The 2025-26 NBA season is drawing near, and while serious playoff discussions are still a ways off, the league, known for its blockbuster superstar trades, surprising runs, and playoff upsets, consistently shows that anything can happen between October and April.
Injuries will be a crucial factor in the Eastern Conference: recent front-runners like the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers might slide in the standings due to the absence of their key leaders.
In the competitive Western Conference, team standings appear less fixed. Last season, playoff seeding wasn`t decided until the final day of the regular season. This season, following significant moves, most notably Kevin Durant`s transfer to the Houston Rockets, an even more intense race for playoff spots is anticipated.
Here are our NBA experts` predictions for the win-loss records of all 30 teams in the league.
Note: Our 2025-26 NBA Summer Forecast continues on Thursday with predictions for conference and NBA Finals champions. On Tuesday, we unveiled our picks for the league`s major awards, including MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and more.
Eastern Conference
Top Contenders
- 1. Cleveland Cavaliers: 59-23
- 2. New York Knicks: 54-28
- 3. Orlando Magic: 50-32
- 4. Atlanta Hawks: 47-35
- 5. Detroit Pistons: 47-35
The Cleveland Cavaliers retained 93% of the minutes from last season`s 64-win team, made two defensive offseason additions (Lonzo Ball and Larry Nance Jr.), and witnessed two major conference rivals lose stars (Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton) to season-ending injuries.
Despite this, heading into the season, the Cavs and their All-Stars Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Darius Garland are only slight favorites on ESPN BET to win the East over the Knicks. Last season, the Cavs defeated the Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns-led Knicks four times and secured 13 more victories. New York is undoubtedly formidable, having reached the conference finals and bolstered their bench with shrewd deals for Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele.
However, when people refer to the East as “wide open”—a sentiment sure to be heard frequently in the coming months—it`s coded language for a lack of confidence in the Cavs. This isn`t unreasonable; they have underperformed in the playoffs for two consecutive seasons, and their core largely remains the same, even if injuries played a role both times.
This is reflected in our projections: the Cavs are at the top, but it`s more by default than by overwhelming demand. In fact, there`s generally not much confidence in the overall strength of the East. Only three Eastern Conference teams are projected to win more than 47 games. This seems unlikely, given that five teams achieved that mark last season, especially since elite East teams inherently benefit from easier schedules.
But the Cavs, Knicks, and Magic all have their flaws and fragilities. There`s a clear opportunity for a team like Orlando, fresh off the aggressive move to add Desmond Bane, to challenge the top teams. The same could be said for the Hawks after their own bold move to acquire Kristaps Porzingis from the Celtics and add Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Our panel believes both teams will make strides in the East but won`t yet overtake the current leaders. – Brian Windhorst
Play-In Tournament Group
- 6. Milwaukee Bucks: 46-36
- 7. Boston Celtics: 43-39
- 8. Philadelphia 76ers: 40-42
- 9. Miami Heat: 39-43
- 10. Indiana Pacers: 39-43
The altered landscape of the East heading into this season is largely due to star injuries and departures. Three torn Achilles injuries during last season`s playoffs dramatically reshaped the trajectories of the Bucks, who parted with Damian Lillard after his Achilles tear in the first round; the Celtics, who dismantled their championship core after Tatum suffered the same injury in the second round; and the Pacers, whose promising future was put on hold when Haliburton tore his Achilles during the NBA Finals. This is why these three teams, all recent conference winners, are projected to be in the middle of the pack, vying to avoid the play-in tournament.
The Heat won the Eastern Conference Finals two years ago, but after trading Jimmy Butler III, it`s uncertain if they can defy expectations once more. Philadelphia might be the most challenging team to project in the conference, given the uncertainty surrounding Joel Embiid`s health. All teams in this group begin the season with significant question marks, placing them below the conference`s elite. – Jamal Collier
Bottom Five Teams
- 11. Chicago Bulls: 36-46
- 12. Toronto Raptors: 33-49
- 13. Charlotte Hornets: 26-56
- 14. Brooklyn Nets: 23-59
- 15. Washington Wizards: 20-62
After falling to the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, these five struggling teams can be categorized into three distinct groups.
First, there`s the team with potential to climb into the play-in picture: the Raptors. Toronto did not trade Brandon Ingram last spring, instead offering him a nine-figure extension. Teams operating in the luxury tax typically don`t expect to be at the bottom of the standings. If Toronto fails to make the postseason, it will be a significant disappointment.
Next are two teams at a crossroads: the Bulls and the Hornets. Both possess talented players nearing their prime (Josh Giddey and Coby White in Chicago; LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller in Charlotte); some promising long-term building blocks (Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue; Tidjane Salaun and Kon Knueppel); and rosters that could end up contending either for a play-in spot or a high lottery pick.
