With the NBA playoff field now set, the road ahead appears to be pointing toward an NBA Finals showdown between a pair of top seeds: the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Cleveland Cavaliers. But not so fast.
No. 1 seeds from both conferences have met in the Finals just once in the past 16 seasons — when the Cavaliers came out on top against the Golden State Warriors in 2016.
The regular season showed that both teams would make for a compelling Finals matchup. What remains to be seen is how both squads handle playoff intensity.
The Thunder also were the top seed in the Western Conference last season but were eliminated in the second round by the Dallas Mavericks. The Cavs were the No. 4 seed in the East and were bounced in the second round by the Boston Celtics.
Last year’s Finals matchup: The Celtics topped the Mavericks in a five-game series.
Instead of predicting how the NBA playoffs will unfold, here are the top five most intriguing would-be matchups for any round over the next two months:
Thunder vs. Cavaliers, NBA Finals
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander playing for a championship? Sign us up. Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland competing for a title? Bring it on. Since moving to Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder have made just one Finals appearance — in 2012, when they fell to LeBron James’ Miami Heat. James led the Cavs to the Finals four consecutive years from 2015 to 2018. Those teams won just one title, and this latest version now has a chance to match that number.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Cavaliers, NBA Finals
Nov 25, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) fouls Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) during the second half at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. credits: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports Speaking of LeBron James … no offense to the Thunder, but James’ Lakers representing the Western Conference against his original team with a title on the line would be riveting. Add in the element of Luka Dončić joining the Lakers midseason, with a chance to reach the Finals for a second consecutive year, and the drama only heightens. James is running out of chances to reach the game’s biggest stage. Does he have another run left in him at age 40?
Lakers vs. Boston Celtics, NBA Finals
Apr 11, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8) shoots a free throw during the first half against the Charlotte Hornets at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images The league’s greatest rivalry — with teams that have met in the Finals on 12 occasions — has a real shot at No. 13 this season. The Celtics won the first eight matchups, starting in 1959. The Lakers have won three of the past four, with the most recent coming in 2010. The last time two No. 1 seeds met in the Finals before 2016 was in 2008, when the Celtics topped the Lakers. Adding Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, James and Dončić to the Lakers-Celtics lore only seems fitting.
Denver Nuggets vs. Milwaukee Bucks, NBA Finals
Apr 9, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) looks for a call during the second quarter of the game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images Foreign players have redefined the league and inspired the next generation of NBA stars. The styles of the Nuggets’ Nikola Jokić (Serbia) and the Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece) are not only completely different — there’s nobody quite like either one. The duo has combined for five of the past six MVP awards, and their teams have won two of the past four titles. Can the Nuggets return to the Finals after parting ways with head coach Michael Malone? They can — if they commit on the defensive end.
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Thunder, second round
Jan 4, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) dribbles the ball against the Atlanta Hawks during the second quarter at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images In search of offense during the summer of 2019, after acquiring Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers landed Paul George from the Thunder. The price was steep: Los Angeles gave up two players, five first-round picks and the right for Oklahoma City to swap picks multiple times. One of those players? None other than Gilgeous-Alexander. One of those picks became Jalen Williams, who averaged 21.6 points this season. The Thunder still have two more first-rounders coming their way. A playoff meeting would be Gilgeous-Alexander’s “how-do-you-like-me-now” moment.
Other intriguing matchups that could go down in these playoffs:
Warriors vs. Cavaliers, NBA Finals: Four Finals in four years (2015–18)
Pistons vs. Celtics, second round: Bruises remain from the 1980s showdowns
Lakers vs. Knicks, NBA Finals: The 1973 clash and Willis Reed still resonate in New York
