Now, if I had to put my salary on it, I would have a hard time betting against the true favorites (the Spurs, Thunder and Knicks). That\u2019s not the point of this endeavor, though. I aim to capture the full breadth of the championship race this season. In the NBA\u2019s parity era, that race includes nearly a third of the league. <\/p>\n
Now, to set the scene before we get into it… <\/p>\n
The basic checklist is the same as above: Does the team have a superstar capable of being the best player on a title team? Is the roster well-constructed and talented throughout the rotation? Is it helmed by a good coach?At a more granular level, I tried to identify the teams who can trot out a strong offense and defense. Historically, NBA champions play both sides at a top-10 level at worst. The favorites trot out a top-five offense and defense. Really good offense can overcome middling defense, and vice versa, but no title team is anything resembling bad at one end of the floor. No matter the personnel. There were three teams who just missed the cut: the Pistons, Timberwolves, and Heat. Detroit\u2019s lack of secondary scoring behind Cade Cunningham was a fatal flaw last postseason and wasn\u2019t addressed meaningfully this offseason. Minnesota is going to need more time before it can build a championship-caliber defense with LaMelo Ball at the 1. And Miami\u2019s roster around the Giannis Antetokounmpo-Bam Adebayo pairing is pretty rough; Erik Spoelstra will get the most out of the group but right now it\u2019s not up to snuff for a true contender. <\/p>\n
Let\u2019s finally get to the list. Below you\u2019ll find the nine teams capable of winning this year\u2019s NBA title, listed in alphabetical order. <\/p>\n
Boston Celtics![\"Jayson](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/01m48sr1qtnc4bz7091m.jpg\" "\\"Jayson")
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Jayson Tatum will take the court without Jaylen Brown this season. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n
Yes, even after trading Jaylen Brown, the Celtics can win this year\u2019s NBA championship. The stunning blockbuster was a downgrade in net talent, to be sure. But this rotation still boasts: an All-NBA player in Jayson Tatum, two star role players in Paul George and Derrick White, and a roster chock-full of good-to-great defenders, good-to-great shooters and elite rebounders. After averaging 21.8 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game in his return from an Achilles tear last season, Tatum has earned the benefit of the doubt as far whether he\u2019ll look like the superstar he was pre-injury. The whole program is overseen by Joe Mazzulla and his championship experience. Boston boasts a well-constructed squad in an NBA where depth and cohesive talent rule supreme. <\/p>\n
Cleveland Cavaliers<\/p>\n
Cleveland\u2019s recent, spectacular playoff failures cast a long shadow over what has become a very well-rounded roster after Peyton Watson came to town via trade over the offseason. The Cavaliers now check the boxes every contender must: a path to an elite defense and reliable scorers who can score at will in the halfcourt. If it still feels hard to buy in, I don\u2019t blame you. James Harden\u2019s playoff r\u00e9sum\u00e9 stinks out loud and Donovan Mitchell\u2019s hasn\u2019t been much better since arriving. But the failsafes this roster offers (and the potential of Evan Mobley finally taking that offensive leap we\u2019ve been talking about) makes this the Cavs’ best chance at a title since LeBron was in town. <\/p>\n
2027 NBA Championship Predictions: Which Team Will Hoist the Larry O\u2019Brien Trophy?<\/a>Denver Nuggets<\/p>\n Nikola Joki\u0107 is perhaps the greatest floor-raiser we\u2019ve ever seen grace an NBA floor. He makes all of his teammates so much better it\u2019s almost unbelievable. For that reason it\u2019s hard to quit the Nuggets as a true contender even after consecutive offseasons of talent drain following their 2023 championship. Denver\u2019s starting five is still quite dangerous when fully healthy and the Joki\u0107-Jamal Murray two-man game is an automatic bucket come playoff time. We\u2019ll see if this year\u2019s iteration of bench mob musical chairs pays dividends (perhaps DeMar DeRozan\u2019s pure midrange shot will finally keep the offense afloat when the stars sit) but Joki\u0107 is a singular force who can brute force his way to wins on good and bad nights both. Those players can never be counted out of the championship conversation. <\/p>\n Los Angeles Lakers<\/p>\n The Luka Lakers have finally arrived. Los Angeles spent this offseason crafting a rotation ideally suited to accentuate Don\u010di\u0107\u2019s strengths and (more relevant to the title conversation) compensate for his weaknesses. Walker Kessler and Quentin Grimes give the defense a higher baseline of play and are perfect role players to take advantage of the stress Don\u010di\u0107 puts on opponents offensively. JJ Redick showed off some quality playoff coaching skills when his unit blitzed the Rockets for a six-game first-round series win despite missing star talent. Above all, Don\u010di\u0107 is an elite problem-solver who can torture opposing teams in the crunch of postseason play with the right team around him. The Lakers are now that team, or close enough to it that Don\u010di\u0107\u2019s greatness can power a deep run if he gets hot. <\/p>\n &amp;amp;amp;lt;section data-block=&amp;amp;amp;#34;SingleChoice&amp;amp;amp;#34;&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;h2&amp;amp;amp;gt;Who will win the NBA championship in 2026-27?