The [NBA season begins](https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/08/14/warriors-2025-26-nba-schedule-what-to-know-top-games-steph-curry-jimmy-butler/) Tuesday night, when the Oklahoma City Thunder host the Houston Rockets and raise their first championship banner.
In the nightcap on NBC, the [Warriors will visit the Lakers](https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/10/09/lebron-james-will-miss-opening-night-of-his-record-23rd-nba-season-due-to-sciatica/) in Los Angeles.
The league completely eschewed the Eastern Conference on its first showcase night in four months, indicating it understands something many fans have felt for some time now: The West is the far better conference.
That’s especially true this year as Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton are recovering from Achilles tears in the playoffs and likely to miss all of this season.
Can the Thunder climb above Denver, Minnesota, the Los Angeles teams and the Warriors to repeat as champs? Will the Knicks or Cavaliers break through to reach the Finals from the East? And can Victor Wembanyama threaten for the MVP in just his third season?
We asked our NBA coverage crew to predict the season. Here’s what they foresee:
### Joseph Dycus
**West playoff picture (1-8):** Thunder, Nuggets, Spurs, Rockets, Warriors, Clippers, Timberwolves, Lakers
**West finals:** Thunder over Spurs
**East playoff picture (1-8):** Knicks, Magic, Cavs, Bucks, Celtics, Pistons, Heat, Hawks
**East finals:** Cavs over Magic
**NBA Finals:** Thunder over Cavs
**MVP:** Victor Wembanyama, Spurs
**Rookie of the year:** Ace Bailey, Jazz
**Coach of the year:** Jamahl Mosley, Magic
**Comment:** Wembanyama stakes his claim to being the best player in the world, but no one and nothing can stop OKC from becoming the first team to repeat since the Warriors.
### Dieter Kurtenbach
**West playoff picture (1-8):** Thunder, Nuggets, Warriors, Clippers, Rockets, Timberwolves, Lakers, Spurs
**West finals:** Thunder over Warriors
**East playoff picture (1-8):** Knicks, Cavs, Hawks, Magic, Heat, Pistons, Bucks, Bulls
**East finals:** Knicks over Hawks
**NBA Finals:** Thunder over Knicks
**MVP:** Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
**Rookie of the year:** V.J. Edgecombe, 76ers
**Coach of the year:** Quin Snyder, Hawks
**Comment:** There will be moments where we wonder if the Warriors’ 73 regular-season wins record is in peril.
### Michael Nowels
**West playoff picture (1-8):** Thunder, Nuggets, Lakers, Warriors, Clippers, Timberwolves, Rockets, Spurs
**West finals:** Thunder over Lakers
**East playoff picture (1-8):** Knicks, Cavs, Hawks, Magic, Pistons, Bucks, 76ers, Pacers
**East finals:** Knicks over Cavaliers
**NBA Finals:** Knicks over Thunder
**MVP:** Luka Doncic, Lakers
**Rookie of the year:** Cooper Flagg, Mavericks
**Coach of the year:** Quin Snyder, Hawks
**Comment:** The Lakers become Luka’s in his MVP season, and the Knicks’ collective shocks OKC in the Finals. The old-school, big-market NBA backrooms rejoice.