Expert Predictions for the 2025 NBA Conference Finals

The NBA playoffs have reached the conference finals stage, with the four remaining teams having taken distinct paths to get here.

The top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder have reached the Western Conference finals after a challenging seven-game series against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. This is the Thunder`s first appearance in the conference finals since the 2015-16 season.

Meanwhile, the Minnesota Timberwolves cruised into the Western Conference finals by defeating the Golden State Warriors in five games. This marks their second consecutive appearance in the conference finals, following a loss to the Dallas Mavericks last season.

In the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks defeated the reigning champions, the Boston Celtics, in six games to reach their first conference finals in 25 years. Their opponent will be the Indiana Pacers, who eliminated the East`s top seed, the Cleveland Cavaliers, in just five games. The Pacers are also in the conference finals for the second year in a row, after being swept by the Celtics last year.

With the playoff field narrowed down to four teams, our panel of NBA experts offers their predictions for the conference finals.

Eastern Conference Finals

Indiana Pacers (4) vs. New York Knicks (3)

Final tally:

New York 9, Indiana 5

Western Conference Finals

Minnesota Timberwolves (6) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (1)

Final tally:

Oklahoma City 9, Minnesota 5