In the nightcap on NBC, the Warriors will visit the Lakers in Los Angeles. The league completely eschewed the Eastern Conference on its first showcase night in four months, indicating it understands something many fans have felt for some time now: The West is the far better conference.

Stephen A. Smith looks on before an NFL football game between the Detroit Lions and the Baltimore Ravens, Monday, Sept. 22, 2025, in Baltimore. Nick Wass / AP Count ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith among those that believe the 2025-26 Dallas Mavericks can accomplish big things.

Oklahoma City opened as +240 back in June at BetMGM and enters the season at that same price.

The Mavericks’ prized No. 1 pick likely won this award before even playing in an actual NBA game. NBA talent evaluators pegged Flagg as this year’s best rookie because of his positional versatility as a scorer and defender, his adaptability to various roles and his disciplined work habits.

Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards spoke about needing to face this challenge in order to get to the NBA Finals this season.

Every offseason provides a chance to reset and reload, though, and plenty of teams have done just that in hopes of stopping OKC from going back to back. Ahead of the 2025-26 season, here are four teams who are the biggest threat to dethrone the Thunder and call themselves NBA champions when all is said and done:

Fans tuning into the NBA this season will have to adjust their viewing habits to new networks and a seven-day-a-week national TV schedule.

Five NBA stars - Haliburton, Tatum, Irving, Lillard and VanVleet ace season-ending injuries ahead of 2025-26. How will their teams cope?

The NBA never stops, but with another off-season of signings, young stars ascending to greatness, and high expectations, basketball enthusiasts are posing the same question: When d