2025 NBA Playoffs: Warriors Surge, Lakers Struggle, Thunder Dominate

The 2025 NBA Playoffs are heating up, and the Western Conference first round has been pure chaos so far. Big performances, bigger collapses, and some truly wild finishes have fans glued to every game. Here’s a real, down-to-earth breakdown of where things stand after a dramatic few days.

Thunder Make It Look Easy Against the Grizzlies

The Oklahoma City Thunder didn’t waste time. They crushed the Memphis Grizzlies with a 4-0 sweep and are now the first team in the West to punch their ticket to the second round. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who’s looking more and more like the MVP, finally found his rhythm in Game 4, dropping 38 points on efficient shooting.

Memphis just couldn’t handle the Thunder’s pressure. Without Ja Morant, the Grizzlies fell apart, coughing up 22 turnovers. OKC turned those mistakes into 32 easy points, and that was the story of the series. Now, the Thunder get to rest up while the Nuggets and Clippers beat each other up. Not a bad spot to be in.

Warriors Go Up 3-1: Butler and the Young Guns Get It Done

Golden State’s experience showed up when it mattered most. Even with Stephen Curry having a quieter night and Draymond Green battling foul trouble, the Warriors found a way to win Game 4 against the Rockets, 109-106.

Jimmy Butler III, clearly not at 100%, turned it on in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 of his 27 points when the team needed him most. Brandin Podziemski also stepped up in a big way, finishing with 26 points.

The Rockets didn’t go down without a fight. Alperen Sengun was a monster with 31 points and 10 rebounds, and Fred VanVleet knocked down eight three-pointers. But missed free throws killed Houston — they left 12 points at the line, and in a tight playoff game, that’s the difference.

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Golden State knows the job isn’t done. They’ll try to finish the series in Houston in Game 5 and grab some valuable rest before the next round.

Source: 2025 NBA playoffs: Western Conference first-round takeaways

Lakers on the Brink After Another Fourth-Quarter Collapse

The Los Angeles Lakers are now staring down elimination. After blowing another late lead, they fell to the Timberwolves 116-113 in Game 4, putting them in a 3-1 hole.

Anthony Edwards was sensational, scoring 43 points and dominating late. Even with LeBron James doing everything he could — 27 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks — it wasn’t enough. Rui Hachimura had his best game of the series with 23 points, and Austin Reaves rebounded from a scoreless first half to score 17 in the second.

But key mistakes killed the Lakers again. Luka Doncic, who had 38 points, had four turnovers, including a brutal one late when LeBron tried to inbound the ball to him with 10 seconds left. Reaves had a clean look at a game-tying three but missed at the buzzer.

The Lakers are back home for Game 5. They’ll need every bit of energy from their crowd to survive against a Wolves team that’s playing with swagger and zero fear.

2025 NBA Playoffs: Warriors Surge, Lakers Struggle, Thunder Dominate

Nuggets and Clippers Tied: Chaos Reigns

You want drama? The Denver Nuggets and LA Clippers are delivering.

Game 4 was insane. The Nuggets had a 20-point lead early in the fourth quarter — and nearly blew it. But somehow, they pulled off a 101-99 win thanks to Aaron Gordon, who caught a Nikola Jokic airball and dunked it at the buzzer.

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Jokic was a monster again: 36 points and 21 rebounds. He spent the first half setting up his teammates, then took over in the third quarter, scoring or assisting on almost every point.

The Clippers, who had been red-hot from three-point range in Game 3, came crashing back to earth. They made only 10 of 30 threes, and Denver’s defense deserves a lot of the credit. The Nuggets aggressively trapped Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, forcing the Clippers’ role players to step up — and they just couldn’t do it.

Now, it’s a best-of-three series. Game 5 in Denver is going to be a battle.

What’s Next Out West

With so much at stake, here are a few things to keep an eye on:

Oklahoma City’s Break: Will the Thunder stay sharp during their rest, or will it hurt their rhythm?
Can Golden State Finish the Job? The Warriors know better than to let a young team like Houston gain momentum.
Do the Lakers Have Any Fight Left? LeBron will do everything he can, but he can’t do it alone.
Which Nuggets-Clippers Team Shows Up? Both squads have looked unbeatable at times — and very beatable at others.

In short: buckle up. The West is just getting started, and there are going to be more twists before this round is done.