Inside The Thunder

Who OKC Thunder Are Set to Face in NBA Playoffs

The Oklahoma City Thunder see the 2024-25 NBA Playoff Bracket set after the Regular season wraps up.

Rylan Stiles

Apr 8, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) smiles after scoring against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Apr 8, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) smiles after scoring against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
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With that, the 2024-25 NBA Regular Season is over. The Oklahoma City Thunder have finished with a historic 68-win season good enough for the best record in the NBA. That secures not just the best record out West and home-court advantage in every round the Thunder play during the NBA Playoffs, including the Finals.

The NBA Playoff bracket is set and the Oklahoma City Thunder is able to see its potential path to the NBA Finals, what would be its second ever trip to the end and first since 2012.

NBA Play-In Tournament:

No. 7 Golden State Warriors vs No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies

The winner of this game will take on the Houston Rockets in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, while the loser has another chance to make the playoffs as the No. 8 seed if they beat the winner of the No. 9 vs. No. 10.

No. 9 Sacramento Kings vs. No. 10 Dalas Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings get together in the Golden 1 Center to play a win-or-go-home game for the rihgt to play against the loser of the No. 7 vs. No. 8 game. The winner of that second game goes onto be the No. 8 seed.

No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 TBD

The Oklahoma City Thunder should hope that the No. 8 seed is anyone but the Golden State Warriors, who are undoubtably the best team in the play-in field with the most star power.

No. 4 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 5 L.A. Clippers

This should be one of the most competitive first round series in the Playoffs, with the winner going into the second round to play the No. 1 or No. 8 seed.

No. 3 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves

The Lakers without a center take on a Minnesota team anchored by Rudy Gobert, this could be a big advantage for Los Angeles to play Rudy off the floor as Luka Doncic is known to do, but Minnesota can counter with Naz Reid. This series has a wide-range of outcomes within the chess match of each game.

No. 2 Houston Rockets vs. No. 7 TBD

The Rockets will most likely take on the Golden State Warriors if they handle their business in the NBA Play-In Tournament. The Winner of this series will move on to play the Lakers or Timberwolves.

If the Play-In Tournament goes chalk, the bracket sets up well for Oklahoma City to avoid the likes of Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Anthony Edwards, Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler until a potential Western Conference Finals Matchup.

So long as the Warriors win the opening Western Conference Play-in game, the Thunder should be able to win its first round matchup in short order.

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Rylan Stiles
RYLAN STILES

Rylan Stiles is a credentialed media member covering the Oklahoma City Thunder. He hosts the Locked On Thunder Podcast, and is Lead Beat Writer for Inside the Thunder. Rylan is also an award-winning play-by-play broadcaster for the Oklahoma Sports Network. 

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