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    NBA 2026-27 title contenders: what analysts say before tip-off

    Before the 2026-27 season, NBA.com's John Schuhmann ranked the Spurs and Thunder as the top two in the West and the champion Knicks first in the East, with the remade 76ers second.[1][2] The Knicks won the 2026 title 4-1 over the Spurs, who had beaten the Thunder in a seven-game conference final.[3][4] These are attributed opinions, not predictions by ContentLora and not betting advice.

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    This page sets out the main cases made for the leading national-basketball-association title contenders before the 2026-27 season starts on 20 October 2026.[5] It reports what analysts and teams have said. ContentLora makes no picks, and nothing here is betting advice. Use the layer toggles to separate sourced facts from interpretation and forecasts.

    Where last season left off

    The Knicks beat the Spurs 4-1 in the 2026 Finals for their first championship since 1973, with Jalen Brunson named Finals MVP.[3][6] The Spurs went 62-20 in the regular season and beat the 64-18 Thunder in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals in Oklahoma City.[4] The Knicks had also won the 2025 NBA Cup, the first team to win the Cup and the title in the same season.[7]

    The Western Conference

    San Antonio kept its roster together and signed Victor Wembanyama to a five-year extension.[8] NBA.com’s John Schuhmann noted that players under contract account for 94% of the Spurs’ 2025-26 minutes, the league’s highest rate, and that Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle and Wembanyama are 20, 21 and 22.[9] Oklahoma City traded Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe this offseason, according to NBA.com’s deals tracker.[10]

    Schuhmann ranked the Spurs first and the Thunder second in the West, then the Nuggets, Lakers and Rockets, and expects “another epic battle” between the top two.[1] His case for the Thunder rests on their record: they outscored opponents by 11.2 points a game over two seasons, including playoffs. He also expects more from Jalen Williams despite the lost depth.[11] His open question is whether any third Western team can challenge them.[1]

    The Eastern Conference

    The East took in several stars. LeBron James signed with the 76ers and Jaylen Brown arrived by trade, with Paul George going to Boston.[12][13] Giannis Antetokounmpo was traded from Milwaukee to Miami, and Kawhi Leonard from the Clippers to Toronto.[14][15]

    Schuhmann ranked the Knicks first in the East, then the 76ers, Cavaliers, Raptors, Pistons and Celtics.[2] He called the Knicks statistically the best playoff team in NBA history, at plus-14.9 points a game over 19 postseason games, but wrote that they cannot play that well over a full season.[16]

    On Philadelphia, NBA.com’s media-day report said the 76ers seemingly have the talent to reach the conference finals or beyond for the first time in 26 years.[17] Schuhmann’s concerns were that the 76ers ranked 29th in shot quality last season and that defence is likely the bigger worry.[18] James said his relationship with Tyrese Maxey was a main reason he chose the team.[19]

    Schuhmann also argued that the East’s depth, with at least 11 teams aiming for the playoffs, could make it the strongest it has been since Michael Jordan played for Chicago.[20]

    What to watch

    The rankings above are opinions from before a single regular-season game, and they will change. The first tests come early. Opening night on 20 October pits the 76ers against the Knicks and the Thunder against the Spurs.[5] NBA Cup group play then runs from 30 October to 27 November, ahead of the Cup final on 11 December.[21] The East’s group B puts the Knicks, Cavaliers, 76ers, Heat and Pacers together.[22] Whether a remade East team can beat the champions, or a third Western team can break up the Spurs and Thunder, will not be clear until the playoffs start on 17 April 2027.[23]

    Follow results in the 2026-27 season tracker.[24]

    Competing views

    The West runs through San Antonio and Oklahoma City

    NBA.com's Schuhmann ranked the Spurs first and the Thunder second in the West and expects another battle between them. The Spurs return almost their whole roster around a very young core; the Thunder lost some depth but have two historically strong seasons behind them.[1][9][11][4]

    The champions still set the standard in the East

    Schuhmann ranked the Knicks first in the East after a playoff run he called statistically the best in NBA history, while cautioning that they cannot play that well over a full season.[2][16][3]

    Philadelphia's new core could break through

    With LeBron James and Jaylen Brown joining Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid, NBA.com's media-day coverage said the 76ers seemingly have the talent to reach the conference finals for the first time in 26 years. Schuhmann ranked them second in the East but flagged shot quality and defence as questions.[17][18][12][13]

    A deeper East makes the path harder for everyone

    Schuhmann counted at least 11 Eastern teams aiming for the playoffs, with Antetokounmpo now in Miami and Leonard in Toronto, and said the East may be set for its best season since Michael Jordan's Bulls.[20][14][15]

    Next in the crash course

    Questions readers ask

    Who are the favourites for the 2026-27 NBA title?

    NBA.com's offseason power rankings put the Spurs and Thunder first and second in the West and the Knicks first in the East, followed by the 76ers. These are one analyst's rankings, not a prediction by ContentLora.[1][2]

    Who won the 2026 NBA title?

    The New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 4-1, their first championship since 1973.[3]

    Are the 76ers contenders with LeBron James?

    NBA.com said the 76ers seemingly have the talent to reach the conference finals or beyond for the first time in 26 years, but its power rankings flagged shot quality and defence as concerns.[17][18]

    Why are the Spurs ranked so highly?

    They went 62-20, beat the Thunder in Game 7 of the 2026 West finals and return players who accounted for 94% of their minutes, around a core aged 20 to 22.[4][9]

    Sources

    · 24 claims from 1 publisher

    Each numbered claim is a statement we checked against the sources listed with it. Tap a number in the text to see its sources in place.