&amp;amp;amp;lt;\/h2&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;span style=&amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;font-size: 12px;&amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Make your pick and continue to the final results page to see how your answer compares&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;\/span&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;span style=&amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;font-size: 12px;&amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; \u27a1\ufe0f&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;\/span&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;\/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;\/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;ul&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;li&amp;amp;amp;gt;Spurs&amp;amp;amp;lt;\/li&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;li&amp;amp;amp;gt;Thunder&amp;amp;amp;lt;\/li&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;li&amp;amp;amp;gt;Knicks&amp;amp;amp;lt;\/li&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;li&amp;amp;amp;gt;76ers&amp;amp;amp;lt;\/li&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;\/ul&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;\/section&amp;amp;amp;gt;<\/p>\n New York Knicks<\/p>\n The Knicks did lose key bench piece Mitchell Robinson to free agency this summer but otherwise return every major and minor contributor to their first championship in a half-century. The elite starting five of Brunson, Bridges, Anunoby, Hart and Towns figure to once again overwhelm teams with their verstatile offensive and defensive excellence. Miles McBride and Landry Shamet will offer shooting aplenty off the bench. Mike Brown\u2019s steady hand will be ever-present on the sideline. New York might take the foot off the gas during the regular season after last year\u2019s deep playoff run but at its best this roster can go toe-to-toe with anybody in the NBA. <\/p>\n NEXT: Regrading the Knicks\u2019 Blockbuster Trade for Karl-Anthony Towns, Two Years Later<\/a>Oklahoma City Thunder<\/p>\n The Thunder combine an elite, turnover-heavy defense with the best isolation scorer in the game to win games en masse. And boy, does it work! Oklahoma City racked up 64 wins and came within one game of a second consecutive Finals appearance through the singular talents of two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, along with a roster deeply committed to the team\u2019s defensive identity\u2014largely without All-NBA wing Jalen Williams (33 games played in 2025\u201326). The second apron forced GM Sam Presti to send out some talent for nothing but draft picks in return. This is still a monster of a roster with elite talent littering the rotation. The Thunder will be a wins machine again and their style has already proven enough to win a title. <\/p>\n Philadelphia 76ers<\/p>\n There is no question the 76ers have the starpower to win it all. Philadelphia\u2019s overhauled rotation still features top-tier scorer Tyrese Maxey and the undeniable (if unreliable) Joel Embiid, as well as up-and-coming rookie VJ Edgecombe. But those three are now joined by first-team All-NBA wing Jaylen Brown and the LeBron James. If all goes well, the quintet will dominate through overwhelming skill and versatility. Could the defense prove an issue? Sure. Will LeBron\u2019s quote about not leaving his family to bow out in the second round come back to haunt them? Perhaps! But talent still reigns supreme in the NBA and if the Sixers can figure out how to play together, their collection of talent will outweigh all others. <\/p>\n Mannix: 76ers Have a Superteam Level of Star Power, but How Will It All Work?<\/a>San Antonio Spurs<\/p>\n The Spurs are the most popular pick to be the last team standing in June (and if not, at least among Sports Illustrated\u2019s NBA experts). It\u2019s not hard to see why. Victor Wembanyama is on the rise as a generational talent and one of the five best players in the NBA\u2014and with plenty of room to improve still. The supporting cast around him is chock-full of talent and skill, from the young backcourt of Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle to veterans like De\u2019Aaron Fox and Tobias Harris. After a grueling playoff run that ended in heartbreak, the most common criticism of this team last year (lack of experience) no longer holds true. There\u2019s no doubting San Antonio has the star talent and structure to win a championship; the only question is if they\u2019re up to the task of getting the job done after five blown leads in five Finals games last June. <\/p>\n Toronto Raptors Will Kawhi Leonard\u2019s arrival propel the Raptors to championship heights? | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n How completely do you believe that defense wins championships? If it\u2019s the mantra upon which you build your sports philosophy, then these Raptors are for you. Toronto has spent years collecting an impressive array of hard-nosed, highly athletic defenders who consider it a personal affront if any points are scored. They made for one of the NBA\u2019s fiercest defenses last season\u2014and this year, Kawhi Leonard will join the chorus. He\u2019ll be another elite wing defender to trot out alongside Scottie Barnes, and his ability to score will be unlike anything the Raptors have seen since… well, the last time Leonard was in town. And that worked out great. This Toronto team isn\u2019t quite as versatile on paper as the \u201819 championship squad but the defense has the ability to be so good it doesn\u2019t matter. <\/p>\n Listen to SI\u2019s NBA podcast, Open Floor, below or on Apple<\/a> and Spotify<\/a>. Watch the show on SI\u2019s YouTube channel<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Kawhi](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/01m48ssjmab2h45w55ac.jpg\" "\\"Kawhi")
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