NBA 2025-26: Predictions for the East, West and the NBA Finals
The 2025-26 season opens on Tuesday. Is OKC destined for a repeat? Can anyone in the East challenge him? Who will win the MVP? Our experts give their opinion.
The NBA season is back! He Oklahoma City Thunder begins his quest to repeat Tuesday night against Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets After a preseason in which they renewed the 2025 MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexanderto the All-Star Jalen Williams already Chet Holmgren with contracts for almost $800 million.
Elsewhere in the tight Western Conference, Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors enter their first full season under Jimmy Butler, with their sights set on one last run to cap a decade of near-absolute dominance, when they take on Luka Doncic and Los Angeles Lakers.
In an Eastern Conference plagued by injuries, the Cleveland Cavaliers they return with the core – Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen – which led them to 64 wins and first place last season. They will face the Knicks on Wednesday night with expectations of winning the Finals or nothing (5 pm CDMX / 7 pm ET on AM850).
Then, the San Antonio Spurs and Victor Wembanyamaafter a serious health problem last season and a transformative preseason, will face Cooper Flagg, Anthony Davis and the Dallas Mavericks in a match between two of the most promising teams in the West.
Will they repeat SGA and the Thunder to start a dynasty? Or can the three-time MVP Nikola Jokic load the Nuggets back to the elite of the Western Conference? Will they arrive Knicks to their first Finals since 1999 in the East?
Our experts have cast their votes. Here’s who you think will win the East, the West and the 2026 NBA Finals.
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Eastern Conference: Predictions
Tim Bontemps: Cavaliers over Knicks
Jamal Collier: Knicks over Cavaliers
Vincent Goodwill: Knicks over Cavaliers
Baxter Holmes: Knicks over Magic
Zach Kram: Knicks over Hawks
Tim MacMahon: Cavaliers over Knicks
Bobby Marks: Knicks over Cavaliers
Dave McMenamin: Cavaliers over Knicks
Kevin Pelton: Knicks over Cavaliers
Ramona Shelburne: Cavaliers over Knicks
Anthony Slater: Knicks over Cavaliers
Marc Spears: Cavaliers over Knicks
Michael Wright: Cavaliers over Knicks
Ohm Youngmisuk: Knicks over Magic
Bruno Altieri: Knicks over Cavaliers
Marcelo Bousquet: Knicks over Cavaliers
Pablo Cormick: Knicks over Cavaliers
Hiram Martínez: Knicks over Magic
Jorge Garrett: Cavaliers over Knicks
Víctor O. López-Hernández: Knicks over Cavaliers
Javier Dominguez: Knicks over Cavaliers
Final count (Eastern champion): Knicks 14, Cavaliers 7
Western Conference: Predictions
Bontemps: Thunder over Nuggets
Collier: Thunder over Timberwolves
Goodwill: Thunder over Nuggets
Holmes: Thunder over Warriors
Kram: Thunder over Nuggets
MacMahon: Thunder over Rockets
Marks: Nuggets on Thunder
McMenamin: Mavericks over Thunder
Pelton: Thunder over Warriors
Shelburne: Rockets over Thunder
Slater: Thunder over Rockets
Spears: Nuggets on Thunder
Wright: Thunder over Nuggets
Youngmisuk: Nuggets on Thunder
Bruno Altieri: Nuggets on Thunder
Marcelo Bousquet: Thunder over Mavericks
Pablo Cormick: Thunder over Rockets
Hiram Martínez: Thunder over Nuggets
Jorge Garrett: Nuggets on Thunder
Víctor O. López-Hernández: Thunder over Nuggets
Javier Dominguez: Thunder over Nuggets
Final count (Western champion): Thunder 14, Nuggets 5, Mavericks 1, Rockets 1
NBA Finals: Predictions
Bontemps: Thunder over Knicks
Collier: Thunder over Knicks
Goodwill: Thunder over Knicks
Holmes: Thunder over Knicks
Kram: Thunder over Knicks
MacMahon: Thunder over Cavaliers
Marks: Nuggets over Knicks
McMenamin: Mavericks over Cavaliers
Pelton: Thunder over Knicks
Shelburne: Rockets over Cavaliers
Slater: Thunder over Knicks
Spears: Cavaliers over Nuggets
Wright: Thunder over Cavaliers
Youngmisuk: Nuggets over Knicks
Bruno Altieri: Nuggets over Knicks
Marcelo Bousquet: Thunder over Knicks
Pablo Cormick: Thunder over Knicks
Hiram Martínez: Thunder over Knicks
Jorge Garrett: Nuggets on Cavaliers
Víctor O. López-Hernández: Thunder over Knicks
Javier Dominguez: Knicks over Thunder
Final count (NBA champion): Thunder 13, Nuggets 4, Cavaliers 1, Mavericks 1, Rockets 1, Knicks 1
Who will win the Most Valuable Player award for the 2025-2026 season?
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
Bruno Altieri: Nikola Jokic
Marcelo Bousquet: Nikola Jokic
Pablo Cormick: Nikola Jokic
Hiram Martínez: Nikola Jokic
Jorge Garrett: Nikola Jokic
Víctor O. López-Hernández: Nikola Jokic
Javier Dominguez: Jalen Brunson
Final count: Nikola Jokic 12, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 4, Luka Doncic 2, Jalen Brunson 2, Anthony Edwards 1
