The NBA season is again! We made it!
The Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder start their quest to repeat Tuesday night time (7:30 p.m., Peacock) in opposition to Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets after an offseason by which they re-signed 2025 MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, All-Star Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren to offers price practically $800 million.
Elsewhere within the loaded Western Convention, Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors start their first full marketing campaign with Jimmy Butler, with their eyes on a closing run to cap a decade of near-dominance, as they face off (10 p.m. ET) in opposition to Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Within the injury-ravaged East, the Cleveland Cavaliers return a core — Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen — that led them to 64 wins and a No. 1 seed final season. They face off Wednesday night time in opposition to a Knicks staff with Finals-or-bust expectations (7 p.m. ET on ESPN).
Then, the San Antonio Spurs and Victor Wembanyama, after a critical well being scare final season and a transformational offseason, play Cooper Flagg, Anthony Davis and the Dallas Mavericks, in a recreation that includes two of probably the most tantalizing groups within the West.
Will SGA and the Thunder repeat to start a dynasty? Or can three-time MVP Nikola Jokic return the Nuggets to the Western Convention elite? Will the Knicks attain their first Finals since 1999 within the wide-open East? Our consultants have solid their votes. This is who they suppose will win the East, West and the 2026 NBA Finals.
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Japanese Convention finals picks
Tim Bontemps: Cavaliers over Knicks in 7
Jamal Collier: Knicks over Cavaliers in 7
Vincent Goodwill: Knicks over Cavaliers in 7
Baxter Holmes: Knicks over Magic in 6
Zach Kram: Knicks over Hawks in 6
Tim MacMahon: Cavaliers over Knicks in 7
Bobby Marks: Knicks over Cavaliers in 6
Dave McMenamin: Cavaliers over Knicks in 7
Kevin Pelton: Knicks over Cavaliers in 7
Ramona Shelburne: Cavaliers over Knicks in 7
Anthony Slater: Knicks over Cavaliers in 6
Marc Spears: Cavaliers over Knicks in 7
Michael Wright: Cavaliers over Knicks in 7
Ohm Youngmisuk: Knicks over Magic in 6
Closing tally (East champs): Knicks 8, Cavaliers 6
Western Convention finals picks
Bontemps: Thunder over Nuggets in 5
Collier: Thunder over Timberwolves in 6
Goodwill: Thunder over Nuggets in 7
Holmes: Thunder over Warriors in 6
Kram: Thunder over Nuggets in 7
MacMahon: Thunder over Rockets in 6
Marks: Nuggets over Thunder in 6
McMenamin: Mavericks over Thunder in 7
Pelton: Thunder over Warriors in 6
Shelburne: Rockets over Thunder in 7
Slater: Thunder over Rockets in 6
Spears: Nuggets over Thunder in 7
Wright: Thunder over Nuggets in 7
Youngmisuk: Nuggets over Thunder in 7
Closing tally (West champs): Thunder 9, Nuggets 3, Mavericks 1, Rockets 1
NBA Finals picks
Bontemps: Thunder over Cavaliers in 5
Collier: Thunder over Knicks in 6
Goodwill: Thunder over Knicks in 5
Holmes: Thunder over Knicks in 5
Kram: Thunder over Knicks in 6
MacMahon: Thunder over Cavaliers in 6
Marks: Nuggets over Knicks in 6
McMenamin: Mavericks over Cavaliers in 6
Pelton: Thunder over Knicks in 6
Shelburne: Rockets over Cavaliers in 6
Slater: Thunder over Knicks in 5
Spears: Cavaliers over Nuggets in 6
Wright: Thunder over Cavaliers in 7
Youngmisuk: Nuggets over Knicks in 6
Closing tally (NBA champs): Thunder 9, Nuggets 2, Cavaliers 1, Mavericks 1, Rockets 1
Bonus! Who wins the 2025-2026 MVP Award?
Bontemps: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Collier: Anthony Edwards
Goodwill: Nikola Jokic
Holmes: Jalen Brunson
Kram: Nikola Jokic
MacMahon: Luka Doncic
Marks: Nikola Jokic
McMenamin: Luka Doncic
Pelton: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Shelburne: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Slater: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Spears: Nikola Jokic
Wright: Nikola Jokic
Youngmisuk: Nikola Jokic
Closing tally: Nikola Jokic 6, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 4, Luka Doncic 2, Jalen Brunson 1, Anthony Edwards 1