The 2025 NBA Playoffs are just around the corner with the regular season ending this Sunday. There are many teams still deciding their playoff fate, and the playoff possibilities still seem endless. Some scenarios are better than others, however. Let’s take a look at the best first-round NBA playoff series from the fans’ perspective.
Three First-Round Playoff Series Every Fan Should Hope For
Houston Rockets vs Memphis Grizzlies
What a bloodbath this series would be. These two young and up-and-coming teams are jostling to take the up-for-grabs Western Conference throne. The Grizzlies and Rockets have both spent most of the season near the top of the Western Conference standings, but a recent skid by Memphis has dropped them, putting them at risk to enter the dreaded Play-In Tournament.
If the Grizzlies ended up there and won, entering the playoffs as the seven seed, a battle with the Rockets in the first round would be epic. The Grizzlies and Rockets are two of the grittiest, most physical teams in the league. Add in young stars like Ja Morant, Alperen Sengun, and Amen Thompson, and you’ve got yourself a very entertaining series. League-wide villain Dillon Brooks facing his old team adds a layer to the drama as well.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Minnesota Timberwolves
This is another first-round NBA playoff series that would excite. Sure, a one seed against an eight seed (what Minnesota could leave the Play-In tournament as) series isn’t usually the most exciting. This one would be different.
The Timberwolves were in the Western Conference Finals last season and have one of the best players in the league on their roster. They are one of the few teams that can match the size of the Thunder, and split the season series with them 2-2. This series is all about watching two of the best young superstars in the league, Anthony Edwards and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, going head to head. The fact that the Timberwolves could spoil the Thunders’ perfect season just adds to the intrigue.
Los Angeles Lakers vs Golden State Warriors
Every NBA fan should pray for this scenario. This California battle would have a little of everything. Old rivals facing off, newly acquired superstars in their first playoff run, and Western Conference Finals level talent in the first round.
This series is all about LeBron James and Stephen Curry. They are two of the greatest players of all time, and their careers will forever be connected. They’ve already had 28 (!) playoff battles over the years and most of them were in the NBA Finals. Curry has bested James in 17 of those 28 games, but James has a new weapon that could change everything.
Luka Doncic and Jimmy Butler are the next layers that would make this one of the best first-round series maybe ever. Both superstars in their own rights, they’ve joined their new teams and instantly transformed them into title contenders. Watching Doncic or Butler play in the postseason is always a treat, but having them in a first-round series going head to head—and playing next to two of the greatest players ever—would be a dream for NBA fans around the world.
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