The 2025 NBA Playoffs begin on Tuesday night with the start of the NBA Play-In Tournament. This year’s postseason is jam-packed with a cornucopia of All-Stars, powerhouse brands, and several surprise teams. Before it kicks off tonight, find out who the best and worst squads are in the 2025 NBA playoffs with our special postseason NBA power rankings.
20. Miami Heat
Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra again showed why he is among the best in the sport. Despite the dark cloud that Jimmy Butler created over the team with his contract drama, the Heat remained competitive for much of the season. Unsurprisingly, his departure at the trade deadline had a huge effect on their level of play because they did not get equal value back.
They deserve credit for reaching the Play-In this year but aren’t expected to get into the 16-team tourney.
19. Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks have been a handful for opposing defenses. Led by the face of the franchise, Trae Young, the team has been a force on offense. It is why they have had a far better season than many predicted. However, for as good as they are on offense, they are terrible on defense. The rise of Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels this season has been key in their better-than-expected play. If they get out of the Play-In, they will be crushed by the Celtics or Cavs in Round 1.
18. Chicago Bulls
On offense, the Chicago Bulls were one of the league’s best and a headache for opponents. However, after trading Zach LaVine at the deadline, they have not been the same, as they seemingly punted competitive play until next season. However, they have played well down the stretch and have a real chance to get through the play-in tournament and into meaningful playoff games this season. Getting blown out by the Celtics or Cavs in Round 1 is still a positive finish for a team that seemed dead in the water a couple of months ago.
17. Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic got hit with a massive blow early in the season when top star Paolo Banchero and, later, Franz Wagner suffered major injuries. While both recovered and made their way back, the team did not have the same success as last season due to an offense that was one of the worst in the league. Fortunately for Orlando, they still have an elite defense that has carried them this season. It will give them a shot at winning a game in Round 1 if they make it out of the Play-In.
16. Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks‘ decision to shockingly trade Luka Doncic before this year’s deadline led to some serious bad luck for the team. The top player they got back in the deal, Anthony Davis, suffered an ab injury that sidelined him for a couple of months. Then, Kyrie Irving’s season ended early after incurring a torn ACL. This is not the team the front office envisioned when they made the Doncic trade. Yet, they have continued to battle and made the playoffs.
However, in a very deep Western Conference, they are unlikely to get past the NBA Play-in Tournament.
15. Sacramento Kings
This was a wild season for the Sacramento Kings. There were high hopes when they added DeMar DeRozan in the summer. When they got off to a slow start, the front office took the bold step of firing head coach Mike Brown. Then, they decided De’Aaron Fox was not in their long-term plans and traded him to the Bulls.
In the deal, they landed two-time All-Star Zach LaVine. This team is not going far in the post-season. But they still have an immense upside in 2025-26 if they can find the right head coach.
14. Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons were the worst team in the NBA last season. Now, they are the feel-good story of this season. After a historically bad showing in 2023-24, head coach JB Bickerstaff has helped turn his team into one of the better units in the East.
They have a chance to score a surprise upset in a favorable matchup with the Knicks in the quarterfinals of the NBA Playoffs. If New York can’t play better on defense and in crunch time, the Pistons could end up shocking basketball fans even more this season
13. Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies were expected to be far better this season with superstar Ja Morant back. And they were, due to the introduction of a new offense that had Memphis among the best in the NBA this season. However, it seems their top star was not happy with the new style. That, matched with underwhelming play in the second half, led to a bold move of firing head coach Taylor Jenkins weeks before the start of the playoffs.
If they can make it through the Play-In, that is a plus, but fans can’t expect much from Memphis this spring.
12. Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks have been on a roller-coaster ride all season. Despite a pair of superstars and a Hall-of-Fame-worthy coach, they struggled badly over the first month-plus. Yet, they turned it all around and ended up winning the Emirates Cup during the first half.
While they have had flashes of an elite team, Damian Lillard’s blood clot throws their playoff chances into limbo. Giannis Antetokounmpo developing a shoulder issue so close to the postseason seems like awful but familiar timing. For as talented as this group is, it just feels like they are bound to be a letdown in the postseason. And on a path to some big changes in the summer.
