The stage is set for an exciting start to the 2025 NBA play-in tournament, with eight teams battling it out for the final spots in the playoffs. The Golden State Warriors led by Stephen Curry will face off against the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference, while the Orlando Magic take on the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference. The Miami Heat will clash with the Chicago Bulls, and the Dallas Mavericks will square off against the Sacramento Kings in the 9-10 matchups. The winners of these games will move on to compete for the No. 8 seed in their respective conferences.
As the postseason picture unfolds, NBA experts have weighed in with their predictions for each play-in game and first-round series. The consensus is favoring the Warriors over the Grizzlies, the Kings over the Mavericks, the Magic over the Hawks, and the Bulls over the Heat. In the first round, the New York Knicks are heavily backed to defeat the Detroit Pistons, while the Indiana Pacers are tipped to overcome the Milwaukee Bucks. The star-studded Los Angeles Lakers are expected to dominate the Minnesota Timberwolves, while the LA Clippers are favored to advance past the Denver Nuggets in what promises to be a thrilling start to the NBA playoffs.