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On the eve of Opening Night (Matinee?) and the 81st season of the Boston Celtics, it’s hard not to be thankful for everything that the franchise has accomplished and given to us fans.

“The people that came before you. The city. The fans. The expectation of winning. The players. The coaches,” head coach Mazzulla said when asked what makes the Celtics special.

“We only have a chance and it’s only special to have the job because of those that came before you that set the stage, set the tone, what the expectation is, what the responsibility is. I’m just really grateful to be a part of that.”

The eighteen banners that hang at TD Garden are a testament to the consistent excellence that Boston has maintained since the NBA was formed, but as Mazzulla said, it also just sets the stage for what we expect from them year in and year out: to win.

Over the offseason and now training camp, the front office and coaching staff is trying to maximize this roster by winning in the margins. That has meant trading Jaylen Brown for Paul George who called his first few months with the team a “beautiful challenge” in redefining himself in Year 17 of his decorated career. With the depth of the rotation being a major strength in this new CBA era, the team is also stressing the importance of possession maxxing by hitting the offensive glass and creating turnovers.

“We’ve done a lot of great things here in camp, things that we can continue to build on throughout the year,” Derrick White said before their final practice before playing the Pistons today to kick off the 2026-2027 season.

“Everybody is really excited right now, especially going into their first game. It’s just going to be a test for us to see if we can continue to grow, continue to get better.”

For us at CelticsBlog, I can’t tell you enough how much the staff is looking forward to this year. If our Slack channel had an AUX out, you could probably hear us from North Station to the Portland Expo in Maine. Already, this feels like a special year in the making. Here’s CelticsBlog on what we’re excited to see:

Nirav Barman: I’m excited to see Mazzulla Ball in its purest form. I’m fully bought in to the concept, Mitch and PG were perfect additions, we have healthy Tatum back, and the young wings have shown me that they are willing to outwork anyone and everyone, while also making huge strides in their own development.

Trevor Hass: I’m excited to see the Celtics carry themselves with a collective swagger, hunger and cohesiveness that never disappears throughout the season. This feels like a no drama, no excuses and no let up kind of group, and I think it will be an easy team for fans to get behind. We’ll see where it puts them in the standings and how far they ultimately go, but the 2026-27 season will be a joyous one regardless.

Grant Burfeind: I’m excited to see Jayson Tatum win Comeback Player of the Year and MVP, Payton Pritchard repeat as Sixth Man, Neemias Queta take Most Improved, Hugo González, Baylor Scheierman, Ron Harper Jr. and Jordan Walsh win Best New Boy Band at the Grammys, and the Celtics hang Banner 19. The season hasn’t started, so I see no reason to be realistic yet.

Gio Rivera: I’m excited to see Boston’s big men trio — yes, trio — flourish. Obviously, Neemias Queta and Mitchell Robinson will log most of the minutes, whether starting interchangeably or paired together in a double-big combination, but Luka Garza can’t be overlooked. As Queta emerged as a first-time starter last season, Garza carved out a role for himself as the best 3-point-shooting center on the Celtics’ depth chart, bringing an inspiring, hustle-first mentality that leaves him sweating like he’s just finished running the Boston Marathon every time he returns to the bench for a breather. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla has plenty of flexibility with the Queta-Robinson-Garza trio. They each bring a different skill set but share a similar brand of hard-nosed, unselfish basketball, giving Boston’s frontcourt intriguing potential this season.

Jake Issenberg: I’m excited to see Hugo Gonzalez take the leap. The Spanish wing turned in a historically impactful rookie season. He followed that up with a strong summer league performance, and a near perfect preseason. Swarming defense, isolation scoring, elite catch and shoot three-point shooting, Gonzalez flashed it all in his four preseason games. I’m excited to see more.

Ian Inangelo: I’m excited to see the young guys take another step. I think Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez and Jordan Walsh are in store for big seasons. I think Scheierman has the chance to be the best this season and it wouldn’t surprise me if he ends up being a starter by the end of the year. Gonzalez going into Year 2 just came off an impressive preseason and I think is going to be a huge piece off the Celtics bench with not only his effort and defense but also some improved shooting. Finally, Walsh looks to have started taking another step forward with his aggression on offense and I think his ability to cut and play elite wing defense will make him another guy who could be a big piece for Boston.

