The 2025 NBA postseason is set to begin with the play-in tournament on Tuesday, where eight teams will compete for the final four playoff berths.
In the Western Conference play-in, Stephen Curry`s Golden State Warriors will face off against the Memphis Grizzlies in a battle for the 7th seed. Over in the East, the Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks will clash to determine the Eastern Conference`s No. 7 seed and a first-round matchup against the reigning champions, Boston Celtics.
Wednesday`s schedule features the 9-10 matchups: Miami Heat versus Chicago Bulls, and Dallas Mavericks against Sacramento Kings. The losers of these games will be eliminated, while the winners will advance to Friday`s games to compete for the No. 8 seed in their respective conferences.
The first round of the playoffs will commence on Saturday with the 3-6 and 4-5 seed series from both conferences. Top-seeded teams will host Game 1 of their first-round series against play-in tournament winners starting Sunday.
Before the NBA`s star players hit the playoff stage, basketball experts have shared their predictions for every play-in game and first-round series.
Play-in Tournament Predictions
Western Conference Play-in
(8) Memphis Grizzlies at (7) Golden State Warriors
| Expert | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Jamal Collier: | Warriors |
| Chris Herring: | Warriors |
| Tim MacMahon: | Warriors |
| Bobby Marks: | Warriors |
| Dave McMenamin: | Warriors |
| Kevin Pelton: | Warriors |
| Jorge Sedano: | Warriors |
| Ramona Shelburne: | Grizzlies |
| Marc J. Spears: | Warriors |
| Jeremy Woo: | Warriors |
| Ohm Youngmisuk: | Warriors |
Final tally: Warriors 10, Grizzlies 1
(10) Dallas Mavericks at (9) Sacramento Kings
| Expert | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Jamal Collier: | Kings |
| Chris Herring: | Kings |
| Bobby Marks: | Kings |
| Dave McMenamin: | Mavericks |
| Kevin Pelton: | Kings |
| Jorge Sedano: | Mavericks |
| Ramona Shelburne: | Kings |
| Marc J. Spears: | Kings |
| Jeremy Woo: | Kings |
| Ohm Youngmisuk: | Mavericks |
Final tally: Kings 7, Mavericks 3
Eastern Conference Play-in
(8) Atlanta Hawks at (7) Orlando Magic
| Expert | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Jamal Collier: | Magic |
| Chris Herring: | Hawks |
| Tim MacMahon: | Hawks |
| Bobby Marks: | Magic |
| Dave McMenamin: | Magic |
| Kevin Pelton: | Magic |
| Jorge Sedano: | Magic |
| Ramona Shelburne: | Magic |
| Marc J. Spears: | Magic |
| Jeremy Woo: | Magic |
| Ohm Youngmisuk: | Magic |
Final tally: Magic 9, Hawks 2
(10) Miami Heat at (9) Chicago Bulls
| Expert | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Jamal Collier: | Bulls |
| Chris Herring: | Bulls |
| Tim MacMahon: | Bulls |
| Bobby Marks: | Heat |
| Dave McMenamin: | Bulls |
| Kevin Pelton: | Bulls |
| Jorge Sedano: | Heat |
| Ramona Shelburne: | Heat |
| Marc J. Spears: | Heat |
| Jeremy Woo: | Bulls |
| Ohm Youngmisuk: | Heat |
Final tally: Bulls 6, Heat 5
Eastern Conference First Round Predictions
(3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Detroit Pistons
| Expert | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Jamal Collier: | Knicks in 5 |
| Chris Herring: | Knicks in 7 |
| Tim MacMahon: | Knicks in 6 |
| Bobby Marks: | Knicks in 5 |
| Dave McMenamin: | Knicks in 7 |
| Jorge Sedano: | Knicks in 7 |
| Ramona Shelburne: | Knicks in 5 |
| Marc J. Spears: | Knicks in 6 |
| Jeremy Woo: | Knicks in 6 |
| Ohm Youngmisuk: | Knicks in 7 |
Final tally: Knicks 10, Pistons 0
(4) Indiana Pacers vs. (5) Milwaukee Bucks
| Expert | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Jamal Collier: | Pacers in 7 |
| Chris Herring: | Pacers in 6 |
| Tim MacMahon: | Pacers in 7 |
| Bobby Marks: | Pacers in 6 |
| Dave McMenamin: | Pacers in 7 |
| Jorge Sedano: | Bucks in 6 |
| Ramona Shelburne: | Pacers in 6 |
| Marc J. Spears: | Pacers in 7 |
| Jeremy Woo: | Bucks in 7 |
| Ohm Youngmisuk: | Bucks in 7 |
Final tally: Pacers 7, Bucks 3
Western Conference First Round Predictions
(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves
| Expert | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Jamal Collier: | Lakers in 6 |
| Chris Herring: | Lakers in 6 |
| Tim MacMahon: | Lakers in 6 |
| Bobby Marks: | Lakers in 6 |
| Dave McMenamin: | Lakers in 6 |
| Jorge Sedano: | Lakers in 6 |
| Ramona Shelburne: | Lakers in 6 |
| Marc J. Spears: | Lakers in 7 |
| Jeremy Woo: | Lakers in 6 |
| Ohm Youngmisuk: | Lakers in 7 |
Final tally: Lakers 10, Timberwolves 0
(4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) LA Clippers
| Expert | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Jamal Collier: | Clippers in 7 |
| Chris Herring: | Clippers in 6 |
| Tim MacMahon: | Clippers in 7 |
| Bobby Marks: | Clippers in 6 |
| Dave McMenamin: | Clippers in 5 |
| Jorge Sedano: | Clippers in 7 |
| Ramona Shelburne: | Nuggets in 7 |
| Marc J. Spears: | Clippers in 7 |
| Jeremy Woo: | Nuggets in 7 |
Final tally: Clippers 7, Nuggets 2