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Oct 21, 2025, 07:00 AM ETThe NBA season is back! We made it!The Oklahoma City Thunder begin their quest to repeat Tuesday night (7:30 p.m., Peacock) against Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets after an offseason in which they re-signed 2025 MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, All-Star Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren to deals worth nearly $800 million.Elsewhere in the loaded Western Conference, Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors begin their first full campaign with Jimmy Butler, with their eyes on a final run to cap a decade of near-dominance, as they face off (10 p.m. ET) against Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers.Editor’s Picks2 RelatedIn 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 last season. They face off Wednesday night against a Knicks team with Finals-or-bust expectations (7 p.m. ET on ESPN).Then, the San Antonio Spurs and Victor Wembanyama, after a serious health scare last season and a transformational offseason, play Cooper Flagg, Anthony Davis and the Dallas Mavericks, in a game featuring two of the most tantalizing teams in the West.Will SGA and the Thunder repeat to begin a dynasty? Or can three-time MVP Nikola Jokic return the Nuggets to the Western Conference elite? Will the Knicks reach their first Finals since 1999 in the wide-open East? Our experts have cast their votes. Here’s who they think will win the East, West and the 2026 NBA Finals.MORE: 30-team preview | NBA Rank 100-51 | 50-11 | 10-1Eastern Conference finals picksTim Bontemps: Cavaliers over Knicks in 7Jamal Collier: Knicks over Cavaliers in 7Vincent Goodwill: Knicks over Cavaliers in 7Baxter Holmes: Knicks over Magic in 6Zach Kram: Knicks over Hawks in 6Tim MacMahon: Cavaliers over Knicks in 7Bobby Marks: Knicks over Cavaliers in 6Dave McMenamin: Cavaliers over Knicks in 7Kevin Pelton: Knicks over Cavaliers in 7Ramona Shelburne: Cavaliers over Knicks in 7Anthony Slater: Knicks over Cavaliers in 6Marc Spears: Cavaliers over Knicks in 7Michael Wright: Cavaliers over Knicks in 7Ohm Youngmisuk: Knicks over Magic in 6Final tally (East champs): Knicks 8, Cavaliers 6Alonzo Adams-Imagn ImagesWestern Conference finals picksBontemps: Thunder over Nuggets in 5Collier: Thunder over Timberwolves in 6Goodwill: Thunder over Nuggets in 7Holmes: Thunder over Warriors in 6Kram: Thunder over Nuggets in 7MacMahon: Thunder over Rockets in 6Marks: Nuggets over Thunder in 6McMenamin: Mavericks over Thunder in 7Pelton: Thunder over Warriors in 6Shelburne: Rockets over Thunder in 7Slater: Thunder over Rockets in 6Spears: Nuggets over Thunder in 7Wright: Thunder over Nuggets in 7Youngmisuk: Nuggets over Thunder in 7Final tally (West champs): Thunder 9, Nuggets 3, Mavericks 1, Rockets 1New ESPN and FOX One BundleBundle ESPN and FOX One and unlock more sports for one unbeatable price.Get the World Series, college football, NBA, NHL and more. Get access
NBA Finals picksBontemps: Thunder over Knicks in 5Collier: Thunder over Knicks in 6Goodwill: Thunder over Knicks in 5Holmes: Thunder over Knicks in 5Kram: Thunder over Knicks in 6MacMahon: Thunder over Cavaliers in 6Marks: Nuggets over Knicks in 6McMenamin: Mavericks over Cavaliers in 6Pelton: Thunder over Knicks in 6Shelburne: Rockets over Cavaliers in 6Slater: Thunder over Knicks in 5Spears: Cavaliers over Nuggets in 6Wright: Thunder over Cavaliers in 7Youngmisuk: Nuggets over Knicks in 6Final tally (NBA champs): Thunder 9, Nuggets 2, Cavaliers 1, Mavericks 1, Rockets 1Tom O’Connor/NBAE via Getty ImagesBonus! Who wins the 2025-2026 MVP Award?Bontemps: Shai Gilgeous-AlexanderCollier: Anthony EdwardsGoodwill: Nikola JokicHolmes: Jalen BrunsonKram: Nikola JokicMacMahon: Luka DoncicMarks: Nikola JokicMcMenamin: Luka DoncicPelton: Shai Gilgeous-AlexanderShelburne: Shai Gilgeous-AlexanderSlater: Shai Gilgeous-AlexanderSpears: Nikola JokicWright: Nikola JokicYoungmisuk: Nikola JokicFinal tally: Nikola Jokic 6, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 4, Luka Doncic 2, Jalen Brunson 1, Anthony Edwards 1
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