Nate Moskowitz: I’m excited to see a more forceful Celtics defense. They finished as the 4th best defense last season, but they were near the bottom of the league in forced turnovers. A lot of their process was about controlling where teams shots were coming from, and defending without fouling. With some of the personnel changes and the early signs from preseason, they seem destined to generate more turnovers. I’m looking forward to them taking more risks and being a defense that’s very frustrating to play against.

Mike Dynon: I’m excited to see how the Paul George experience plays out with the Celtics. He knows he’s here because of an unpopular trade, yet he’s completely bought in to what has been called Celtics Pride. “This locker room, the culture here, the front office, the city, the organization, the tradition, all of that is something that I’ve never been a part of,” George told the Boston Globe. “Where everything is high quality. For me, it’s refreshing. Hopefully, I can remain healthy. I think I became a journeyman along the way [of my career]. At this point, I would love to be able to call Boston home.” Fans love that sort of commitment. Moreover, George has demonstrated that he plays defense and can impact winning, qualities that will further endear him to Celtics Nation. When the trade deadline comes, will he be the next Anfernee Simons, the guy who won us over and we regret when he’s traded away? Or will he be another Kristaps Porzingis, to use one example, who will sit out some games but be a key contributor to a memorable run of success?

Jack Quantrill:

I’m excited to see a bounce back season from Derrick White this year. According to a whole host of advanced metrics White was a top 30 impact player last year; shooting slump be damned. I think with this roster White slots back into a comfier role for his supreme talents and provides all that impact whilst posting sexy box score and efficiency stats. Tatum is a better facilitator of flow offence than JB, Paul George provides a great supplementary skills, plus shooting, playmaking capability and I expect to see Pritchard usurp White in the usage rankings this year leaving White to do what he does best. The out of this world role player stuff. I’ll welcome a healthier diet of assisted three’s, less pick and roll responsibility and far more second chance threes coming off of Mitch’s mighty mitts.

Noa Dalzell: I’m excited to see how Payton Pritchard improves his game this season – he has the long-term extension locked up, he’s the presumed No. 2 option, and he really thrived when he wasn’t sharing the floor with Jaylen Brown last year. Could another leap be in the works?

Bill Sy: I’m excited to see what Phil Pressey and the developmental coaching staff can do with rookies and two-way players.  Big Fella University alumni Luke Kornet and Neemias Queta have become more than serviceable centers in the league and the rise of Boston’s four-headed wing rotation of Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, Hugo Gonzalez, and Ron Harper Jr. are going to be relied on as supporting role players.  Those success stories will now be the blueprint for players like Devin Carter, Dillon Mitchell, Chris Cenac Jr., and Amari Williams.

Rich Jensen: I’m excited for the playoffs. Yep. I’ve seen enough of the team from last year and the preseason this year, to feel very comfortable with the quality of play we can expect in the regular season. The regular season is going to be fun, I think, but the big question is whether this team has what it takes to make some serious noise once the games really start to matter.

Another NBA regular season is set to begin, and the preseason player rankings have already been rolled out. While debates over the league's top stars never end, the exercise also offers a revealing snapshot of where each franchise stands entering the 2026-27 season.

USA TODAY's top 100 player rankings highlight the biggest names expected to lead championship contenders, excel for rebuilding teams and shape the league's future. There is widespread agreement that two-time reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic and San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama sit atop the NBA entering the season, with only their order up for debate.

But a team-by-team breakdown of each franchise's highest-ranked player revealed several surprises, including Tyrese Maxey's standing among his new, more accomplished 76ers' teammates and the one team that didn't have a player ranked among the top 100 heading into the season.

Here's what stood out while determining the highest-ranked player on each of the NBA's 30 teams entering the 2026-27 season:

ARE THUNDER STILL TOP THREAT? NBA record projections for all 30 teams

Every season the NBA Referees’ Association makes some changes regarding how rules will be enforced in the upcoming season. This is usually in response to the abuse of a rule, or an interpretation of a rule, that has lead to actions, and abuses by the players that are contrary to the intent of the rule as written, interpreted, or enforced by NBA referees. In theory these are usually good changes, if they are consistently enforced. The problem comes when we see a ton of enforcement of the newest points of emphasis for about 3 weeks, and then not nearly as much.