Finally, there are the Nets and Wizards, for whom the outlook is unambiguous. These two teams will be hoping to secure a top-four pick in the 2026 NBA draft, which is anticipated to feature a strong class of prospects. This season, they will focus on developing numerous young players, making trades for future assets, and aiming for a more favorable outcome in next May`s lottery. – Tim Bontemps
Western Conference
Top Contenders
- 1. Oklahoma City Thunder: 64-18
- 2. Houston Rockets: 54-28
- 3. Denver Nuggets: 53-29
- 4. Minnesota Timberwolves: 51-31
- 5. LA Clippers: 50-32
- 6. Los Angeles Lakers: 50-32
Get used to hearing this: The Thunder are the clear front-runners in the West. Fresh off becoming the youngest NBA championship team in almost five decades, Oklahoma City boasts as much continuity as any reigning champion, with its entire extended rotation returning intact. Reigning scoring champion, MVP, and Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is in his prime, and supporting stars Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren are ascending talents who recently signed rookie contract extensions. It would be no surprise if the Thunder once again flirt with the 70-win milestone. The Rockets were a surprise last season, soaring to the West`s second seed before exiting in the first round of the playoffs. Houston addressed a glaring roster hole—a go-to scorer—by trading for future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant without compromising their long-term contender aspirations.
The Nuggets also addressed an obvious need by strengthening their bench, creating financial flexibility to add depth by trading Michael Porter Jr. and a 2032 first-round pick for Cameron Johnson, a potential upgrade at small forward. After pushing the Thunder to seven games in the West semifinals, Denver is determined to give three-time MVP Nikola Jokic a genuine chance to win another ring. The Lakers are arguably the most intriguing team in the West, as they transition into the Luka Doncic era with all-time leading scorer LeBron James still on the roster and very much in the spotlight. – Tim MacMahon
Play-In Tournament Group
- 7. Golden State Warriors: 48-34
- 8. Dallas Mavericks: 44-38
- 9. San Antonio Spurs: 44-38
- 10. Memphis Grizzlies: 42-40
The West is so packed with contenders that a few will inevitably fall into this bracket, compelled to play an extra game or two with their playoff hopes on the line. This is particularly perilous for veteran teams like the Warriors and Mavericks, who will likely endure a grueling final month of the season sprinting for standings positions and thus forgo the extra week of pre-playoff rest afforded to top seeds.
However, two teams will still advance from the play-in. The seventh-seeded Warriors defeated the second-seeded Rockets in the first round last April. If Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler III, and Draymond Green are healthy, the West`s top two seeds won`t be thrilled to face the Warriors emerging from the seventh or eighth slot this spring. The same holds true for the Mavericks if Kyrie Irving makes a timely return from his ACL tear; by the end of the regular season, 13 months will have passed since his injury.
The other two teams in this bracket—the Spurs and Grizzlies—appear to be moving in different directions. San Antonio enters the third season of its patient rebuild around Victor Wembanyama. The Spurs secured 22 and 34 wins in his first two seasons. This season, our projections anticipate a larger leap into the 40-win range. The Grizzlies, meanwhile, traded one of their core players this summer (Desmond Bane) for a draft pick package, a move that could signal the franchise is preparing for a step back. – Anthony Slater
Bottom Five Teams
- 11. Portland Trail Blazers: 39-43
- 12. Sacramento Kings: 37-45
- 13. Phoenix Suns: 30-52
- 14. New Orleans Pelicans: 26-56
- 15. Utah Jazz: 19-63
The Blazers await a new owner, Damian Lillard is back, and Yang Hansen is an intriguing rookie for a team striving for contender status. Although Head Coach Chauncey Billups will lead his team with new addition Jrue Holiday, the Blazers` prospects seem brighter looking beyond this season. The West has only grown stronger, and Lillard is out for the season. Portland possesses young talent in Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe, along with prospects like Donovan Clingan to develop. However, for the Blazers to contend for a play-in or playoff spot, Scoot Henderson must realize the potential that made him the third overall pick in 2023.
Sacramento will have a full season under new coach Doug Christie, who will aim to maximize Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis, and DeMar DeRozan, with Dennis Schroder at point guard. With Kevin Durant now in Houston and Bradley Beal in LA, Phoenix has commenced its rebuild around Devin Booker and a wealth of big men. New Orleans added Jordan Poole and Jeremiah Fears and still features Zion Williamson. But can Williamson maintain his health? Rounding out the bottom five, Utah`s perpetual rebuild continues with new addition Ace Bailey, but the Jazz appear destined to finish at the bottom of the West once again. – Ohm Youngmisuk