    1. [1]

      In NBA.com's August 2026 offseason power rankings, John Schuhmann ranked the Spurs first and the Thunder second in the West, followed by the Nuggets, Lakers and Rockets, and predicted another Thunder-Spurs battle. confirmedas of 2026-08-03· interpretation

    2. [2]

      In NBA.com's offseason power rankings, Schuhmann ranked the Knicks first in the East, followed by the 76ers, Cavaliers, Raptors, Pistons and Celtics. confirmedas of 2026-09-28· interpretation

    3. [3]

      The New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 4-1 in the 2026 NBA Finals, their first championship since 1973. confirmedas of 2026-06-14

    4. [4]

      The Spurs went 62-20 in 2025-26 and beat the 64-18 Thunder in Game 7 of the 2026 Western Conference finals in Oklahoma City, winning eight of the teams' 12 meetings. confirmedas of 2026-08-03

    5. [5]

      The 2026-27 NBA regular season starts on 20 October 2026 with an NBC/Peacock tripleheader of Celtics vs. Pistons, 76ers vs. Knicks and Thunder vs. Spurs. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    6. [6]

      Jalen Brunson was the 2026 NBA Finals MVP after scoring a Knicks Finals-record 45 points in the clinching Game 5. confirmedas of 2026-06-14

    7. [7]

      The 2025-26 Knicks were the first team to win the NBA Cup and the NBA championship in the same season; they beat the Spurs 124-113 in the 2025 Cup final. confirmedas of 2026-07-01

    8. [8]

      Victor Wembanyama agreed a five-year extension with the Spurs and Stephen Curry a two-year extension with the Warriors in the 2026 offseason. confirmedas of 2026-10-10

    9. [9]

      Schuhmann noted the Spurs' core of Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama is aged 20, 21 and 22, and that the Spurs return players who accounted for 94% of their 2025-26 regular-season minutes, the league's highest rate. confirmedas of 2026-08-03

    10. [10]

      In the 2026 offseason the Thunder traded Luguentz Dort and Aaron Wiggins to the Hawks and Isaiah Joe to the Pistons. confirmedas of 2026-10-10

    11. [11]

      Schuhmann wrote that the Thunder had to shed some depth but should get more from Jalen Williams, and that over two seasons including playoffs they outscored opponents by 11.2 points per game. confirmedas of 2026-08-03· interpretation

    12. [12]

      LeBron James left the Lakers in 2026 free agency and agreed a two-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. confirmedas of 2026-10-10

    13. [13]

      The Celtics traded Jaylen Brown to the 76ers, with Paul George going from Philadelphia to Boston. confirmedas of 2026-10-10

    14. [14]

      The Milwaukee Bucks traded Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat, receiving players including Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware and Jaime Jaquez Jr. confirmedas of 2026-10-10

    15. [15]

      Other 2026 offseason moves listed by NBA.com include Kawhi Leonard traded from the Clippers to the Raptors, Ja Morant from the Grizzlies to the Trail Blazers, and LaMelo Ball from the Hornets to the Timberwolves in a four-team trade. confirmedas of 2026-10-10

    16. [16]

      Schuhmann called the Knicks statistically the best playoff team in NBA history, outscoring opponents by 14.9 points per game over 19 postseason games, but wrote they cannot play that well over a full season. confirmedas of 2026-09-28· interpretation

    17. [17]

      NBA.com's media-day coverage said the 76ers seemingly have the talent to reach the conference finals or beyond for the first time in 26 years. confirmedas of 2026-09-28· interpretation

    18. [18]

      Schuhmann wrote that the 76ers ranked 29th in shot quality in 2025-26 and that defence, rather than offence, is likely the bigger concern for the new-look team. confirmedas of 2026-09-28· interpretation

    19. [19]

      At 76ers media day James said his relationship with Tyrese Maxey was one of the main deciding factors in choosing Philadelphia. confirmedas of 2026-09-28

    20. [20]

      Schuhmann wrote that at least 11 Eastern Conference teams are looking to make the playoffs and that the East may be positioned for its best season since Michael Jordan played for the Bulls. confirmedas of 2026-09-28· interpretation

    21. [21]

      The 2026 Emirates NBA Cup group play runs from 30 October to 27 November 2026, with quarterfinals on 4-5 December, semifinals on 8 and/or 9 December and the championship on 11 December at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    22. [22]

      The 2026 NBA Cup groups are West A (Nuggets, Rockets, Suns, Mavericks, Jazz), West B (Thunder, Timberwolves, Clippers, Pelicans, Grizzlies), West C (Spurs, Lakers, Trail Blazers, Warriors, Kings), East A (Pistons, Raptors, Magic, Bucks, Nets), East B (Knicks, Cavaliers, 76ers, Heat, Pacers) and East C (Celtics, Hawks, Hornets, Bulls, Wizards). confirmedas of 2026-07-01

    23. [23]

      The 2026-27 NBA regular season ends on 11 April 2027, the Play-In Tournament runs 13-16 April and the playoffs begin on 17 April 2027. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    24. [24]

      The 2026-27 season is the NBA's 81st season. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    Revision history (1)
    1. Page created.

    Created Oct 11, 2026. Last reviewed by an editor on Oct 11, 2026. Next scheduled review: Nov 30, 2026.

    Cite this page

    "NBA 2026-27 title contenders: what analysts say before tip-off." ContentLora, updated Oct 11, 2026. https://contentlora.com/analysis/nba-2026-27-contenders

    Spotted an error? Suggest a correction or emailcorrections@contentlora.com.

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