It could be the behavior has been checked by the effort from the referees, as we see in some rule changes, or that they just slip back into old habits. For example, once a rule, and enforcement effort, meant to curtail transition take fouls went into place, transition take fouls all but disappeared. Once the reward of the activity is removed, the activity generally stops, or falls off tremendously. I think we’ve seen both “this fixed the problem” and “the refs stopped calling this a foul after three or four weeks”. How will this season’s changes fare?

Change One: Offensive Player Off Arm Contact

If you’ve been paying attention to certain players recently (cough SGA) you might have seen a weird circumstance where the offensive player engages in a shove worthy of an NFL running back’s stiff arm. This is often not called correctly as an offensive foul. In the case of SGA, it’s often called as a foul on the defender, that is, the player being shoved.

The new enforcement seeks to limit off arm offensive player behavior to “firming up” and “feeling for the defender”. (Don’t look at me, that’s Monty McCutchen’s language.). What I think this means is the offensive player has a right not to have their space for dribbling or shooting completely invaded by a defender. So “firming up” or defending that space, or “feeling for the defender” in order to keep the defender out of the space by “firming up” is allowed. What’s not allowed is a straight up arm bar, shove, stiff arm, and God willing, grab, by the offensive player. A preseason crowd erupted with joy when such was called as an offensive foul against SGA.

Effect On Rockets: Probably improves defense, could cause some issues for Sengun, or Durant on offense, but is not the basis of their attack, unlike some players. Even if all the offensive fouls aren’t called, not calling defensive fouls for a defender getting stiff armed, or shoved, will most likely help the Rockets.

Change Two: Freedom of Movement – Screens

We saw this one called during the games in China.

The point here is to eliminate what looks to be the same as a “hand shiver” or “chuck” in football. No double, or single arm shove or push when setting, leaving, or holding a screen. This is a real specialty of GSW on screens that never actually get set, just a shove in the back from an offensive player who looks to be setting a screen, but never does, he only does the push.

Rockets Effect: I don’t think this screen’n’shove is a particularly notable part of the Rockets screening. They are more often called for movement, or extending a leg or knee, on a screen.

Change Three: Freedom of Movement – Perimeter and Post

Much rejoicing! If you remember Durant being grabbed on offense approximately sixty thousand times last season, you’ll be pleased to know your instincts were correct. It IS against the rules. Who knew? Apparently not every single team that played the Rockets. In the post, apparently, again, who knew, it’s illegal to punch a guy in the kidneys, or grab him while he’s trying to establish position. Once again, Alpie is used as an example of when this should be called.

Rockets Effect: The Rockets, particularly Kevin Durant, got grabbed a lot last season. Maybe they were grabby too, but I’ll take my chances with the grabbing and shoving going away, if it does.

Change Four: FoM – Straight Line Path

So apparently it isn’t actually great defense to jump in front of an offensive player that’s gained an advantage on a drive and bash into him or shove him on the way to the basket. I’m a little unsure of this one, as I added the “gained advantage” language myself. That’s what this appears to be – defender gets beat straight line, moves to when offensive player will end up, and bashes him off his trajectory. Minimal contact, and I’d think shot contests are fine, but shoving the offensive player out of the way isn’t.

Rockets Effect: I don’t know. Maybe good for the likes of Amen. Do the Rockets do this a lot on defense? I can’t honestly recall.

Starts at 3:00 minutes.

Change Five: Flopping

Hey, it’s a video about flopping with Alperen Sengun, and HE’S NOT DOING THE FLOPPING! Great stuff. And THEN they show Curry flopping! This is crazy stuff. We also learn that if a player just fall down, but don’t act like you’ve been shot out of a cannon, or by a cannon, it’s not a technical foul. A head snap, by itself (repeat, by itself) isn’t a flop in and of itself. Sadly there is nothing regarding “fouling with your face, and then acting like you’ve lost an eye if the opponent’s hair touches you” Maybe next season.

Effect on Rockets: Only good. The Rockets are pure, noble and stalwart and have never, ever, flopped. Not even when James Harden played for them. All those other nasty floppers out there will pay, though.

Change Six: Shot Closeouts– Flagrant vs Common Foul

This starts with 1:23 left in the video above. It features Marcus Smart both being fouled, and making sure he gets that call. This seems to be pretty simple stuff, but they make the distinction between a flagrant foul (not allowing landing space, reckless closeout) and a regular defensive foul (allows landing space, no reckless closeout, but makes contact). This could be a welcome change from “all fouls on 3pt shooters are flagrant fouls” which is how the rule has seemingly been enforced lately.

