To open the 2025 NBA Playoffs, the Cavaliers swept the Heat in historically dominant fashion. Now, they wait.
Cleveland looked the part of a No. 1 seed as it punched its ticket to the Eastern Conference semifinals with a 55-point win over Miami in Game 4. As the conference’s top seed, the Cavs now await the winner of the East’s 4-5 playoff series.
Who do the Cavaliers play next and when? Here is everything to know about Cleveland’s next opponent in the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
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Who do the Cavaliers play next?
The Cavaliers will play either the No. 4 Pacers or the No. 5 Bucks in the second round. Unlike some other professional sports leagues, the NBA does not re-seed in the second round, and the Cavs’ opponent will come from the same side of the bracket.
Indiana is one win away from advancing as it holds a 3-1 series lead over Milwaukee. The Pacers have an opportunity to close out the series when they host the Bucks on Tuesday, April 29, at 6 p.m. ET.
Because all three teams are in the same division, Cleveland played both Indiana and Milwaukee four times this season.
Interestingly, the Cavaliers lost the season series to the Pacers, 1-3, but it is worth noting that the final two meetings between Cleveland and Indiana came during the final week of the regular season. At that point, the Pacers were still playing for seeding while the Cavaliers rested key players.
Cleveland swept the regular-season series with Milwaukee, 4-0.
The Cavs’ last playoff meeting with the Pacers came in 2018 when Cleveland won a hard-fought seven-game series. The Cavs and Bucks have never met in the NBA Playoffs.
MORE: Cavs join list of biggest blowouts in NBA Playoffs history
When do the Cavaliers play next?
The date of the Cavaliers’ next game has not yet been determined. Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals will depend on the finish of the Pacers-Bucks series.
If Indiana closes out on Tuesday, Cleveland would open the second round at home on Saturday, May 3, per Tom Withers of the Associated Press.
If the Bucks extend the series with a win on Tuesday, Game 6 would be played on Friday, May 2, delaying the beginning of the Cavs’ second-round series.
