The Indiana Pacers are back in the Eastern Conference finals after defeating the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5 of their second-round series. Despite the Cavaliers winning 64 games during the regular season, they lost three home games, leading to an unexpected early exit.

The Pacers, seeded fourth this year, had been eliminated in the previous year’s conference finals as the sixth seed by the eventual champions, the Celtics.

Other teams like the Knicks and Timberwolves are also in solid positions, both leading their respective series with a 3-1 advantage. However, the Celtics and Warriors are on the brink of elimination, with the Celtics facing a challenging situation after losing star player Jayson Tatum to a torn Achilles.

Despite the surprises in these playoffs, the Thunder have emerged as the title favorites, boasting a 3-2 lead over the Nuggets in their series, with the Knicks now having the best odds to win the East.

2025 NBA Playoff Bracket

Upcoming Second-Round Schedule:

All times in Eastern

• May 14: Celtics vs. Knicks at 7 p.m. (TNT/Max)
• May 14: Timberwolves vs. Warriors at 9:30 p.m. (TNT/Max)
• May 15: Nuggets vs. Thunder (Time/TV TBD)
• May 16: Knicks vs. Celtics at 8 p.m. (ESPN)
• May 18: Warriors vs. Timberwolves and Thunder vs. Nuggets (Times TBD)
• May 19: Celtics vs. Knicks at 8 p.m. (TNT/Max)
• May 20: Timberwolves vs. Warriors at 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Previous Scores:

• May 4: Pacers 121, Cavaliers 112
• May 5: Knicks 108, Celtics 105 (OT)
• May 6: Pacers 120, Cavaliers 119
• May 7: Knicks 91, Celtics 90
• May 8: Timberwolves 117, Warriors 93
• May 9: Cavaliers 126, Pacers 104
• May 10: Pacers 129, Cavaliers 109
• May 12: Pacers 114, Cavaliers 105 – Pacers win series 4-1

The Pacers are looking to make a significant run in the playoffs this year.