The 2025 NBA Playoffs are finally here, and they feature two of the East's preeminent franchises at the top: the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics. Both have achieved dominant regular seasons, grabbing the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds and establishing themselves as primary contenders for the NBA crown.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Eastern Conference's Top Seed
The Cleveland Cavaliers finished with a league-best 64–18 record to secure the No. 1 seed in the East and the Cavs' first Central Division title since 2017–18. The +9.5 point differential shows their strength on both ends of the court. Cleveland, paced by All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell and a deep supporting cast, has established itself as one of the few steady squads during the season. With Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley holding it down, their defense has made life tough for opposing offenses, and their offense has been able to score efficiently.
The Cavaliers will play against the winners of the last Eastern Conference play-in game between the Atlanta Hawks, who have already qualified, and either the Chicago Bulls or the Miami Heat. They will be big bookmakers’ favorites over whomever they face in round one, and no matter who they match up with, they will seek to extract maximum benefit from their home-court advantage and unbeatable rhythm from the regular season.
Betting fans will have a chance to keep up with live NBA scores on all matches, from the playoffs all the way to the finals, as provided on the Sporty Trader link. This platform provides real-time scores and stats not only on basketball matches but also on many other sports events.
Boston Celtics: Close Second
Climbing up behind Cleveland, the Boston Celtics earned the No. 2 seed with a 61–21 record and a point differential of +9.1. The Celtics’ 10th straight year in the playoffs easily makes them one of the most consistent teams. They have a combination of established veterans and young stars on the list, including Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Derrick White. Brown running full-go in practice recently after getting an injection in his knee is an encouraging sign for Boston's hopes in the postseason.
The Celtics will face the seventh-seeded Orlando Magic, who cruised to a 120–95 win over the Atlanta Hawks in the play-in. The Magic young core with Cole Anthony and Paolo Banchero will get tested by the older Celtics team. TD Garden will be the site of Game 1 of the series on Sunday, April 20.
Scenarios for the Bottom of the Eastern Conference Playoff Field
Here is the complete playoff bracket for the Eastern Conference:
(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (8) TBD
(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Orlando Magic
(3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Detroit Pistons
(4) Pacers (37W) vs. (5) Bucks (37W)
Knicks-Pistons is the battle of opposites, and Pacers-Bucks figures to be a slugfest. Results from these series may have a major bearing on the road to the East Finals.
Looking Ahead
When the playoffs roll around, it'll be interesting to see if the Cavs and Celtics can keep the same level of success they had in the regular season. With both rosters fully developed, there is enough talent, depth, and experience on both teams to make a deep playoff run. But you never know what the playoffs will bring, and any team can pull an upset on any given night. This sets up a number of compelling narratives and matchups in what should be one of the more competitive Eastern Conference playoffs in years.
And so it starts — the path to the NBA Finals, with the Eastern Conference ready to bring some drama and a lot of high-stakes basketball.
