Breaking down the 2025–26 NBA season

The NBA is evenly split into two conferences with 15 teams in the Eastern Conference (EC) and 15 in the Western Conference (WC). From there, the conferences are divided into three five-team divisions. The EC houses the Atlantic, Central, and Southeast, while the WC boasts the Northwest, Pacific, and Southwest.

• Each team plays 82 games (41 at home and 41 away) from October to April, with all 30 teams in action on April 12th, the final day of the regular season.

After the regular season comes the playoffs, of course. The top six teams in each conference automatically qualify, while the seventh through 10th ranked squads compete in a play-in tournament to claim the last two playoff spots in each conference. Here for the drama.

But that’s not all: There’s also the aptly named NBA Cup. Added to the schedule to raise the stakes in the first weeks of the regular season, the tourney begins on Halloween, starting with Group Play followed by sudden-death Knockout Rounds.

• All in-season tournament games count towards regular-season standings, except for the December 16th Championship in Las Vegas. And what happens in Vegas? The members of the winning team take home more than $500K each. Cha ching.

Parity has been the name of the NBA game recently: A different team has won the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy in each of the last seven seasons, a feat the league hasn’t seen in its 79 years. So which team has the best chance to hoist the Larry OB in June? So glad you asked.

🏆 The defending champ Oklahoma City Thunder: OKC’s returning every key contributor from their title-winning squad, including reigning league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. They were the NBA’s youngest team last season, and they should be even better this year.

⚔️ Cleveland Cavaliers: The Cavs followed up one of the most successful regular seasons in franchise history with a way-too-early playoff exit due to untimely injuries. But with their core four — Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, and Jarrett Allen — back and healthy, it’s championship or bust for the Land.

🚀 Houston Rockets: Losing Fred VanVleet to a torn ACL was not the way the Rockets wanted to start this year’s campaign. Still, the evolution of Alperen Şengün paired with the offseason acquisition of 15-time All-Star Kevin Durant has them firmly in title talks. This team is deep, talented, and well-coached — the ideal trophy-chasing trifecta…at least on paper.

⛏️ Denver Nuggets: When the best player in the world is on your team, you’re always in contention — even if hoops is Nikola Jokić’s side hustle. And while the Nuggets fortified their bench this offseason, their success will hinge on their defense: They gave up a whopping 116.9 points per game last year, the sixth-worst mark in the league.

🐴 The GIST’s dark horse pick: The San Antonio Spurs, who missed the playoffs entirely last year. Victor Wembanyama is a generational talent (and still growing), and now he’s surrounded by a trio of guards — De’Aaron Fox, reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, and rookie Dylan Harper — that love to attack the basket, the perfect complement to the playmaking, three-point shooting Wemby. Don’t sleep on ’em.

One of the best parts of the NBA? The drama. The tea is always piping hot on the hardwood, so let’s dig into the spicy storylines shaping the season.

🔁 Same faces, new places: You already know Durant found a new home in Houston, but he’s far from the only hooper who made moves. Whether it’s an injured Damian Lillard returning to Portland, Kristaps Porziņģis joining the Atlanta Hawks, or Bradley Beal teaming up with the LA Clippers, tons of stars are rebounding from offseason breakups.

🌶️ The trade sagas that have us sweating: While some players relocated to greener pastures, two superstars — currently injured LA Laker LeBron James and Milwaukee Buck Giannis Antetokounmpo — opted to stay put…for now. However, both James and Antetokounmpo have made it clear that they want to win now, especially after a pair of first-round playoff exits last season. Stay tuned.

• Speaking of trade sagas, the Dallas Mavericks were bailed out after one of the most flummoxing trades in NBA history, landing 2025 No. 1 draft pick and all-around wunderkind Cooper Flagg. No one’s generated more buzz this offseason — the pressure’s on.

💰 The Clippers are under investigation: ICYMI, Kawhi Leonard is embroiled in yet another NBA probe, this time connected to a reported salary cap circumvention. The alleged crime is a cardinal sin in pro sports, so it’ll undoubtedly loom large over the season.

❤️‍🩹 Title dreams on hold after superstars sidelined: Two of last season’s top teams were notably absent from the “contenders” list. The Boston Celtics lost Jayson Tatum to an Achilles tear before promptly cleaning house, while the Indiana Pacers will be without Tyrese Haliburton, who suffered the same injury in Game 7 of the Finals. That’s how fast the night changes.

The season’s just tipping off, but the hot takes? They’re in midseason form. Here are The GIST’s NBA’s superlatives that nobody asked for, but everyone needs.

🏋️ Most likely to win the breakup: The aforementioned Dončić, who’s both leaner and pettier than ever before. Destined to show the Mavs exactly what they’re missing, expect another MVP–caliber season from Dončić.

🦇 Most cinematic duo: Golden State Warriors Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler. The self-proclaimed Robin to Curry’s Batman, Butler is starting his first full year in the Bay Area, and the outlook is excellent: The Warriors went 23-7 with him in the lineup last season.

💅 Most likely to throw a ’fit: The easy answer is this GQ coverman, but for us, it’s newly-acquired Sacramento King Russell Westbrook. The man has his own fashion newsletter and even styled the WNBA’s Georgia Amoore. So “Group Chat” coded.

🤗 Best bromance: The Antetokounmpos, who became the first trio of brothers to play on the same NBA team after Alex inked a deal with Milwaukee. The Curry bros are a close second after Seth joined his older sibling in Golden State this offseason.

🧐 Most likely to say “back in my day”: The Clippers, aka the oldest team in the league. Powered by millennial magic, the Clips have eight players over the age of 30, including 40-year-old Chris Paul, who’s making a triumphant return to Tinseltown.