Nov 29, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) shoots the ball against the Los Angeles Lakers in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images 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 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
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 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 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
