In what could be an Eastern Conference Finals preview, the Cavaliers will begin the 2025-26 NBA regular season on Oct. 22 against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

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.

Looking at one of his former teams, the Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James believes that the Cleveland Cavaliers are loaded with pressure heading into the 202

In last season’s Emirates NBA Cup, three teams finished Group Play with 3-1 records (Boston, Orlando and Detroit), but it was the Magic’s point differential (+45) that earned them the East Wild Card spot over the Celtics (+23) and Pistons (+7).

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.

Who, if anyone, can upend the Thunder's repeat hopes? There are a few real threats in FTW's first NBA Power Rankings of the season.