It’s a special time of the year, folks.

The 2026-27 NBA season is upon us!

That means it’s time for our annual tradition of previewing the season, division by division, by asking two very important questions for each team:

What’s the case for the Over?
What’s the case for the Under?

LET’S GET IT.

5. Brooklyn Nets — 24.5

The only thing better than having one Pork on your team is having… TWO PORKS !!

The Nets already had Michael Pork, and this summer, they acquired Julius Pork. The Pork Brothers!

What’s the Case for the Over?

The Nets have actually gone Over each of the last two seasons under head coach Jordi Fernandez. (The KD Nets never hit the Over.)

The line is also 4.5 higher than their 20 wins last year.

We poke fun at Pork, but listen: Julius Randle plays hard and is certainly capable of playing well. Amidst the stinkers, there are gems.
And for his Pork bro, MPJ can certainly catch fire from 3. He did so last here in Brooklyn with seven games of 6+ made 3s and sixteen with at least 5 3s.
Keon Ellis can contribute and people forget that Terance Mann once scored 37 points in the Western Conference Finals.

Egor Demin is said to have packed on 15 pounds of muscle this summer. Demin could be a wild card entering Year 2.

No. 6 overall pick Mikel Brown Jr. only played one preseason game, but he looked impressive, scoring 15 points in 18 minutes off the bench. Optimism!

What’s the Case for the Under?

The Nets have had six first round picks in the last two drafts and is anybody truly excited about any of them?

The Nets have a bit of a big man problem with all due respect to Day'Ron Sharpe and Moritz Wagner, career backups.
There aren’t many cupcakes in the East this season, so teams actually might be more alert and ready to take care of business against the Nets.
Two Porks on one team is actually batshit insane.

This could be the first “Zombie tank” where the Nets actually want to have fewer lottery balls since Houston gets their First-Round pick…

Nets Final Prediction: In the Brothers Pork we trust! Over 24.5 wins.

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4. Toronto Raptors — 45.5

The Raptors excelled and overachieved last season, winning 46 games behind a high-intensity defensive-oriented cohesiveness.

This summer, they traded Brandon Ingram to bring home a familiar face, The Fun Guy himself, Kawhi Leonard.

What’s the Case for the Over?

The last time Kawhi donned a Raptors uni, they were cutting down the nets in The 6, Champions of the NBA for the first time in franchise history. Kawhi can still play at an elite two-way level when he’s on the court.

Scottie Barnes is the do-it-all Swiss army knife — the No. 1 option, playmaker and defender for this team for three years now. Kawhi can help shoulder the load and help show him the way.
The defensive trio of Scotti, Kawhi and Collin Murray-Boyles is going to be lethal.
Quickley and Barrett have a knack for playing scrappy and finding a way to get the job done going back to their Knicks days.

Jamal Shead deserves a shoutout — a very reliable burst of energy off the bench.

Head coach Darko Rajakovic has his teams play a brand of no-nonsense basketball.

What’s the Case for the Under?

How many players remain from the Raptors 2018-19 Championship roster with Kawhi? That would be 0 because that happened many moons ago.

Kawhi is actually the antithesis of durability and consistency when it comes to being available to play NBA basketball. Kind of an important part of the game in case you didn’t know.
The big man situation here is dire. After Poeltl, they have Andre Jackson and Trayce Jackson-Davis.
Three-point shooting is also a big question. Somehow Ingram and Mamu were top five in made 3’s per game for the Raptors last season and both are gone.

The East is a different Beast.

Raptors Final Prediction: Durability and 3-point shooting is enough for us to take Under 45.5 wins.

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3. Boston Celtics — 51.5

The J-Team duo is no more.

The Celtics traded Finals MVP Jaylen Brown for Paul George.

What’s the Case for the Over?

Like we saw last year with JB, now it’s Tatum’s time to fly as the only No. 1 J option on the team. JT will be out to prove the C’s can succeed without JB.

PG did actually have some games where you could shades of the Paul George of the past. The pre-Podcast P version.
There is the usual strong supporting cast here headlined by Derrick White and Payton Pritchard — both stepped up last year in a big way when given more opportunity.
Mike Conley is here and Conley’s teams have a long history of cashing the Over.

