April marks the start of the 2025 NBA playoffs, in which 16 teams battle over two months to prove that they are the best basketball teams in the nation. Each round consists of up to seven games between two teams, where the first team to win four games advances to the next round. With that in mind, let’s look at some favorites to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy in June.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers, led by first-year head coach Kenny Atkinson, have taken the league by surprise, winning an astonishing 65 games with only 17 losses in the 2024-25 season. The Cavs were able to clinch the number one seed in the Eastern Conference on April 8th for the first time since the great Lebron James played in the land. Cameron Farris, a WKHS junior, believed that “The Cavs are going to win the NBA finals this year because they’ve beaten great teams and maintained a great record. Also, they have the best all-around depth in the league.” With all-star guards like Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland and the presence of bigs including Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, the Cavs have the skill to make a deep playoff run, and they will have home-court advantage throughout the East.
Boston Celtics
Another powerhouse found in the Eastern Conference is the Boston Celtics, who finished the regular season at second place in the East, only four games behind the Cavaliers, with a record of 61-21. Led by four-time All-NBA superstar Jayson Tatum, the Celtics are the defending NBA champions, as well as the team with the most NBA championships of all time at 18. They know how to handle the pressure of the playoffs and are the favorites to win the Eastern Conference in 2025.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The OKC Thunder find themselves at the top of the Western Conference for the second straight year after an impressive regular season. Leading the way was MVP [Most Valuable Player] candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder is one of the youngest teams in the NBA, yet they won the most games this year with 68, along with only 14 losses, which is the best in franchise history. The Thunder are the favorites not only to win the Western Conference but to win the NBA finals, and they also seem to be set for the future with young stars and loads of talent.
Los Angeles Lakers
One final Contender to keep in mind is the Los Angeles Lakers, who finished third in the regular season in the West and are the fourth-most-favored to win the NBA finals. Led by first-year head coach JJ Redick, the Lakers finished the 2024-25 season with a 50-32 record. When arguing his NBA finals champion, WKHS sophomore Max Wang claimed “The Lakers [will win the championship] because of Lebron James. Lebron is a four-time finals winner and finals MVP, a four-time league MVP, a 21-time all-star, and the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. Lebron hopes to add a fifth ring to his accolades this year, along with first-year Laker Luka Dončić, who was traded to the Lakers from the Dallas Mavericks in February. One thing is for certain: the Lakers have the firepower and the talent to be true title contenders.
The NBA playoffs are where hard work and extraordinary basketball talent meet to crown the champion of one of the biggest and most popular leagues in the United States of America. The Play-in (where seeds 7-10 in each conference fight for four playoff spots) decides the remaining playoff spots before the real NBA Playoffs start on Saturday, April 19th.