Rockets Effect: I don’t think this actually helps Tari Eason at all.

What I’m most looking forward to …

Seeing all the fruits borne of an incredible summer of player movement. It feels like three years ago that Giannis Antetokounmpo was traded to the Heat, because since then, Jaylen Brown and LeBron James went to the 76ers, and a ton of other deck chairs were reshuffled. This is the most intriguing NBA opening week in eons. Claire de Lune

Washington and Utah clawing their way out of the doldrums. Both have been in perpetual poverty for almost half a decade. Both now surround young cores of switchy, two-way wings with playoff-tested veterans like Anthony Davis and Jaren Jackson Jr. Lee Escobedo

The NBA’s great chemistry experiment. After a summer in which Antetokounmpo landed in Miami and LeBron and Brown somehow wound up together in Philadelphia, the league feels like someone hit the reset button. Whether any of these hastily assembled superteams can actually function together is another question entirely. I’m particularly interested in how quickly the novelty wears off and the finger-pointing begins. Bryan Armen Graham

Can I be a homer and pick da Bulls? It appears they have their own generational Caleb – Caleb Wilson – to match the dynamic Bears quarterback, and the North Carolina prospect has looked like a draft steal since falling to fourth overall. Mix in the free-agent signing of Norman Powell (a veteran tough guy who expands his offensive range each year) and the addition of Tiago Splitter (a Gregg Popovich disciple who spurred Portland to a surprising playoff campaign last year), and these young Bulls sure look ready to run again. Andrew Lawrence

A healthy Indiana Pacers team. I watched a lot of Pacers games last season, convinced they’d still be a playoff team as Tyrese Haliburton recovered from a torn Achilles – their magical run to the NBA finals in 2025 was very much a team effort – only to realize in dismay how Haliburton was not only the team’s beating heart, but the engine of their offense. Now Hali is back, Myles Turner is out, Ivica Zubac and Kelly Oubre Jr are in, and I am glued to my couch with a big bucket of popcorn. Owen Lewis

LeBron’s time with the 76ers will be …

Irrelevant to his legacy. For all the hand-wringing and consternation about what will or won’t happen for LeBron and the 76ers in his tenure there, it’s ultimately a moot point. The (presumably) last stop of his storied career is a coda on what will likely go down as the greatest career in the history of the sport. Another ring would just be a cherry on top. CDL

Related: Kawhi Leonard: a hero’s complicated return to the Toronto Raptors

Not how he imagined. Joel Embiid had the unmitigated gall to announce he’s “against the concept of sacrificing”. This leaves five starters with All-Star appetites fighting over one ball. Recent champions won with a legible hierarchy, a pecking order that settles crunch time and dictates the counter when defenses load up. Tyrese Maxey, coming off a career-high 28.3 points a game, belongs atop the pile. He and VJ Edgecombe will pay most for its absence. LE

A magnificent circus. Philadelphia have spent more than four decades searching for the combination that will deliver another NBA championship, and now they’ve turned to a 41-year-old billionaire who would apparently rather be in New York. There will be spectacular nights, inevitable injuries, endless debates about load management and probably a few helicopter-related controversies. Whether any of it adds up to a championship is almost beside the point. The Sixers have become the most fascinating reality show in American sports. BAG

Eventful. It already has been with him choppering back and forth from New York and media and fans scrambling to trace leaks about Embiid’s perceived commitment back to his camp, reportedly keen to arrange a reunion with Davis. If the Sixers’ Monstar team don’t jump out to an early lead in the East – or worse, falter in Eagles-like fashion – the King risks courting the most intense scrutiny of his basketball career from a fanbase that’s already on his case before he’s even played. AL

Counting on the health of a 41-year-old LeBron and Embiid’s knees – to this point proven to have the durability of Cheez-Its – seems unwise. This team is bursting at the seams with star power, but it’d be easy for injuries and a clunky fit to yank them off the rails before they ever find their rhythm. Still, in the name of delusional optimism and LeBron’s career so far: thrilling and tumultuous. OL

Young player to make the superstar leap …

Dylan Harper was arguably San Antonio’s most consistent player in their finals run last season … as a rookie. The sky is the limit for this insanely talented NBA nepo baby, and I think we see him as an All-Star and maybe even a fringe All-NBA player this year. CDL