Mazzulla Ball has a way of getting the job done, especially in the regular season. Head coach Joe Mazzulla is 4-0 to the Over in his four seasons calling the shots.

What’s the Case for the Under?

Podcast P, contrary to Mike Conley, has a long history of his teams not only hitting the Under but imploding, save for the one season he led the Clips to WCF.

Is it weird to think that Tatum always needed Brown more than Brown needed Tatum?
PG’s availability — always in question.
The same goes for Mitchell Robinson, acquired this summer and the new starting center.

There is going to be pressure on Hugo Gonzalez to perform since he was the alleged deal breaker for the Celtics trading for Giannis.

The overall depth here isn’t as deep as you’d think…

Celtics Final Prediction: Fading Mazzullla is crazy work, but scared money don’t make money. Under 51.5 wins.

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2. Philadelphia 76ers — 50.5

It was the summer of all summers in Philly.

Trading Paul George for Jaylen Brown (!!).
Signing LEBRON JAMES (!!!!).
And don’t sleep on acquiring Anfernee Simons and Dean Wade!

What’s the Case for the Over?

This starting lineup is STACKED.

Adding JB and Bron to a lineup with Maxey, Embiid and Edgecombe has gotta be like a dream for Sixers fans. The Process more than paid off in the end.
The bench has solid role players as well to help fill in the gaps. Simons can score. Dean Wade is a low-usage 3-and-D lite player who won’t try to do too much.
KCP is familiar with Bron and if anybody can unlock KCP’s shooting it’s The King.

Don’t sleep on Caleb Love who tore up the preseason and had a few games last season with the Blazers where he caught absolute fire. (Five games of 5+ made 3s.)

Nick Nurse can let loose all the funky stuff with this bunch.

What’s the Case for the Under?

First of all, it’s Philly.

Nothing is ever as easy as it seems.

It can take time for ball-dominant stars to gel as we’ve seen with numerous “super teams.” And how often does a “super team” actually work out?
The depth in the frontcourt and at Center specifically is precarious. Are Adam Bona and Dom Barlow ready for this level of playing time and Philly scrutiny?
The drama that is already following this team whether or not the drama is real or manufactured... It’s something they are going to have to deal with for the next 8+ months.

How serious will the Sixers take the regular season? They have bigger fish to fry come playoff time.

(This team hasn’t been to the Eastern Conference Finals in 26 years. (Shoutout A.I. and Mutumbo! And Eric Snow and Aaron McKie. And Theo Ratliff and Tyrone Hill. Toni Kukoc and MATT GEIGER. SHOUTOUT TODD MACCULLOCH!!!!)

Sixers Final Prediction: The King is back to reclaim what he left behind — a conference where he dominated for a decade straight. Over 50.5 wins.

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1. New York Knicks — 52.5

For the first time in 53 years, the Knicks won The NBA Finals.

What do they have in store for their encore performance?

What’s the Case for the Over?

Confidence is at an all-time high.

The Knicks not only won The Finals, they were an absolute buzzsaw that obliterated opponents along the way.

Jalen Brunson somehow took his King of New York fame to an even higher level when the Knicks needed him most. He’s an immortalized legend — but the game marches on.
KAT made the right plays, sacrifices and adjustments to get the job done. Will he continue to play this way? If he does, the Knicks will be in great shape.
OG had the tip-in heard round the world. Bridges and Hart played their hearts out on defense. Hell, never forget that Landry Shamet shot the fucking lights out in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The number here at 52.5 wins is the exact same as last season. You don’t think the Knicks can run that shit back?

What’s the Case for the Under?

Championship hangovers are very real.

The Knicks will have a target on their back all season.

There is a pressure to deliver again. And within that, this roster is actually built more for the playoffs than the regular season.
The Knicks had their health last year. If Brunson or KAT miss an extended period of time, this team’s dynamic changes drastically.
KAT’s current contract situation looms and could put a damper on things, causing tension within the organization.

Despite the monkey off the back, James Dolan continues to penny pinch and wasn’t willing to keep this team together entirely, letting Mitchell Robinson go.

The Knicks actually got a little weaker, while the rest of the East got so much stronger.

Knicks Final Prediction: Riding the vibes to Over 52.5 wins.

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OPENING NIGHT is TUESDAY.

Season Preview Division by Division

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