After a rollicking summer marked by superstar trade demands (some fulfilled and some unfulfilled), the 2023-24 NBA season is set to tip off on Tuesday as one of the most exciting and unpredictable in recent memory. There are at least a dozen teams that could conceivably make a run to the Finals, while some of the bottom-dwellers from a season ago appear ready to dip their toes into the waters of contention.
Therefore, projecting the NBA standings for the upcoming season seems like a fool's errand – or in this case, an expert's errand. We tabbed our CBS Sports NBA staff to try their hand at prognostication, not only picking which teams will and will not make the postseason, but also predicting the exact order. Yeah, we're that good… or maybe that foolish.
What stands out is the top-heaviness of the Eastern Conference, with the Celtics and Bucks seemingly head and shoulders above the rest, in direct contrast to the depth of the West. The Nuggets appear poised to defend their title with vigor, but the Suns, Lakers, Warriors, Kings, Clippers, Pelicans, Grizzlies and Mavericks could all be legitimate contenders to the throne – with the obvious caveat of relative health.
It should be an incredibly intriguing season and, who knows, maybe one of our experts will get the finishing order exactly right. Only one way to find out – let's get to it.
Eastern Conference standings predictions
| Brad Botkin | James Herbert | Jack Maloney | Sam Quinn | Colin Ward-Henninger | Jasmyn Wimbish | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. 1 | Celtics | Celtics | Celtics | Celtics | Celtics | Celtics |
No. 2 | Bucks | Bucks | Bucks | Cavaliers | Bucks | Bucks |
No. 3 | Cavaliers | Cavaliers | Bucks | Cavaliers | ||
No. 4 | Cavaliers | 76ers | 76ers | 76ers | Cavaliers | |
No. 5 | Heat | Knicks | Nets | Knicks | 76ers | |
No. 6 | 76ers | Knicks | Heat | Knicks | Knicks | |
No. 7 | Pacers | Nets | Hawks | Pacers | Heat | Nets |
No. 8 | