With the 2024-25 National Basketball Association (NBA) season fast approaching, the NBA's 30 teams are making final preparations ahead of what promises to be one of the most competitive seasons ever.Here is all you need to know about the upcoming season:
When does the 2024-25 NBA season start?
The new NBA season opens on Tuesday, October 22 with the New York Knicks visiting the defending champions the Boston Celtics, starting at 23:30 GMT (6.30pm local time) at TD Garden Arena in Boston.
What is the format?
In the regular season, the 30 teams play 82 games over a period of seven months.
At the end of the season, the top six teams from the Eastern and Western Conferences will automatically qualify for the postseason.
The next-best teams - ranked 7-10 from both conferences - will enter into a play-in tournament to secure the remaining seventh and eighth postseason positions in each conference.
Who are the favourites to win the title?
In the Eastern Conference, the NBA champion Boston Celtics are the consensus pick by bookmakers and league executives to again win the conference, and are also the favourite team to repeat as champions. The New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers are considered by many basketball commentators to be the biggest threats to Boston in the east.
In the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder have the shortest odds to win the conference. Close behind them are several strong title contenders: The Denver Nuggets, last season's ...