Alex Sarr’s field-goal percentage jumped from 39.4% as a rookie to 48.2% last season. He reads the short roll like a guard and attacks closeouts off the dribble. Trae Young should make him a premier lob threat for the Wizards. Remember Clint Capela shooting 64.6% off Young’s passes in 2020-21? The next frontier is individual defense beyond his two blocks a night, and he now apprentices himself to Davis, a five-time All-Defensive selection. LE

Amen Thompson. The athletic gifts have never been in question. What makes the Rockets star so tantalizing is the possibility that his offensive game catches up with the havoc he already wreaks defensively. Houston have enough talent around him that he won’t have to manufacture everything himself, but there’s a version of Thompson who becomes the Rockets’ most important player on both ends of the floor. That version may arrive sooner than anyone expects. BAG

One could argue that Cade Cunningham is already there after leading Detroit to the east’s top seed and otherwise filling out the box score like he did last year. This year, though, I think is when more fans recognize that the Oklahoma State product belongs in the same conversation with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokić et al. And if all the work Cunningham put in during the offseason to improve his three-point accuracy bears fruit, the Pistons could have a serious MVP contender on their roster. AL

Cooper Flagg. The 19-year-old spent last season playing the point on an undermanned Mavericks squad, but nonetheless put up 51-, 49-, 45-, and 42-point nights. With Kyrie Irving back from a long layoff with a torn ACL, Flagg stands to excel even further with a talented second option beside him in his sophomore season. OL

This season’s villain arc will be supplied by…

Victor Wembanyama seems quite content to take on the role as villain. It was a cumbersome fit, at first: it’s hard to seem like the bad guy when you’re playing chess with fans in the park and bemoaning the trappings of sports betting. But fresh off a finals drubbing, Wembanyama enters this season on a mission: destroy everything in his path. CDL

The owners, an American oligarchy in miniature. Miriam Adelson bankrolled Donald Trump, who credited her family, from the Knesset rostrum, with shaping his Israel policy. Steve Ballmer is serving a yearlong suspension for cap circumvention. I traced Robert Pera’s Ubiquiti radios to Russia’s drone war on Ukraine. Josh Kushner, brother of Trump’s son-in-law, agreed to buy the Lakers. My own team’s owner built a petty panopticon. LE

The NBA’s gambling partners. Forget Draymond Green. The league’s real villains are turning every possession into a speculative asset. With gambling scandals mounting, the NBA is already restricting certain bets while its partners flood broadcasts with advertising. The actual basketball seems to be becoming a sideshow. BAG

LeBron, see above. AL

Doesn’t James Dolan already have this title locked up? The Knicks got to enjoy their championship for all of five minutes before Dolan announced that they would not go into the second apron. Mitchell Robinson is now a Celtic. Karl-Anthony Towns is unhappy with extension talks. Dolan is renting out Madison Square Garden to raise money for a GOP candidate. Somebody find this man a competent PR manager, or a moral compass. OL

Most Valuable Player

Speaking of Victor Wembanyama, the MVP is his to lose. Barring a significant injury, I don’t see anyone swiping either this award or defensive player of the year from him. He’s fresh off a surprise finals berth, finished high in the MVP voting last year, and is rapidly making his case for the best player in the association. CDL

Victor Wembanyama is inevitable. I raised the alarm last year. The defensive player of the year adds MVP this season, a double nobody has managed since Giannis in 2020. No athlete since prime LeBron has bent physics like this. A man who thinks in myths and epics watched his own late turnover decide Game 2 of the finals, then watched the Knicks celebrate on his floor. He’ll spend 82 games proving he never chokes again. LE

Victor Wembanyama. This one feels overdue before it’s even happened. Jokić remains the best offensive player alive, Luka Dončić can bend entire defenses to his will and Gilgeous-Alexander has made ruthless efficiency his brand. But Wemby is becoming something none of them can match: a one-man defensive system who can also score 30 a night. Voter fatigue should take care of the rest. BAG

Giannis Antetokounmpo. Not only is he healthy, but he’s got a squad around him that fits his lunch-pail personality and an organization that is seriously committed to winning championships. With shooters around him and Bam Adebayo on the floor for shutdown defense and an offensive spark, there’s no telling how far Giannis can take the Heat – but any sort of rebound for this perennial play-in contender is likely to come down to his vintage brilliance. AL

