The 2025‑26 NBA season is set to start on October 21, 2025, with a pair of blockbuster openers: the Houston Rockets host the Oklahoma City Thunder, followed by Golden State Warriors squaring off with the Los Angeles Lakers. For these and all other scheduled games, you can check the odds for the new NBA season on the page linked above, to stay up to date and informed about the best options on the market. As expectations run high across the league, especially among the title contenders, here’s an overview at how the top teams stack up coming into the season.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder enter the 2025‑26 season as the reigning Western Conference champions. Their core – Gilgeous‑Alexander, Holmgren, Williams – remains intact; all three have signed long‑term extensions. Beyond the stars, the Thunder have also sought depth: young reserves have gotten team‑friendly extensions. They also drafted Nikola Topić as part of bolstering their playmaking and bench versatility. All told, OKC are widely viewed as favorites in the West.
Cleveland Cavaliers
In the East, the Cleveland Cavaliers ended the season with the league’s best record at 64‑18. Their offense was among the most efficient in NBA history, and they displayed significant growth. During the offseason, Cleveland made a few adjustments to shore up depth and maintain their upward trajectory. The strength for the Cavs is their core: Donovan Mitchell remains the star, and if Evan Mobley and Darius Garland stay healthy and continue improving, Cleveland look like serious championship contenders in the East.
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets had a solid 50‑32 season in 2024‑25, finishing 4th in the West and making it to the conference semis. A major development: Michael Malone was fired as head coach with just a few games left in the season. His interim, David Adelman, will continue as head coach.
On the roster side, Denver made some key moves: they traded Michael Porter Jr. to Brooklyn in exchange for Cam Johnson. They also signed Tim Hardaway Jr. and re-signed Bruce Brown Jr. With Nikola Jokić as a perennial MVP candidate, the Nuggets should again be in the mix in the West.
New York Knicks
The Knicks made significant noise in 2024‑25 by reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, something that hadn’t happened in decades. They finished the regular season 51–31. This offseason, New York has focused on enhancing depth and refining their coaching. They replaced Tom Thibodeau with Mike Brown as head coach. As for roster upgrades, the Knicks added Jordan Clarkson to bolster scoring off the bench and Guerschon Yabusele for frontcourt flexibility. Their core remains in place.
Houston Rockets
The Rockets had a strong regular season in 2024‑25, getting a 52‑30 record and 2nd seed in the West. They showed promise, but their playoff run ended sooner than many hoped. In the offseason, they made big moves: they acquired Kevin Durant, a proven star, to be a focal point. They also added veteran wings like Dorian Finney‑Smith and re‑signed Clint Capela. Health and depth will be key. If their young core continues to develop they could be one of the few teams capable of challenging the Thunder out West.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers are entering 2025‑26 with high expectations. They went 50‑32 in 2024‑25 and secured the 3rd seed in the West. J.J. Redick, the head coach, has now been given a contract extension after that season. Roster‑wise, the Lakers did not make as dramatic of moves as some other contenders, but key role players were added and some veterans re‑committed. The questions for them revolve around health, consistency from the supporting cast, and whether Redick’s system can elevate players to take them deep in the playoffs.
If consistency, chemistry, and health align, this season could be one of the deepest and most competitive in recent memory, with OKC still standing as the benchmark to beat.