Although it's the opening night of the 2021-22 NBA Season, our experts already look ahead to the next season.
Are the Eastern Conference finals previews possible with Tuesday's game between Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks?
The playoff series between these two juggernauts was decided by Kevin Durant's foot. Last year, Game 7 saw the Nets lose to the eventual champion Bucks. Is it possible for these two teams to rematch their previous match? Will a Durant-James Harden healthy duo be enough for the defending champions to fall?
Are the retooled Los Angeles Lakers likely to make it to the Western Conference finals as they are now? Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony joined LeBron James out West. But will this be enough to compete in a tough conference. Will Donovan Mitchell's Utah Jazz finally make it to the NBA Finals? Klay Thompson's return will lift the Golden State Warriors to the top in the West.
Which team is best suited to win it all? Will James win his fifth title as a Nets player? Can the Nets win a championship with Kyrie Irving as a third star? Giannis Antetokounmpo, the reigning Finals MVP, will defend his title. Our experts predict matchups for the conference finals as well as the NBA Finals.
MORE: Power Rankings, projections, and intel for all 30 NBA team
Finals of the Eastern Conference
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Tim Bontemps: Bucks vs. Nets
Jamal Collier: Nets more than Bucks
Nick DePaula: Nets Over Bucks
Nick Friedell: Nets Over Bucks
Israel Gutierrez: Heat over Bucks
Tim Legler: Bucks are better than nets
Andrew Lopez: Nets Over Bucks
Tim MacMahon: Nets more than Bucks
Bobby Marks: Heat wins over Nets
Dave McMenamin: Nets more than Bucks
Kevin Pelton: Bucks vs. Nets
Jorge Sedano: Heat is not for you
Ramona Shelburne: Nets more than Bucks
Andr Snellings: Bucks over Nets
Marc J. Spears: Nets Over Bucks
Ohm Youngmisuk - Nets more than Bucks
Results (East champion): Nets 10, Bucks 5 Heat 1.
Finals of the Western Conference
Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images
Tim Bontemps: Jazz over Suns
Jamal Collier: Suns Over Lakers
Nick DePaula: Suns over Suns
Nick Friedell: Jazz over Lakers
Israel Gutierrez: Lakers over Jazz
Tim Legler: Lakers vs Suns
Andrew Lopez: Jazz over Lakers
Tim MacMahon: Nuggets vs. Lakers
Bobby Marks: Jazz over Lakers
Dave McMenamin: Suns over Lakers
Kevin Pelton: Suns over Lakers
Jorge Sedano: Nuggets over Lakers
Ramona Shelburne: Lakers over Jazz
Andr Snellings: Lakers over Nuggets
Marc J. Spears: Lakers vs Warriors
Ohm Youngmisuk - Lakers over Warriors
Results (West champion): Lakers 10, Jazz 3, Nuggets 1, Suns 1, Warriors 1.
Finals of the NBA
Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP
Tim Bontemps: Bucks over Jazz
Jamal Collier: Nets vs. Suns
Nick DePaula: Nets vs Warriors
Nick Friedell: Jazz over Nets
Israel Gutierrez: Bucks vs. Lakers
Tim Legler: Lakers vs. Bucks
Andrew Lopez: Nets vs. Lakers
Tim MacMahon: Nuggets are better than nets
Bobby Marks: Heat over Jazz
Dave McMenamin: Nets vs. Lakers
Kevin Pelton: Bucks vs. Lakers
Jorge Sedano: Nets over Lakers
Ramona Shelburne: Nets over Lakers
Andr Snellings: Bucks over Lakers
Marc J. Spears: Nets vs. Lakers
Ohm Youngmisuk - Nets over Lakers
Results (NBA champions): Nets 8, Bucks 4, Lakers 3 and Heat 1.
