NBA 2026-27 season predictions: Full standings and Finals thoughts

Buh buh buh buh buh basketball!

The sound of Roundball Rock on the TV screen and a game on nearly every night until June. Whose got it better than us?

First off, if you haven't yet, be sure to check out the NEW Nothin But Net podcast with Breakdown's own Reed Jones and Coach Day. The link to their YouTube can be found here!

They have their predictions out for O/U win totals and offseason grades for each Western and Eastern conference team!

It's time to put my predictions out there before opening night. We've got some legitimate championship contenders, young teams ready to take the next step, and a few franchises that might as well start looking at next year's draft class.

We're all pretty confident in how the West is going to play out. The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs will be at the top. In the playoffs underneath them, in some order, are probably going to be the Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets.

On the other hand, I won't be surprised by anything that goes on in the Eastern Conference bloodbath.

I've divided all 30 teams into five categories based on where I think they'll finish:

• 🟢 Green: First-tier championship contenders

• 🟡 Yellow: Second-tier contenders and potential threats

• 🔵 Teal: Solid playoff teams or higher-level play-in teams

• ⚪ Gray: Lower play-in teams and lottery candidates

• 🔴 Red: Rebuilding teams headed toward the lottery

These aren't necessarily the standings everyone else expects. They're my predictions, and I'm sticking with them.

Eastern Conference Predictions

Seed	Team	Tier
1	New York Knicks	🟢
2	Toronto Raptors	🟢
3	Boston Celtics	🟢
4	Detroit Pistons	🟡
5	Cleveland Cavaliers	🟡
6	Philadelphia 76ers	🔵
7	Indiana Pacers	🔵
8	Miami Heat	🔵
9	Orlando Magic	⚪
10	Atlanta Hawks	⚪
11	Washington Wizards	⚪
12	Charlotte Hornets	⚪
13	Brooklyn Nets	🔴
14	Milwaukee Bucks	🔴
15	Chicago Bulls	🔴

My Thoughts on the East

I'm riding with the New York Knicks to finish with the best record in the Eastern Conference. Jalen Brunson has obviously established himself as one of the league's premier guards, Karl-Anthony Towns gives New York a legitimate offensive weapon in the frontcourt, and OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges provide the defensive versatility championship teams need. This ain't the New York Knicks of old. They know how to win and bring back their exciting core.

The Toronto Raptors are probably one of my more aggressive predictions, but I have them finishing second. I like the direction this team is heading, and I believe their young core can take another significant step forward. There still is no reason that Darko Rajaković shouldn't be the head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies right now, but I digress.

I have the Boston Celtics rounding out my top 3 in the East, but I'm not sure I love them as much as some people this year. I'll say this. I might not love their playoff chances, but adding better defenders to an already top defense can translate to winning a good amount of games.

I think the Cavaliers, Pistons, 76ers, Heat, and Pacers can all be pretty interchangeable. This is the deepest we've seen the Eastern Conference in quite sometime. I think the Wizards have a chance at reaching the play-in if they can stay healthy. And even though they'll miss No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybansta for a few weeks already, I really like the layout of that roster. Maybe I am just a little Wizarded, too.

Western Conference Predictions

Seed	Team	Tier
1	Oklahoma City Thunder	🟢
2	San Antonio Spurs	🟢
3	Minnesota Timberwolves	🟢
4	Houston Rockets	🟡
5	Los Angeles Lakers	🔵
6	Denver Nuggets	🔵
7	Memphis Grizzlies	⚪
8	Portland Trail Blazers	⚪
9	Phoenix Suns	⚪
10	Utah Jazz	⚪
11	Golden State Warriors	⚪
12	Dallas Mavericks	⚪
13	New Orleans Pelicans	🔴
14	Los Angeles Clippers	🔴
15	Sacramento Kings	🔴

My Thoughts on the West

The West is loaded, but I'm sticking with Oklahoma City and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to finish first. Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs are right behind them, while the addition of LaMelo Ball alongside Anthony Edwards makes Minnesota another serious contender.

Houston has the talent to make some noise, and you can never count out Nikola Jokic and Denver.

As a Grizzlies fan, putting Memphis at No. 7 might be a tad biased, but I think this roster is extremely deep and interesting. IF they can stay healhty, they should be right around the No. 7 spot at the end of the year.

The Jazz and Blazers are probably two of the bigger question mark teams to me because they have talent to win now and compete, but it's hard for me to ever buy in one either teams. Phoenix is another team I'm not quite sure what to do with while I think Dallas still isn't quite ready to win yet with Cooper Flagg leading the charge.

Elsewhere, I think Golden State's aging roster finally catches up with them, leaving Stephen Curry and the Warriors outside the play-in picture. New Orleans, Sacramento, and the Clippers are going to have fun players to watch, but will be laughing stocks for much of the season.

NBA FINALS PREDICTION

For my Finals prediction, I have the San Antonio Spurs knocking off the New York Knicks. In a rematch of the NBA Finals from a year ago, I believe Wemby and Co. get the job done this time. The Spurs are going to play with their hair on fire this season and threaten 70 wins. I expect another OKC-San Antonio showdown in the playoffs. While it's hard to bet against a Thunder team that likely would've won last year's series if healthy, I think Victor Wembanyama will ultimately be the difference. As good as Oklahoma City is, Wembanyama is becoming a force that might be impossible to stop. As I mentioned earlier, New York has proven they can win, why not do it again and come out of the Eastern Conference?

I think the biggest theme of this season will be the continued rise of younger teams. Star power still matters, but depth, defense, and the ability to stay healthy over 82 games might matter more than ever.

Some of these predictions will probably look terrible by Christmas. Others might look pretty smart.

Either way, I'm putting them on the record before the season starts. Let's get some Hoops underway!