NBA 2024-25 Playoffs Schedule

The conference finals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs have been buzzing with thrilling nights. The Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder each have a solid 3-1 lead . The NBA Finals are coming up on June 5, and both top seeds are just one win away from making their history. As a fan that has watched a lot of games, I can tell that these series aren't just about star power. They're also about depth, strategy, and being able to handle the strain of the playoffs. Here's a closer look at the Eastern and Western Conference Finals, focussing on important events, great performances, and what's next.

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NBA Conference Finals Playoff 2024-25 Schedule (Updated May 27)

Eastern Conference Finals: Pacers vs. Knicks (Pacers Lead 3-1)

The Indiana Pacers have turned the Eastern Conference Finals into a showcase of their high-octane, team-oriented basketball, taking a 3-1 lead over the New York Knicks after a thrilling 130-121 victory in Game 4 on May 27, 2025, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Pacers, who dispatched the Milwaukee Bucks and top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers with ease in earlier rounds, are now one win from their first NBA Finals appearance since 2000.

Game 4 Recap: Haliburton’s Historic Night

Tyrese Haliburton presented an unbelievable performance in Game 4, becoming the only player in NBA postseason history to score 30 or more points, get 15 or more assists, grab 10 or more rebounds, and zero turnovers in a single game. His incredible play facilitated Indiana's relentless offence. Siakam scored 30 points and grabbed 8 rebounds, showing that he is a great co-star. Myles Turner scored 16 points and blocked three shots, holding up the defence against Towns.

The Knicks tried hard, but they couldn't make up for early mistakes and bad defence. Jalen Brunson scored 31 points, but he had a hard time being efficient since Indiana switched defences with Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith. Towns scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, but his 1-for-5 three-point shooting showed how bad New York was at shooting from long range (31.8%). The Knicks' bench, which has always been a problem, only scored 15 points compared to Indiana's 38. T.J. McConnell and Bennedict Mathurin were two of the most important players off the bench.

Outlook

Game 5 shifts to Madison Square Garden on May 29, 2025 (8:00 PM ET, TNT), where the Knicks face elimination. New York must lean on Brunson’s clutch prowess and hope for a rebound from Towns’ outside shooting. Mitchell Robinson’s rim protection could be pivotal, but the Knicks’ lack of depth and 3-5 home playoff record raise concerns. Indiana, with a playoff-best 6-1 road record, is poised to close out in Game 5 or 6, fueled by their relentless pace and Haliburton’s brilliance. A 3-1 deficit comeback is rare—only 13 teams have done it in NBA history, with home-court teams faring better—but the Knicks’ chances look slim against this Pacers juggernaut.

Western Conference Finals: Thunder vs. Timberwolves (Thunder Lead 3-1)

In the West, the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder have taken a 3-1 stranglehold over the Minnesota Timberwolves, capped by a nail-biting 128-126 win in Game 4 on May 26, 2025, at Target Center. The Thunder, fresh off a seven-game upset over the Denver Nuggets, are one victory from their first Finals appearance since 2012, driven by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a versatile supporting cast.

Game 4 Recap: Thunder’s Stars Shine

Game 4 was a back-and-forth affair, with Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams stepping up in clutch moments. While exact stats for Game 4 are unavailable, the Thunder’s stars have consistently delivered, with Gilgeous-Alexander averaging 35 points on 63.2% shooting in the Nuggets series and Williams bouncing back with 24 points in Game 7. Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, a postseason scoring phenom (27.4 PPG career playoff average), was contained in Game 4, struggling against OKC’s elite defenders like Lu Dort, Alex Caruso, and Cason Wallace, with Chet Holmgren anchoring the rim. The Timberwolves’ offense, despite a 143-101 blowout in Game 3, faltered under OKC’s pressure, which forced turnovers and disrupted their rhythm.

Outlook

Game 5 is set for May 28, 2025 (8:30 PM ET, ESPN), in Oklahoma City, where the Thunder aim to close out. Minnesota needs Edwards to rediscover his scoring touch and Rudy Gobert to dominate the paint, but OKC’s defensive options and home-court advantage (where they’ve been dominant) make them favorites. A Game 6 in Minnesota on May 30 could offer hope, but the Thunder’s depth and Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP-caliber play suggest they’ll wrap up the series soon.

The 2025 NBA Conference Finals showed how important it is to have depth and be able to change. The Pacers' fast play and Haliburton's magic have put the Knicks on the edge, while the Thunder's star power and ability to play defence in many ways have been too much for the Timberwolves. As Game 5s get closer, both Indiana and OKC are ready to take their chance, but the Knicks and Wolves will struggle to keep their hopes alive. This year's playoffs, which were full of surprises and breakout performances, show how the NBA is changing, with collaboration and plan being the most important things. The path to the Finals is almost over, and the basketball world is waiting for a historic battle.

NBA Finals 2025 Dates

The First Round begins on April 19, 2025, with 16 Eastern and Western Conference teams playing best-of-seven series. East and West top seeds like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder will try to dominate, while Play-In survivors could upset them. Expect big games like Jayson Tatum's Celtics vs. a feisty No. 8 seed or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's Thunder vs. a veteran team Home-court advantage and boisterous audiences in Boston and Denver boost pressure. This round generally determines postseason hopefuls.

Conference Semifinals

Conference Semifinals are May 5-6, 2025, or May 3-4 if First Round matches end early. As the eight remaining teams compete for a position in the Conference Finals, these best-of-seven series are critical. Watch for new rivalries, like Luka Dončić's Mavericks vs. Anthony Edwards' Timberwolves, or historic East rivals like Knicks vs. 76ers Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant shine, while coaching changes dominate. Classic moments like game-winning shots and violent confrontations make the Semifinals a crucial postseason chapter.

Conference Finals

Mark your calendars: May 20-21, 2025 (or possibly May 18-19)! The last four standing teams from the East and West will face off in a do-or-die best-of-seven showdown for a shot at the Finals. This is where legends are made — whether it’s legacy franchises like the Celtics or rising forces like the Nuggets, everyone’s bleeding for glory. Coaches will play 4D chess with lineups, while superstars like LeBron (crafty as ever) and Jokić (the Serbian magician) leave it all on the court. Every. Single. Play. Could birth an iconic moment — a clutch rebound, a steal, even a bench player’s hype — that’ll live in highlight reels forever. Arenas? Packed to the rafters. Cities? Electrified. The roar of the crowd will shake the rafters as fans witness either a dynasty’s next chapter or a brand-new crown being claimed. 

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NBA Finals

Game 1: June 5

Game 2: June 8

Game 3: June 11

Game 4: June 13

Game 5: June 16 (if needed)

Game 6: June 19 (if needed)

Game 7: June 22 (you know the drill!)

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Only on ABC!​​ The biggest stage in basketball is set. Will we see a Cinderella story (young guns like OKC Thunder?) or legacy teams like the Lakers/Celtics padding their trophy cases? Plot twists EVERYWHERE: Jalen Brunson chasing Knicks immortality? Rematches of all-time rivalries? This is where LEGENDS are forged — one game-winner, one defensive stop, one bench mob hype moment away from eternal glory. Arenas will be WILD, cities will lose their minds, and history? It’s getting rewritten in real time.

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