2025 NBA playoff picks – Experts predict the conference finals
The NBA season has reached the conference finals, and each of the remaining four teams has had a unique road through the playoffs.
The No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder advanced to the Western Conference finals after a hard-fought seven games against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. It is the Thunder’s first trip to the conference finals since the 2015-16 campaign.
Meanwhile, the Minnesota Timberwolves rolled into the West finals after taking care of the Golden State Warriors in five games. It’s the second straight season the Wolves have made the conference finals, where they fell to the Dallas Mavericks last season.
On the other side of the bracket, the New York Knicks closed out the defending champion Boston Celtics in six games to advance to their first Eastern Conference finals in 25 years. They will meet the Indiana Pacers, who bounced the Cleveland Cavaliers, the East’s top seed, in just five games. The Pacers also have reached this round two years running; they were swept by the Celtics last year.
With the playoff bracket down to four teams, our NBA experts make their conference finals picks.
Schedule and results | Conference finals preview | Offseason guide
Eastern Conference finals
Indiana Pacers (4)
vs. New York Knicks (3)
Jerry Bembry: Knicks in 6
Jamal Collier: Knicks in 7
Chris Herring: Knicks in 7
Zach Kram: Pacers in 6
Bobby Marks: Pacers in 6
Dave McMenamin: Knicks in 7
Omar Raja: Knicks in 6
Ramona Shelburne: Knicks in 7
Andre Snellings: Pacers in 7
Marc Spears: Knicks in 7
Jeremy Woo: Pacers in 7
Michael C. Wright: Knicks in 7
Ohm Youngmisuk: Knicks in 7
Final tally:
New York 9, Indiana 4
Western Conference finals
Minnesota Timberwolves (6)
vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (1)
Jerry Bembry: Thunder in 6
Jamal Collier: Timberwolves in 7
Chris Herring: Thunder in 6
Zach Kram: Thunder in 6
Bobby Marks: Thunder in 6
Dave McMenamin: Timberwolves in 6
Omar Raja: Timberwolves in 6
Ramona Shelburne: Thunder in 7
Andre Snellings: Timberwolves in 7
Marc Spears: Timberwolves in 7
Jeremy Woo: Thunder in 7
Michael C. Wright: Thunder in 6
Ohm Youngmisuk: Thunder in 7
Final tally:
Oklahoma City 8, Minnesota 5
Source: espn.com