell during his time with the Utah Jazz. Even then, the Hawks don’t have enough firepower to keep up with Kenny Atkinskon’s squad, nor do they have the defense to slow them down.

In addition, if the Miami Heat manage to knock off the Hawks, the needle doesn't move at all. In fact, it may decrease with how much Miami has struggled on offense this season. Against a top offensive unit in the Cavs, Erik Spoelstra's squad would have no margin for error, and with how they've played down the stretch, that's asking a lot.

Prediction: Cavaliers win 4-1

Odds to Win Eastern Conference: Cavaliers +185

Odds to Win Eastern Conference: Hawks +50000

Odds to Win Eastern Conference: Heat +70000
2) Eastern Conference Round 1: No. 7 Magic vs. No. 2 Celtics
The Orlando Magic won the first round of the play-in tournament to secure a first-round battle with the defending champions. Orlando confidently heads into this matchup after winning the season series against the Boston Celtics 2-1. However, there’s one problem: The Magic never beat a healthy Boston team.

Considering playoff basketball is a different beast, and the C’s enter this postseason mostly healthy, Boston truly could elevate its game to another level.

I predict the Celtics will win this series pretty easily, but I’ll give Orlando the benefit of the doubt to steal a game at home.

Prediction: Celtics win 4-1

Odds to Win Eastern Conference: Celtics -145

Odds to Win Eastern Conference: Magic +43000
3) Eastern Conference Round 1: No. 6 Pistons vs. No. 3 Knicks
The Detroit Pistons matchup with the New York Knicks may be the most interesting first-round series of the entire playoffs. Detroit clinched its first playoff berth since 2019 in year one of the J.B. Bickerstaff era, and they truly have the personnel to give any team a run for their money.

Ultimately, I think the Knicks' firepower will be too much as the series progresses, especially if they stay healthy. However, I can see this game extending to six.

Prediction: Knicks win 4-2

Odds to Win Eastern Conference: Knicks +1200

Odds to Win Eastern Conference: Pistons +13000
4) Eastern Conference Round 1: No. 5 Bucks vs. No. 4 Pacers
This series is a rematch from last year’s first round of the postseason in which the Indiana Pacers stunned the shorthanded Milwaukee Bucks. With no love lost between these two teams and their fan base, expect this series to get competitive fairly quickly.

Indiana has the talent to win offensively, but does it have the ability on defense to slow down the Bucks' offense enough to win the series, especially with how dominant Giannis Antetokounmpo has been down the stretch?

Considering Milwaukee dominated the season series 3-1, I have to give the Bucks the edge in this seven-game series.

Prediction: Bucks win 4-3

Odds to Win Eastern Conference: Pacers +2700

Odds to Win Eastern Conference: Bucks +5500
5) Eastern Conference Semifinals: No. 5 Bucks vs. No. 1 Cavaliers
This series could go either way, depending on which team enters Round 2 with health on its side. Milwaukee could get Damian Lillard back in the lineup, and if they do, his offensive contributions could be enough to help them keep pace with Cleveland.

However, I don’t think the Cavaliers are just the regular season team that the talk surrounding them says. I believe Cleveland gets the job done with a player like Mitchell, who rises to the challenge in the biggest matchups.

Prediction: Cavaliers win 4-2
6) Eastern Conference Semifinals: No. 3 Knicks vs. No. 2 Celtics
The Knicks geared up in the offseason specifically to make a run at the Celtics when they re-signed OG Anunoby and landed Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns. Despite that, New York struggled against the C’s this year, with Boston winning the season series 4-0.

I believe New York will finally find a way to beat Boston at least once in this series, but I don’t see how they can get past the Celtics.

Prediction: Celtics win 4-1
7) Eastern Conference Finals: No. 2 Celtics vs. No. 1 Cavaliers
This is the matchup that nearly every basketball fan in the world hopes to see in the Eastern Conference Finals. These two squads split the season series 2-2, but almost every game contained competitive back-and-forth buckets between two of the best offenses in the league.

Cleveland was crowned the top seed in the Eastern Conference, but they can’t claim that the East runs through them until they’re crowned the conference champions. Unfortunately for them, I still believe the East runs through Boston.

Prediction: Celtics win 4-2
1) Eastern Conference Round 1: No. 8 Hawks/Heat vs. No. 1 Cavaliers
The bizarre part about the play-in tournament is that the grand prize for winning the gauntlet of games to clinch your spot as the No.9/No.10 seed is a first-round matchup with the top seed. The Atlanta Hawks are the squad that was granted the opportunity to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Atlanta has the benefit of having head coach Quin Snyder, who coached Donovan Mitchell during his time with the Utah Jazz. Even then, the Hawks don’t have enough firepower to keep up with Kenny Atkinskon’s squad, nor do they have the defense to slow them down.

In addition, if the Miami Heat manage to knock off the Hawks, the needle doesn't move at all. In fact, it may decrease with how much Miami has struggled on offense this season. Against a top offensive unit in the Cavs, Erik Spoelstra's squad would have no margin for error, and with how they've played down the stretch, that's asking a lot.

Prediction: Cavaliers win 4-1

Odds to Win Eastern Conference: Cavaliers +185

Odds to Win Eastern Conference: Hawks +50000

Odds to Win Eastern Conference: Heat +70000

Predicting the 2025 NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs and Winner

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