Mavericks Fall, Heat Advance in 2025 NBA Play-In Tournament as Thunder Win First Title

The 2025 NBA Play-In Tournament delivered drama, upsets, and heartbreak between April 15 and 18, 2025, setting the stage for a postseason unlike any in recent memory. The Dallas Mavericks looked poised to shock the league after defeating the Sacramento Kings 120-106 on April 16, but their Cinderella run ended just two days later with a crushing 120-106 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. Meanwhile, the Miami Heat, powered by Tyler Herro’s fire and Bam Adebayo’s all-around dominance, survived the gauntlet to claim the final Eastern Conference playoff spot—and then stunned the league by pushing the Cleveland Cavaliers to the brink before falling in a lopsided series finale.

Play-In Drama: Heat Survive, Mavericks Fall Short

On April 16, the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks both punched their tickets to the second round of the play-in, each winning decisive road games. The Heat crushed the Chicago Bulls 109-90, with guard Davion Mitchell delivering a career-defining performance: 8-of-12 shooting and a game-high nine assists off the bench. The Mavericks, led by a balanced attack, outlasted the Kings 120-106 in a physical, fast-paced contest that saw Dallas outrebound Sacramento 48-39.

But here’s the twist: winning your first play-in game doesn’t guarantee survival. The Heat faced the loser of the 7-8 game—the Atlanta Hawks—on April 18, and in a back-and-forth thriller, Miami pulled away in overtime to win 123-114. The Mavericks, meanwhile, were sent to face the Memphis Grizzlies, who had lost to the Golden State Warriors in the 7-8 matchup. Memphis, hungry and disciplined, shut down Dallas’s offense in the second half and won 120-106, ending the Mavericks’ season.

Warriors’ Historic Run and the Rise of the Thunder

While the play-in determined the final seeds, the real fireworks came in the first round. The Golden State Warriors, the No. 7 seed at 48-34, pulled off one of the most improbable upsets in NBA history by defeating the No. 2 Houston Rockets in seven games. It was the seventh time in league history a seventh-seed had beaten a second-seed—and the first since 2023. The series featured a Game 7 win in Oakland that sent shockwaves through the league, especially since it meant the Western Conference Finals would be the first since 1996 without a team from California or Texas.

That opened the door for the Oklahoma City Thunder, who had finished the regular season as the West’s top seed. They dispatched the Grizzlies in a nail-biter—winning Game 7 117-115—and then swept the Nuggets to reach the Finals. Meanwhile, in the East, the Indiana Pacers stunned the No. 1 Cavaliers in a six-game series, highlighted by Aaron Nesmith’s record-setting six three-pointers in the fourth quarter of Game 3—the first time any player had ever done that in a playoff game.

Heat’s Valiant Effort and the Brutal Reality of Cleveland

The Miami Heat entered their first-round matchup with Cleveland as underdogs, but they didn’t act like it. In Game 1, they held the Cavs to just 98 points. In Game 2, Tyler Herro exploded for 33 points and five assists, while Bam Adebayo nearly notched a triple-double with 11 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists. Haywood Highsmith, the 6’5” reserve, went 5-of-6 from deep for 17 points, and for a moment, Miami looked like they might steal the series.

But Cleveland’s depth and defensive discipline overwhelmed them. In Game 4, the Cavs won 138-83—the most lopsided playoff victory in franchise history. The Heat’s season ended not with a whimper, but with a brutal reminder: in the modern NBA, talent disparity can erase even the most spirited efforts.

Finals, History, and a New Champion

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers met in the Finals, and after six gripping games, it came down to Game 7 in Oklahoma City. With the score tied 108-108 with 12 seconds left, rookie phenom Chet Holmgren drove baseline, drew three defenders, and found Jalen Williams for a corner three. The shot swished. The arena erupted. The Thunder won 111-108—and with it, their first NBA championship.

It was a moment decades in the making. Oklahoma City hadn’t won a title since 1979, when they were the Seattle SuperSonics. Now, with a young core led by Holmgren and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, they’d arrived. The Pacers, despite Aaron Nesmith’s historic shooting and Tyrese Haliburton’s brilliance, came up just short. And the league? It was forever changed.

What’s Next for the Play-In Era?

The 2025 play-in tournament reinforced a troubling truth: the NBA’s format rewards resilience but punishes inconsistency. Teams like the Mavericks and Kings, who hovered around .500, got a shot—but only if they could survive two games in three days. The Heat, despite being the eighth seed, proved that culture and toughness can carry you far. But the Thunder’s title run showed that elite talent still wins in the end.

Expect more teams to tank for higher play-in seeds next season. Expect more injuries to derail momentum. And expect the league to keep tinkering—because with each play-in, the line between hope and heartbreak grows thinner.