2025 NBA’s end predictions, which is below for Celtics, Cavaliers, Nuggets, Warriors at the Playoffs Round Table

The parties are scheduled for the 2025 NBA Conference Finals, as the Thunder will meet with the Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals and the Knicks will play the Pacers at the Eastern Conference Finals. You can find everything you need to know about these series at the links below.

For the purposes of this round table, we got Kurt Helin from NBC Sports and Raphoworld, Rapielle Johnson and Noah Rubin, together to offer their thoughts on the teams that were eliminated in the semifinals of the conference and their respective paths advancing. We also asked for temperature control at the NBA finals. Check –

2025 NBA Final Conference Views:

1) Given the Jayson Tatum Achilles injury, what are your expectations for the Celtics by 2025-26? Should they consider significant changes due to the luxury tax invoice?

Wolf Helin: The winds of change were dragged on Boston this summer long before the Tatum injury. The buzz around the league for a year has been that the Celtics would go from one by Jrue Holiday and Derrick White, he adapted to Horford and maybe I would like to find a new house for Kristaps Porzingis (the fort that is the Porzingis commercial market is the debate).

However, Tatum’s injury that becomes the next season in a “gap year” for Celtics means that Brad Stevens and the new property of Boston have to step back and ask the biggest question: Should they consider Jaylen Brown’s trade? If they can get a package of young players and quality options (such as Houston or San Antonio), allowing Boston to return all Tatum’s full speed return for the 2026-27 season, they must be considered seriously. Rumors will fly, but my bet is that they stick with Tatum and Brown’s time in Boston. However, everyone else on the list is and should be available at the right price.

Noah Rubin: They have to do it. Even at the weaker conference (which could be weaker if Giannis Antekounmpo is marketed in the west), Boston probably does not have enough to win a championship next season without Tatum, even if he could return a couple of months before the playoffs. With several teams that need the center’s help (Hi Rob Pelinka) and all the others in the East are likely to take advantage of the Celtics of not having Tatum, it is the perfect year for Boston to zigzine while all the other Zags.

Not many contending teams also have the control of their capital project as the Celtics do. The question is how proactive does Brad Stevens want to be? If we assume that next season is a washing (and this is not one), Jaylen Brown will be 31 at the beginning of the 2026-27 season. Derrick White will be 33 years old, Jrue Holiday will be 37 years old, Kristaps Porzingis will be 32 years old, etc. It seems unlikely to keep this team united, although this does not mean that everyone has gone. If he were in charge, he would think a lot and take a class of 2026 stacked, prominent by Cam Boozer, Darryn Peterson and Aj Dybantsa, to give the Celtics their own version of the Tim Duncan-David Robinson Spurs. O Potentially selling an early selection in this draft for a different co -star for Tatum.

Rapielle Johnson: At the surface level, the Celtics are in a position where it makes sense (and saves some cents) to consider what they can do through the commercial market. Kristaps Porzingis is headed to the last year of his contract, it probably makes him the easiest player to move -if the property went to do this route. However, it is still a sign of medical questioning due to the end of the season illness that affected its resistance during the post -season. Acquiring it without clarity about this situation would be an important risk to any team. Jrue Holiday will be 35 years old in June and has been in his contract for three seasons, and in the Horford, 38, he will be a free agent this summer.

However, the fact that a new property group has taken the post makes this difficult to read. Would you make a good impression on the base of fan if the first course of action had to reduce the costs and break a team that would remain one of the best in the East, even with Jayson Tatum for most of next season? I would say no. I think Boston wants to make another career to move east, with a player like Payton Pritchard, taking on an expanded role. Who knows if it works or not? But I think Boston will not yet go into a complete reconstruction.

2) Warriors will have the next season? What movements can you do to give them a chance?

Get: Father’s time wins each race. One year from now on, Curry will be 38 years old, while Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green will be 36 years old, no matter how much experience helps at some point in the combination of talent and young people with teams such as Oklahoma City, Houston and Minnesota, they will be overwhelmed (and this is not introduced in a restored lakers squad, and the nuggets still have nikola. Jokic). Really fighting next season is out of the table.

This does not mean that you do not try. Mike Dunleavy and the Golden State Front Office have to spend the low season, finding a legitimate center, adding athletics and shot, and doing all this keeping under the second apron. Warriors will be very fun next season, but the playoffs come, they will only be an appetizer for the best teams.

Rubin: Steph Curry is a player I will never write. After all-star break last season, the Warriors had the best defensive qualification and the seventh best offensive qualification in the league, according to NBA.com. That is, while Jimmy Butler is inserted into rotation and discovering things about gait.

