Why Each 2nd Round Team Can Win the NBA Finals:

The 2nd round of the NBA playoffs is set. After a historic and thrilling first round, eight teams are left in this ultra-competitive playoff field. Here's why each of the eight teams remaining has a shot at hosting the Larry O’Brien trophy in mid-June:

The Oklahoma City Thunder: I could list one hundred reasons why the Thunder could win the Championship, as they did have a league-best record of 68-14, but only a few truly matter in the playoffs. First off, they have the MVP of the league, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA), who was the best Guard in the NBA this season, and it was not particularly close. He had the best season a guard has had since Michael Jordan. SGA averaged a league high of 32.7 points per game (ppg) on a ridiculous 51.9% shooting. 

Arguably, the most dangerous part of their team is their deadly two-headed monster down low. Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren struggled to stay on the court during the regular season, but when they played together, Oklahoma City was 16-4. Hartenstein's size and passing, paired with the versatility of Holmgren's ability to stretch the floor, is every opposing team's nightmare. 

Lastly, OKC’s bench could be a starting lineup on its own. With Alex Caruso, Isaiah Joe, Jaylin Williams, Aaron Wiggins, and Cason Wallace, they have a bench that puts fear into any opposing team's second unit. 

There were many reasons why OKC could win the title, but it wasn't enough; they are just that good. 

The Denver Nuggets: Nikola Jokic. That should be enough to convince you why the Nuggets can win their 2nd championship in three years. Unfortunately, one player can’t do it all. 

Nikola Jokic has had the best year of his career this year, and that’s saying something for the three-time MVP. Jokic averaged a triple-double this year, only the third player to ever do that in league history. 

Denver's road to the Championship will be a lot tougher than it was in 2023. With eight games left in the regular season, Denver fired longtime head coach Michael Malone, the all-time wins leader in the history of the Nuggets. This came as a shock to everybody, considering Malone was the voice of the team. 

If Denver wants to win their 2nd championship in three years, it’ll need playoff Jamal Murray to take down OKC in round two, and beyond. It’s no easy task playing the league's best and most well-rounded team in round two, but if anyone can take them down, it's the three-time MVP, Nikola Jokic. 

The Minnesota Timberwolves: The Minnesota Timberwolves just knocked off LeBron James and Luka Dončić in five games; that should tell you a lot about this team. Minnesota has its superstar, Anthony Edwards. While Edwards is only 23 years old, he’s already eliminated LeBron James, Luka Dončić, Kevin Durant, and Nikola Jokic out of the playoffs in his short career. All of those players will be in the Hall of Fame. Edwards did not eliminate the Lakers on his own, this Minnesota team is deep and very well constructed by General Manager Matt Lloyd. 

On October 2nd, 2024, Minnesota made a stunning move, trading their franchise's most beloved player, Karl Anthony Towns (KAT), to the New York Knicks in exchange for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and draft picks. This move was made mostly for salary cap restrictions, but also to add more depth to a roster that desperately needed it, and now it’s a huge reason why Minnesota is 22-9 in their last 31 games, and playing their best basketball at just the right time. 

The duo of Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle has been the best in the playoffs so far, as they are each averaging 22+ ppg. Their driving ability and size were too much for a small and relatively weak Lakers team inside, as they bullied Los Angeles’s weak defenders (LeBron, Luka, and Reaves). If Minnesota is going to win the title, they need Randle to play like this for the rest of the playoffs, and hope Anthony Edwards continues to be Anthony Edwards, and take down three first-ballot Hall of Famers in round two, which he is capable of. 

The Golden State Warriors: The Golden State Warriors have three first-ballot Hall of Fame players, all in their mid to late thirties, still doing their thing. Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green all look well in their prime.

The Warriors are coming off a road game seven win against the young and physical Houston Rockets. The Dubs were pushed to their limits against Houston, as it was the most physically demanding series we have seen in a long time. Buddy Hield saved the day for them in game seven, dropping an NBA record-tying nine threes in game seven. If Buddy stays hot, the sky is the limit for Golden State. 

The Warriors' main flaw is their age, and whether the one day off in between games will be enough for the big three to be consistent. The Warriors do have the greatest shooter the game has ever seen, and maybe the greatest defensive player the game has ever seen. If you are going to bet on a team to win the finals, it’d be a good idea to bet on the team that has Steph Curry.  

The Cleveland Cavaliers: The Cleveland Cavaliers surprised everyone and overtook the Boston Celtics as the number one seed in the Eastern Conference. Under new Head Coach and former Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson, the Cavs steamrolled the weak Eastern Conference in the regular season. With the same roster as last year, when they only finished with 48 wins in 2024, how did this team turn into a 64-win powerhouse in 2025? 

The main reason is because of the much-awaited breakout of Evan Mobley, who won the Defensive Player of the Year this year (DPOY). Mobley was not only an improved defender this year, but he was a monster on the offensive end. He and All-NBA guard Donovan Mitchell would be the reason the Cavs hoist the Larry O’Brien come June. The Cavs were second, only behind the Bucks, in 3PT% in the regular season, at 38.3%. 

The Cavs' 3PT shooting is their bread and butter offensively. If they shoot in the playoffs like they did all of 2025, the Cavs will be hoisting their first-ever Larry O’Brien trophy with LeBron James not on the roster. 

The Indiana Pacers: The Indiana Pacers went on a Cinderella run as the sixth seed last year, making it to the Eastern Conference Finals (ECF), where they lost to the eventual Champion Boston Celtics in a four-game sweep. This year, they are not only healthier, but better. Indiana finished as the fourth seed in the weak Eastern Conference and defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in five games in round one.

The Pacers are led by Tyrese Halliburton and Pascal Siakam, two players who complement each other differently from Mitchell and Mobley, but work together just as well. 

If the Pacers are going to go far in the NBA playoffs, they need contributions from their bench. T.J. McConnell and Benedict Mathurin will need to be key offensive contributors for the Pacers to win games. This Pacers team is young and wants to replicate what they did last year, but go further this time around.

The New York Knicks: The Knicks squeaked out a game six closeout win in a hostile environment against a young and hungry Detroit Pistons team. Now they go on to play the Boston Celtics in round two.

The Knicks were last year's feel-good story in the Eastern Conference, as they shocked everyone and finished as the number two seed in the East, only to lose to the Indiana Pacers in seven games in round two. Many blamed last year's second-round exit on injuries, as O.G. Anunoby hurt his hamstring and missed significant time in the series, but this year, the Knicks are healthy. 

This year, the expectations are much higher in the Big Apple, as they made a splash move in the offseason, trading for superstar big man Karl Anthony-Towns. Jalen Brunson and KAT have been one of the, if not the best, duos in basketball this season, as they were both named All-Stars. If the Knicks want to take down the reigning NBA Champion Boston Celtics in round two, they need their surrounding players to shine. That includes guys like OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart. If those guys are key contributors against Boston, they could win that series. If they get past Boston, anything can happen for the Knicks. 

The Boston Celtics: The Boston Celtics are coming off an NBA Championship in 2024, and they are trying to run it back with the same team that brought the 18th championship banner to Boston last year. 

The Celtics had another stellar regular season, despite Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis missing significant time throughout the regular season, but that didn't matter. Boston relied on Jayson Tatum even more this year, and he delivered. Tatum only missed nine games this year and will most likely finish 4th in MVP voting, behind only SGA, Jokic, and Giannis. 

The only team in the Eastern Conference truly standing in Boston's way is the Cleveland Cavaliers, whom they were 2-2 against during the regular season. As long as Boston stays healthy, they have a chance against any team in the NBA, including the Thunder.