When was the last time a No. 7 seed (Warriors) was a betting favorite over a healthy No. 2 seed (Rockets)? Three of the four series in the West and at least one in the East (two if you're a big Pistons fan) could go either way.

The Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets are going head-to-head in the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs. It's an intriguing matchup featuring proven playoff veterans for Golden State and a talented young core for Houston.

Sixteen teams in total make the NBA playoffs, eight teams from both the Eastern and Western Conference. The top six seeds in each conference advance based on the regular season record. The final two seeds in each conference are determined by the NBA Play-In Tournament.