Victor Wembanyama. It’s less that Jokić can’t win his fourth MVP or Dončić his first with especially potent offensive wizardry (voters are notoriously unlikely to give out three MVPs in a row, which rules out Gilgeous-Alexander) than that I think Wemby’s unparalleled and ever-improving two-way superpowers will prove impossible to ignore. OL

Eastern Conference playoff teams

Knicks, 76ers, Celtics, Heat, Pacers, Raptors, Pistons, Cavaliers. CDL

Knicks, Pacers, Hawks, Heat, 76ers, Pistons, Cavaliers, Raptors. LE

Knicks, Celtics, Cavaliers, 76ers, Pacers, Pistons, Hawks, Heat. BAG

Bulls, Pistons, Celtics, Cavaliers, Knicks, 76ers, Heat, Hawks. AL

Pistons, Knicks, Celtics, Pacers, Cavaliers, 76ers, Raptors, Hawks (sorry, Heat fans, I don’t trust Giannis’s health). OL

Western Conference playoff teams

Spurs, Thunder, Lakers, Timberwolves, Nuggets, Rockets, Trail Blazers, Warriors. CDL

Spurs, Thunder, Timberwolves, Nuggets, Lakers, Rockets, Trail Blazers, Jazz (!). LE

Thunder, Spurs, Nuggets, Lakers, Rockets, Timberwolves, Warriors, Mavericks. BAG

Thunder, Spurs, Nuggets, Rockets, Timberwolves, Pelicans, Warriors, Mavericks. AL

Thunder, Spurs, Rockets, Nuggets, Lakers, Timberwolves, Trail Blazers, Mavericks. OL

Eastern Conference finals

Knicks over 76ers. CDL

Knicks over Pacers LE

Celtics over Knicks. BAG

Knicks over 76ers. AL

Pacers over Knicks. OL

Western Conference finals

Spurs over Thunder. CDL

Timberwolves over Spurs LE

Thunder over Spurs. BAG

Spurs over Thunder. AL

Thunder over Spurs. OL

NBA finals

Spurs 4-3 Knicks. It’s been the better part of a decade since we got an NBA finals rematch, and we’re due. While the path out of the East will be tremendously more difficult this year, and the Spurs’ path out of the West won’t exactly be a picnic, either, the safe bet feels like a rematch of last year’s finals. However, I do suspect a different outcome: with a deep playoff run of experience under San Antonio’s belt, and Wemby fully embracing his villain arc (and the weightroom), I think this is the year he adds the first of several finals MVPs to his ever-expanding trophy cabinet. JF

Knicks 4-2 Timberwolves. New York had the best offensive rating and the best defensive rating of last postseason. The Knicks swept the conference semifinals and finals on the way to 13 straight wins, the second-longest run in a single postseason. Then they handed Wembanyama’s Spurs a gentleman’s sweep. Wipe away those tears and accept the defending champions. Minnesota spent the offseason building a deep, polymorphous roster around Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball, and I respect it. All five Knicks starters return, though, and in this league, continuity is king. Remember, with Jalen Brunson, anything is possible. LE

Thunder 4-2 Celtics. The NBA’s fixation on parity has made picking a champion feel like throwing darts blindfolded, but Oklahoma City remain the closest thing the league has to a sustainable dynasty. Gilgeous-Alexander is still in his prime, the supporting cast is absurdly deep and last season’s disappointment should provide ample motivation. Boston’s experience carries them through the East, but the Thunder’s athleticism and defensive versatility ultimately prove too much. The league gets another champion from a small market – ending an unprecedented run of eight different champions in eight seasons – and the rest of the NBA gets another reminder that continuity might actually matter. BAG

Spurs 4-1 Knicks. The Spurs get revenge and beat the Knicks, kicking off a new championship rivalry for the era. But this time, instead of riding Wemby till he runs out of gas or deferring to De’Aaron Fox in the clutch, Mitch Johnson puts the onus on Harper – who makes the leap from supersub to superstar to finals MVP. He and Wemby emerge as the Shaq and Kobe of their day, with San Antonio fans holding their breath in hopes that their egos remain modest and keep this dynasty in the making from blowing up in Kawhi-like fashion. AL

Thunder 4-3 Pacers. Nobody repeats in the parity era, but the Thunder got close. With injuries to two vital offensive contributors, they still wrestled their biggest rival to a tight Game 7 in the Western Conference finals. I think they exact revenge over the Spurs this year. The retooled and revitalized Pacers will be the last team standing after a bloodbath in the East. In the finals, they’ll provide a sequel to their magnetic series from 2025, only Haliburton will be healthy for Game 7. We’ll just get the same result. OL

NBA Strat-O-Matic 2026-27 season simulation: Will there be a new champion? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

A new NBA season is about to be underway.