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11. Minnesota Timberwolves
10. Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers have been an interesting story in the 2024-25 NBA season. To the surprise of no one, Kawhi Leonard began the season in dress clothes due to another injury. However, in his absence, Norman Powell emerged and earned All-Star honors for the first time. Yet, despite being at full health and adding Ben Simmons from the buyout market in February, the Clippers have not evolved into a serious contender in the West.
Nevertheless, with all of their veteran depth and a very good head coach, they could be a surprise during the playoffs. More than likely, they will be out early and need to make some meaningful changes in the offseason.
9. Indiana Pacers
After a surprisingly mediocre start to the season, the Indiana Pacers caught fire early in 2025 and looked like the team NBA pundits expected. The offense is one of the better groups in the game, but their defense continues to be their Achilles heel. They have the fourth-best record in the East, but they still seem a level below the conference’s elites — the Cavaliers, Celtics, and Knicks.
8. Denver Nuggets
When you have the best player on the planet, Nikola Jokic, the Denver Nuggets will always be a very competitive squad. However, more than ever, the pieces around the NBA great have been a letdown this season. But instead of the roster taking the blame, ownership decided to make head coach Mike Malone and general manager Calvin Booth the fall guys a week before the playoffs kick off.
Denver could have been a dark horse in these NBA Playoffs. But the shocking late-season coaching change will kill their chances.
7. Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets have been one of the best stories in the NBA this season. After showing some very nice growth under Ime Udoka in 2023-24, they continued that momentum and evolved into an elite team in the West. They passed on making big trades to see how this young group handles itself in the playoffs.
All-Star Alperen Sengun and fellow star Jalen Green will get a chance to prove they are long-term building blocks this spring. We should quickly find out how good they are if they have the bad luck of facing the Warriors in Round 1.
6. New York Knicks
While they have had one of the five best records in the league all season, there is reason for concern when it comes to the New York Knicks. Their defense is a weakness, and they have often come up small against the league’s best teams. Furthermore, Tom Thibodeau’s classic overuse of his starters resulted in injuries to his stars.
We are now at the point of the season this team was put together for, and April will be a major proof of concept for this front office’s grand plans from last summer. If the Knicks don’t reach the Eastern Conference Finals, this will be seen as a disappointing season. And it could lead to another big move (Kevin Durant?) in the offseason.
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5. Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers were already a good team that was building serious momentum before the Luka Doncic trade. However, with the young superstar, they could be a serious problem in the playoffs. The Thunder has more talent than Los Angeles. But when you have a top-three player, a league legend that is still deadly at 40 (LeBron James), and a good young coach in JJ Redick, the Lakers are set up to be a very difficult out this spring.
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4. Golden State Warriors
The 2024-25 edition of the Golden State Warriors was the rubber band team this season, as they snapped back from good to bad to good again after the trade deadline. Fortunately, despite the risk, the Jimmy Butler trade has been a massive success, and Dub Nation has been one of the best teams in the league since the deadline.
While they are undersized, they have a legendary scorer (Stephen Curry) and a pair of big-game greats (Butler and Draymond Green) heading into a part of the season where that matters most. The Warriors are going to be a popular pick to go all deep in the postseason if they get through the Play-In.
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3. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers were a surprisingly dominant team this season. There is no better example of how good they have been under new head coach Kenny Atkinson than winning 16 straight and 19 out of 21 at one point in the second half. They head into the playoffs with the best record in the East, an elite offense, and a rock-solid defense.
But that was then, and this is now. If the Cavaliers can’t reach the East Finals, their 60-plus win season will seem like a major letdown. There is a boatload of pressure on top star Donovan Mitchell this month.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder were hit twice by huge injuries this season. However, they persevered and remained one of the league’s 99-percentile clubs. Their defense has been among the best in the game all year. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the odds-on favorite to win this season’s MVP award, and they head into the postseason following a dominant month of March.
The Thunder have the pieces to get to the Finals, but they are a young group. They will get a chance to shut up their staunchest detractors in the weeks ahead.
1. Boston Celtics
The defending champion Boston Celtics don’t have the best record in the NBA. However, the regular season has all felt like one big dress rehearsal for the spring. They continue to mow down the teams they are supposed to beat but have met some resistance from the league’s other top teams. Nevertheless, this is the most battle-tested team in the league. And if any group can turn it on when it matters most, Boston can. They are the team to beat in the 2025 NBA Playoffs and are the favorite to win a second straight championship.
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