The West is tough to predict, but the Thunder have the most complete roster entering the season and the assets to improve at the trade deadline. Yes, they are young and got bounced in the 2024 Western Conference semifinals. But, they can build off that experience and become the sixth different team to represent the West in the last six NBA Finals.

Sign up for NBA League Pass to get access to games, live and on-demand, and more for the entire season and offseason. Rep your team with officially licensed NBA gear. Head to Looking for officially licensed NBA gear?

The Los Angeles Times' NBA crew takes a look at championship contenders, which teams will meet in the NBA Finals and who will win the major awards.

The Thunder are young and precocious enough to need and value the No. 1 seed, and the still-untapped upside of so many of their players makes this quite reachable. Just when we were getting to enjoy the Timberwolves’ two-big throwback approach, they changed it up. But coach Chris Finch and team president Tim Connelly know what they’re doing.

NBA HONORS AND PREDICTIONS MOST VALUABLE PLAYER. Usually, this award is equally given for the performance in a season and also for a body of work — and often to recognize a snub

The Boston Celtics finally delivered on their potential in 2023-2024, winning the NBA Championship decisively over the Dallas Mavericks. Boston appears set up for a shot at a repeat this year, and the rest of the league will be on their trails.

The start of the NBA season is officially upon us, and that means it’s time to start thinking about who will win the championship this year. The Boston Celtics are the current betting favorites as they look to repeat in the Eastern Conference,