The NBA season tips off in T-minus six hours, with a megawatt Cavaliers-Bulls matchup (and Pistons-Hawks, too) followed by the defending champion Warriors getting their rings and taking on the Pelicans.
A few of those teams — and their all-world stars — feature prominently in The Post staff’s predictions for the upcoming campaign.
Fred Kerber
East: 1. Cavaliers; 2. Hawks; 3. Bulls; 4. Raptors; 5. Heat; 6. Wizards; 7. Bucks; 8. Celtics
West: 1. Warriors; 2. Spurs; 3. Clippers; 4. Thunder; 5. Rockets; 6. Grizzlies; 7. Pelicans; 8. Jazz
East Finals: Cavaliers over Hawks
West Finals: Spurs over Warriors
NBA Finals: Cavaliers over Spurs
MVP: LeBron James, Cavaliers
Rookie of the Year: Karl-Anthony Towns, T’Wolves
Defensive Player of the Year: Anthony Davis, Pelicans
Marc Berman
East: 1. Cavaliers; 2. Hawks; 3. Heat; 4. Wizards; 5. Bucks; 6. Bulls; 7. Pacers; 8. Toronto
West: 1. Spurs; 2. Warriors; 3. Clippers; 4. Grizzlies; 5. Rockets; 6. Thunder; 7. Pelicans; 8. Mavericks
East Finals: Cavaliers over Heat
West Finals: Clippers over Spurs
Finals: Clippers over Cavaliers
MVP: Russell Westbrook, Thunder
Rookie of the Year: Emmanuel Mudiay, Nuggets
Defensive Player of the Year: LeBron James, Cavaliers
Tim Bontemps
East: 1. Cavaliers; 2. Wizards; 3. Bulls; 4. Heat; 5. Hawks; 6. Raptors; 7. Bucks; 8. Celtics
West: 1. Warriors; 2. Rockets; 3. Thunder; 4. Spurs; 5. Clippers; 6. Grizzlies; 7. Pelicans; 8. Kings
East Finals: Cavaliers over Bulls
West Finals: Rockets over Warriors
Finals: Rockets over Cavaliers
MVP: Anthony Davis, Pelicans
Rookie of the Year: Emmanuel Mudiay, Nuggets
Defensive Player of the Year: Anthony Davis, Pelicans
Mike Vaccaro
East: 1. Cavaliers; 2. Wizards; 3. Bulls; 4. Pacers; 5. Raptors; 6. Heat; 7. Bucks; 8. Pistons
West: 1. Spurs; 2. Warriors; 3. Thunder; 4. Grizzlies; 5. Clippers; 6. Pelicans; 7. Mavericks; 8. Rockets
East Finals: Cavaliers over Wizards
West Finals: Spurs over Thunder
Finals: Spurs over Cavaliers
MVP: Anthony Davis, Pelicans
Rookie of the Year: Karl-Anthony Towns, T’Wolves
Defensive Player of the Year: Anthony Davis, Pelicans