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    NBA Survey: Insiders pick Cavaliers, Thunder as this season’s Finalists

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    By Hoops Wire,Sam Amico

    Copyright yardbarker

    NBA Survey: Insiders pick Cavaliers, Thunder as this season’s Finalists

    The final chapter of ESPN’s annual offseason survey (via Tim Bontemps) brings us to the big questions: Who’s winning each conference, and who’s hoisting the NBA trophy next June?

    Twenty coaches, scouts and execs weighed in, and let’s just say the results weren’t exactly shocking.

    Eastern Conference

    Cleveland Cavaliers: 9

    New York Knicks: 7

    Atlanta Hawks: 2

    Milwaukee Bucks: 1

    Orlando Magic: 1

    The East feels like a two-team race, with voters split between Cleveland’s top-end talent and New York’s depth and toughness.

    Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley and All-NBA guard Donovan Mitchell give the Cavs a clear ceiling, but the Knicks’ battle-tested roster still earned plenty of respect.

    A handful of execs went off-script. One picked Orlando, citing the Magic’s young core and improved fit. Another backed the Hawks, pointing to Trae Young’s overlooked playoff track record.

    And at least one voice couldn’t resist a simple explanation: “I’m just betting on Giannis Antetokounmpo, and against the rest of the East.”

    Western Conference

    Oklahoma City Thunder: 18

    Denver Nuggets: 2

    No surprise here. The defending champs received 18 of 20 votes, thanks to MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a roster where only two players are over 27.

    Denver got the other two nods, largely because Nikola Jokic and a retooled bench are still a force.

    Oklahoma City Thunder: 18

    Denver Nuggets: 2

    Not a single vote went East. That alone tells the story: The gulf between conferences is real, and execs don’t see Cleveland, New York or anyone else breaking through this season.

    So there you have it. The Thunder enter 2025-26 as the league’s team to beat, with Denver lingering as the only alternative in the eyes of insiders.

    The East? It’s still searching for a juggernaut, though the Cavaliers are viewed as the favorites for now. And hey, why not?

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