The New York Knicks are aiming to repeat as champions after ending a 53-year title drought, but they will face tough competition to do so.

The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs figure to lead the conversation, while the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics were among the teams that retooled in order to go up a level.

So, who will come out on top? And what about other important parts to the season, such as the NBA Cup and MVP award? Strat-O-Matic broke it down with a simulation of the upcoming season:

Best regular-season record

The Thunder went 64-18 to own the league’s best regular-season record last year. The simulation has them repeating the same record, while the Spurs drop a few wins at 59-23.

NBA Cup winner

The three NBA Cups have been won by the Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks and Knicks. The simulation does not include a new winner, as the Lakers are predicted to top the Celtics for their second NBA Cup triumph.

MVP and Rookie of the Year winners

Three players have three-peated the regular-season MVP award: Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell. That could hit four players total, as Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is predicted to win the MVP award for the third year running.

The league is also seeing an exciting crop of youngsters joining the league. Utah Jazz guard Darryn Peterson is predicted to claim the Rookie of the Year award, with Memphis Grizzlies forward Cameron Boozer and Chicago Bulls forward Caleb Wilson among the finalists.

Scoring leader

The scoring title in the league belongs to the player who finished with the highest points-per-game mark in the regular season. Lakers star Luka Doncic is predicted to win his third scoring title with an average of 32.4 points per game, slightly above Gilgeous-Alexander’s predicted 32.2 figure.

NBA Finals winner and Finals MVP

Sorry, New York. The Knicks’ repeat bid is predicted to end in the conference finals, where they fall to the Celtics in five games. On the other side, the Spurs take down the Houston Rockets in six games, pitting San Antonio and Boston in the NBA Finals.

From there, the Spurs go on to win in Game 7, with Victor Wembanyama winning Finals MVP after averaging 26.4 points per game.

On the eve of the 2026-27 NBA season, ESPN’s Shams Charania dropped an unexpected piece of Timberwolves-related news.

It seems to be the theme of this offseason for Minnesota. They have consistently been in the news with rarely a long break between important roster moves. From sending off two-thirds of their frontcourt for LaMelo Ball, to the LeBron “White Board” Saga, to Jonathan Kuminga choosing the Wolves over the Lakers – it’s been an active offseason!

For fans wondering why McDaniels seemed to almost randomly sign this one-year extension, Charania further provided details in a follow-up post. This was likely all information shared by Jaden’s agent, Nima Namakian.

McDaniels strategically secures an additional $40 million guaranteed for an additional season while protecting his upside and creating the flexibility to negotiate another extension as early as 2028 at a starting salary of up to 140% of the new higher $40M salary — or enter free agency in 2030 with 10 years of NBA service.

The 26-year-old now has total of four years and $124M on his Wolves deal.

Former Canis Hoopus employee, Dane Moore, had hinted in a podcast episode four months ago that this could’ve been an option. Just as he did when hypothesizing the Julius Randle to Brooklyn Nets salary dump option, Moore was once again on top of this one. For those who are concerned about the dollar amount, he provided a bit of context that should ease concerns about if he’s worth it.

Jaden had a career season last year, averaging several highs in statistics like points per game, assists per game, and all three shooting percentages. He only further upped his game in the postseason, most notably embarrassing the Denver Nuggets in the first round the postseason.

It’s never a bad day to relive that performance.

Wolves President of Basketball Operations, Tim Connelly, has rewarded the recently turned 26-year-old with a favorable extension. This may be a great time as well, considering the new role he’ll have as one of the leaders of the new-look Timberwolves. Yes, it’s just preseason, but he’s already proven that he’s ready for yet another breakout season.

Some of you have been arguing about his nickname in the comments section. Sith Lord. Seatbelt. Slim. McD. Whatever you want to call him, there’s one thing we can rest assured he will be called for the next four years.

A Minnesota Timberwolf.