The Oklahoma City Thunder are hoping to surprise the world and make a real run in the 2022 NBA season. As things stand now, they’re sitting at 106 points. After finishing first a year ago in a dominance rarely seen in League history, they are currently the clear favorites to win again and repeat as champs. The Thunder are looking to be the first team to win back-to-back titles since the Golden State Warriors in 2018.
As the 2025-26 season approaches, the Thunder’s roster remains robust, featuring 14 returning players from last year’s 15-man lineup. However, this continuity has given the team a great base on which to prepare and continue to replicate their success. Wall Street analysts say Oklahoma City would be a good pick to end the league’s 38-year-long streak. This streak has produced a new winner each year for seven straight seasons.
Meanwhile the Denver Nuggets, at 50 wins and counting, are becoming the West’s most imposing force. And then they did basketball braiding deep strategic arm maneuvers to create what most would argue is Nikola Jokic’s most talented supporting cast so far. That run through the playoffs was no fluke. Even when they lost to Oklahoma City in seven games in the Western Conference semifinals last month, they demonstrated their promise and, yes, mettle.
It’s been a confusing down year for the Houston Rockets. At one time, they sunk as low as 35 points, then rebounded only to fall to 21 points just weeks later. This discrepancy begs the question of whether they even have the chops to compete at a higher level this season. They were still able to recently stock up on a solid 101 points, showing they still have room to grow and get better.
It’s not just the Golden State Warriors taking advantage of other teams disarray in the Western Conference. In all their finals appearances, the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves have been pathetic, barely scoring 7 points. At the same time, things are even bleaker for the Golden State Warriors, as they sit at just 2 points. This extreme contrast serves to emphasize the ultra-competitive nature of the league, and the steep hill these franchises will have to climb.
The Cleveland Cavaliers is home to a bounty of 27 stolen goods, aka Eastern Conference tournament points. This kind of amazing performance means they’re going to be competing for a playoff spot! The New York Knicks are 11th in the east right now. Yet they need to step up their game if they really want to do much this season!
Going into fall 2023, those predictions are still changing. With the Oklahoma City Thunder leading the rankings and demonstrating a strong chance of repeating their success, fans and analysts alike are eager to see if they can solidify their status as champions once again.
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