November 10, 2025 by Teddy Lodico (‘29)
1. New York Knicks
The Knicks, over the past few decades, have been worse than bad. They have underperformed year after year, losing countless players with raw talent for players who turned out to be just so-so. As a Knicks fan, watching this team lose again and again every night has been draining. So, when this team went on a tear in the 2020 season, it revived the fanbase. The addition of key players, like Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and Karl Anthony-Towns, along with coaches Steve Kerr and Mike Brown, triggered the team’s rapid improvement. Several other players, like Josh Hart and OG Anunoby, stepped up big-time in the playoffs last season and gave the team depth . The Knicks’ skills grew until last season in the playoffs, when they fell right on the doorstep of the NBA finals, losing to the Indiana Pacers in a dramatic series. Going into the 25-26 season, the expectations are higher than ever in NYC, especially since Brooklyn is essentially the worst team in the league. According to the ESPN website, the Knicks have a 98.8% chance to make the playoffs and are projected for 50.8 wins.
2. Minnesota Timberwolves
Similar to the Knicks, the T-Wolves have had a history of being a generally below-average team. Since the Kevin Garnett era ended in 2007, this team has been plagued by general mediocrity, and a dying fanbase. But suddenly, they slowly began to improve by the beginning of the 2020’s. With the additions of powerhouses like Anthony Edwards and Rudy Golbert, along with specialists like Naz Reid, Julius Randle, and Jaden McDaniels, they fought their way to 49-33 last season, putting them in the playoffs. Unfortunately, they lost in the second round to the Denver Nuggets, but that doesn’t mean their whole season was a failure. In 25-26, they’re bringing back all their key players from last season and more. Minnesota fans have higher hopes than ever this season, and the Timberwolves might just have the talent and grit to go all the way this season. According to the ESPN site, the T-wolves have an 85% chance to make the playoffs and are projected for 46.8 wins.
3. Houston Rockets
Like the previous two teams, Houston is fresh off a rough couple of decades. Losing key players to injury and trade meant that they had to rely heavily on recently drafted rookies to take charge. These rookies didn’t always perform up to standards, meaning that for a long time, they were a below average team. Well, those days are long gone. Even though they were first-rounded last season by Golden State, they had made vastimprovements from previous seasons, finishing with a record of 52-30. The loss of star point guard Fred Vanfleet stings as well, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t come back and break 50 wins again. Players like veteran Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson, and Jabari Smith come back to the Rockets this season, meaning they will be incredibly strong and tall. The Houston sports scene is full of diehard fans, so expectations are high for the Rockets this year. And if any team can live up to the hype, it’s going to be them. According to the ESPN website, the Rockets have a 95.8% chance to make the playoffs and are projected for 50.1 wins.