The 2024/25 NBA season tipped off on Tuesday night, with the defending-champion Celtics opening the season in impressive fashion by knocking down a record-tying 29 three-pointers en route to a blowout win over the new-look Knicks.
While teams like the Knicks and the Sixers, who are incorporating new stars, will need some time to jell and could become greater threats to Boston later in the season, the Celtics’ performance on Tuesday was a convincing reminder of why they’re considered a good bet to become the first NBA champion to go back-to-back since Golden State in 2017 and 2018. The Bucks, Cavaliers, Pacers, Magic, and Heat are among the other clubs hoping to give the C’s a run for their money in 2024/25.
Over in the Western Conference, the Thunder are widely considered the favorites to finish the season with the best record after claiming the No. 1 seed in 2023/24 and then upgrading the roster by adding Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso over the summer. But the growth of young teams isn’t always linear and Oklahoma City will face plenty of competition in a stacked Western Conference.
The last two teams to win the West – the Nuggets and Mavericks – should be among the conference’s top teams again in ’24/25. The Timberwolves made the Western Conference Finals in the spring and appear poised to contend again despite an opening-night loss. The Lakers, Suns, and Warriors will be leaning heavily on older stars, but could certainly make some noise if things break right. The Grizzlies won 50-plus games for two consecutive years before being hit hard by injuries last season; they’re hoping to bounce back. And longer-shot contenders like the Pelicans, Kings, and Rockets are all determined to take a step forward this season too.
In terms of award races, will voter fatigue work against three-time Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic and four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert? If so, it could open the door for a first-time winner for each award, with Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander among the top MVP candidates and Victor Wembanyama considered the frontrunner for DPOY.
The Rookie of the Year field is an interesting one, with this year’s No. 1 pick (Zaccharie Risacher) not expected to make the same sort of immediate impact that Wembanyama did last season. Risacher is still a Rookie of the Year contender, but the favorite may be Zach Edey, given the significant role he’s expected to play for a Grizzlies team without a ton of depth at center.
Oddsmakers have pegged Wembanyama as the frontrunner for Most Improved Player in addition to making him the DPOY favorite, but there’s no shortage of breakout candidates around the league — Jalen Williams, Jalen Johnson, Josh Giddey, Jonathan Kuminga, Franz Wagner, and Cade Cunningham are among the Most Improved Player picks that bettors have favored this fall.
Last year’s top two finishers in Sixth Man of the Year voting – Naz Reid and Malik Monk – are primed to contend for that award again, though Reid isn’t the Timberwolves’ only potential candidate, as Donte DiVincenzo could be in the mix too. Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook and Pelicans wing Trey Murphy are a couple more possibilities I have my eye on, while Pacers swingman Bennedict Mathurin and Knicks guard Miles McBride are among those ranked highly by oddsmakers.
We want to know what you think. Are you predicting a Celtics repeat or do you expect another team to win the 2025 title? What team are you taking to come out of the West? Who are your picks for this year’s major awards? Who will be the biggest star to change teams at the trade deadline?
Do you have any other bold predictions to share for the upcoming season? Head to the comment section below to weigh in!