After a long offseason, basketball is almost back. Two weeks separate basketball fans around the world from the start of the NBA regular season, which will take place Oct. 22.
Another surefire sign of basketball season: NBA general managers giving anonymous opinions. On Tuesday, the NBA published its annual survey of the league’s top executives—asking who they believed would win the championship, the MVP award, and various other hardware in 2025.
When asked to pick a championship favorite, the general managers came up with a resounding consensus answer. Eight-three percent chose the Boston Celtics, who won their second title of this century in 2024.
Two other squads received votes: the Oklahoma City Thunder with 13% and the Dallas Mavericks with 3%.
The Celtics were also picked to win the Eastern Conference in a poll asking the GMs to select their top four teams in each conference. They were followed by the New York Knicks, the Philadelphia 76ers, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Milwaukee Bucks, the Orlando Magic and the Indiana Pacers.
In the Western Conference, the Thunder were picked to capture the crown—followed by the Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets, Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans and the Golden State Warriors.
Feb 13, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Mark Cuban laughs during the second half of the game between the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat at American Airlines
The Boston Celtics are one of the teams who are expected to be a contender at the end of the season. They are the defending NBA champions, so they feel like the
Nikola Jokić is still rewriting the record books — and treating it like just another day at the office. In a 149-141 overtime win over the Phoenix Suns
The New York Knicks are one of the best teams in the NBA, but as of late, they have been defined more by their struggles than their triumphs.The Knicks are 0-7