2025 NBA Playoffs: Full Preview, Play-In  & Printable Bracket to Track Every Game

The 2024–25 NBA regular season has officially wrapped, and now the madness begins. While Cleveland and OKC locked up the No. 1 seeds weeks ago, the final day of the season still delivered fireworks—especially out West. With the bracket set and the Play-In games locked in, fans can finally start mapping out what could be one of the most exciting NBA post-seasons in recent memory.

Eastern Conference Bracket

In the East, things came together early. Cleveland (64–18) coasted into the top spot, with Boston, New York, Indiana, Milwaukee, and Detroit rounding out the top six. The Play-In tournament matchups are locked: Orlando will take on Atlanta in the 7-8 game, while Miami and Chicago face off in a win-or-go-home matchup for a chance to grab the 8-seed.

Donovan Mitchell has been a rock for the Cavs, but the real x-factor could be the Knicks’ Jalen Brunson, who’s quietly had one of the best seasons in the league. With Boston’s depth and Indiana’s fast-paced offense, the East could get wild quickly.

Western Conference: Absolute Mayhem at #4-8

Meanwhile, the West was chaos incarnate. Oklahoma City (67–15) clinched the top seed, led by top MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a young core firing on all cylinders. The young Houston Rockets have locked in the No. 2 seed after a surprising season, while Denver, the Lakers   and the Clippers are all jostling for home-court advantage in the final 48 hours of the season.

The Play-In matchups? Golden State is hanging onto the 6th seed now, but a lot can happen. Buckle up. Sacramento may face Minnesota in a rematch of last year’s ultra-physical battle, and Memphis could take on the Dallas Mavericks in a showdown between two teams with a lot of ups and downs.

Depending on how the final day of the season plays out, who is in the Play-In, we could see LeBron vs. Curry in the first round—again.

Rising Stars & Tank Watch

This season hasn’t just been about the title contenders. Young stars like Paolo Banchero, Scoot Henderson, and Chet Holmgren have continued to make leaps, setting the stage for future All-NBA campaigns. Meanwhile, at the other end of the standings, it’s all about ping-pong balls. The Jazz, Pistons, and Wizards are in the best position for a top lottery pick, with scouts buzzing about international sensation Hugo Gonzalez and high-flying wing Ace Bailey.

Download Your 2025 NBA Playoff Bracket

So, these free printable NBA Playoff bracket for 2025 files are basically a super easy way to keep tabs on the NBA playoffs. They’re like, a simple setup to write down who wins each game and how the teams are moving on. These bracket templates are handy if you really want to get into the NBA playoffs. They let you track everything yourself and get all hyped up about the games.