The Eastern Conference landscape is shifting, and the 2025-26 NBA season promises to be one for the ages. Two storied franchises, the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers, have emerged as early favorites to claim the conference crown and make a run at championship glory. But with injuries, bold offseason moves, and the weight of expectations, which team has the edge as the season tips off?
Let’s start with the Knicks, who are coming off a bittersweet campaign. New York’s 2024-25 season was a thrilling ride – 51 wins, a No. 3 seed, and playoff victories over the Detroit Pistons and defending champion Boston Celtics. Hopes soared in the Big Apple as the Knicks seemed destined for the NBA Finals, only to be dashed in a six-game heartbreaker against the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. That loss stung, but it also fueled a summer of transformation.
Determined to finally break through, the Knicks pulled off two blockbuster acquisitions: star big man Karl-Anthony Towns and versatile wing Mikal Bridges. These moves cost them dearly in assets, but the front office made it clear – it’s championship or bust. The Knicks didn’t stop there, either. They added French standout Guerschon Yabusele and former Sixth Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson to shore up their bench, giving new head coach Mike Brown a deep, talented roster.
Brown, who replaces Tom Thibodeau, inherits a group hungry for success and led by the league’s best clutch performer from last season, Jalen Brunson. The pressure is on, but expectations are sky-high. Even a longtime nemesis has taken notice. Pacers legend and current analyst Reggie Miller, once the bane of Knicks fans everywhere, threw his support behind New York during an NBA on NBC conference call on October 18, 2025. "I will say this, cause people always think that I hate on the Knicks, which I do not, I love the Knicks," Miller stated. "If the Knicks cannot get out of the Eastern Conference this year, something is wrong!"
Miller’s endorsement carries extra weight given his storied rivalry with New York in the 1990s. He pointed to the Achilles injuries that will sideline Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton and Boston’s Jayson Tatum for the entire season, opening the door for a new Eastern power. "To me, the Knicks with their new coach in Mike Brown and the best clutch player in the game from a year ago in Jalen Brunson, I just think everything is set up for the Knicks to win the East. Now again, you’ve gotta go out there and actually do it, but I think this is the year for the Knicks in the East, guys," Miller added.
The Knicks aren’t the only team with their eyes on the prize. Enter the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have quietly built a juggernaut under new head coach Kenny Atkinson. After two solid seasons with 51 wins apiece and home-court advantage in the playoffs under J.B. Bickerstaff, the Cavs took a giant leap in 2024-25. Atkinson’s first year saw Cleveland rack up 64 wins – the best mark in the Eastern Conference. Yet, their playoff run was cut short in the second round by the Indiana Pacers, proving that regular-season dominance doesn’t always translate to postseason success.
This year, the Cavaliers are all-in on making a deeper run. The front office acquired Lonzo Ball, hoping his playmaking and defense will be the missing ingredient. Oddsmakers certainly like their chances. Cleveland enters the season as one of the top favorites to win the 2026 NBA Championship, with odds as short as +650 at FanDuel (second-best in the league) and +750 at both DraftKings and BetMGM (third-best). They’re also the consensus favorite to win the Eastern Conference, with odds ranging from +210 at FanDuel to +230 at Caesars Sportsbook.
Why the optimism? Aside from their regular-season record, the Cavaliers’ path to the Finals looks clearer with Boston and Indiana hobbled. The main threats, according to both oddsmakers and analysts, are the Knicks and the up-and-coming Orlando Magic. Cleveland is also a massive favorite to win the Central Division, with odds from -370 at FanDuel to -475 at DraftKings. Sportsbooks have set the over/under for their regular-season wins at 56.5, giving them plenty of margin after last season’s 64-win campaign.
While the Cavaliers are seen as a collective force, individual accolades are less certain. Donovan Mitchell, their scoring dynamo, is a long shot for NBA MVP at 100-to-1 odds. Evan Mobley, the defensive anchor, has the fourth-best odds for Defensive Player of the Year at +1400, trailing only Victor Wembanyama. Still, if Cleveland reaches the Finals, Mitchell’s +1000 odds for Finals MVP could look like a steal.
Both teams are navigating new realities. The Knicks are banking on chemistry and leadership from Brown, Towns, and Brunson, while the Cavaliers hope Atkinson’s system and Ball’s addition can finally unlock playoff success. The injuries to Tatum and Haliburton have tilted the power balance, but the East remains a minefield. Orlando is lurking, and Atlanta could surprise, but it’s clear that New York and Cleveland have separated themselves from the pack.
Of course, nothing is guaranteed in the NBA. As Miller wisely noted, "you’ve gotta go out there and actually do it." The grind of an 82-game season, the unpredictability of injuries, and the pressure of expectations will test both squads. The Knicks have the firepower and the backing of one of their fiercest former foes. The Cavaliers have the numbers, the odds, and a chip on their shoulder from last year’s playoff disappointment.
Fans in New York and Cleveland can hardly wait. Will the Knicks finally break through and return to the Finals for the first time in decades? Can the Cavaliers turn regular-season dominance into postseason glory? Or will another contender crash the party and rewrite the script?
As the 2025-26 NBA season gets underway, all eyes will be on these two powerhouses. The action is just beginning, and the race for Eastern Conference supremacy is wide open. Basketball fans, buckle up – it’s going to be a wild ride!