There are two factors that will give Golden State a chance next season. The first is health, which is completely out of your hands. The second is to really commit to building a winning team. There should be no reports that no one is called Steph “out of the table”. Little by little they have moved away from the timeline approach, but there is more commitment. Jonathan Kuminga is a restricted free agent and could be part of a sign and trade. Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski and all young players with commercial value, as well as any choice, should be all attended. It is completely possible for Warriors to prefer to keep a player as Podz because they like the long term. It’s okay. He is a talented player. I just think that the path to containment is to really update the list and worry about collecting the pieces after 30 that calls it a race.

Johnson: Stephen Curry is the key. Whenever healthy, Warriors will have the opportunity to make noise in the West, even with the strongest conference of both. Having Jimmy Butler with the team from the start of the training field would also help. However, depth is a concern for me. What really do Jonathan Kuminga think as a consistent collaborator? He did not go into rotation again until the Curry hamstring injury forced Steve Kerr’s hand, and there is no guarantee that another team will not make a kuminga an offer that he cannot reject … and Golden State cannot equal.

It would probably be in the best interest of Golden State to make a sign and a trade, potentially fortifying the list with several players who may remain in the Rotation of Kerr. They will need Brandin Podziemski to continue to improve, but there is a path to this group that is a contestant next season. They will probably need help in the form of a team with a considerable lid space, putting a lucrative offer in front of Kuminga to make it a reality.

3) Was this the beginning of a dynasty in Cleveland, or was it a season of “a year wonder” that was reduced by injury?

Found: There is no dynasty in Cleveland, but Tatum’s injury opened the door to more than a unique list. Cavaliers should run again next season and try to take a step forward. Two things became clear about this post -empower: 1) Darius Garland is essential for this team and they need to stay fully healthy; 2) The front office must add a little hardness, a little grana to the list. A veteran built for the playoffs. Do this and this should be more than a year in Cleveland.

Rubin: I think if they play their cards properly, Cleveland will be among the most important teams of the East for a while. If the luck of injuries were next to them, they would have been at least more competitive in the Indiana series. It was the first season with Kenny Atkinson at the helm, and they added De’Andre Hunter in the middle of the season. The continuity will be useful, but the growth of Darius Garland and Evan Furniture will be critical. Donovan Mitchell is still the superstar, but Garland and furniture have a lot of upside down. Its Four core is hired until 2028 and there is no reason for things to break. It was a disappointing end of the season and there is room to improve, but it is difficult not to be animated for a season of 64 wins.

Johnson: To be fair, the definition of the word “dynasty” seems to change to the NBA, as we head to a seventh different champion in seven years. I can’t buy in Cleveland unless the border office makes important adjustments to the hardness department. Does this mean that forms are formed with one of their “core four”? Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley should go nowhere, but cavaliers may have to consider possible offers for Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen. Given the current state of the East, especially with the injury of Jayson Tatum Achilles, the Cavaliers should believe that they can stay between the best for the next seasons. But the post -season is a completely different animal and they will have to remember this summer.

4) Denver’s nucleus has directed its course?

Get: Not whenever Nikola Jokic is the best player walking on Earth’s face, it gives them an opportunity even when the talent that surrounds it is not at the necessary level (see this last series against OKC). That said, it may be time to modify the team’s nucleus if it means negotiating Michael Porter Jr. by depth and defense.

Rubin: It is a new age in Denver, with the temporary coach David Adelman, and the interim general director ben Tenzer in the hope of removing the provisional tags. The nuggets have trusted the continuity of success in recent years, but it may be time for a change. Current teams are based on depth more than ever, and the lack of nuggets was a glittering problem that was exposed in series of seven consecutive games. I don’t think it’s time to clean home, but I don’t think anyone other than Jokic should be out of the table in a potential agreement. It is useful to have more than eight players in the playoffs.

Johnson: As Kurt said, as long as you have a Nikola Jokic caliber player on your list, you have a shot. But they will have to make movements to improve the depth and athletics of the team to fight in the West. Of course, many will be able to zero about Michael Porter Jr. and their heavy weight and good reason. I would not be surprised to be the subject of commercial rumors this summer.

5) Who is your updated selection to win the NBA finals?

Get: I chose the Thunder from Oklahoma City to win -everything before the playoffs begin, now I will not get off this wagon.

Rubin: I go with the Timberwolves. I think the combination of elite defense and scorers are going to give them the opportunity to beat anyone. In addition, Julius Randle only plays at a much higher level than he expected. I think it raises concordance problems for all the remaining teams.

Johnson: I liked that the Thunder won the title before the post -season began and I will stay with them. Its ability to respond almost any problem that was launched by the FArket of the preferred head in the finals of the conference.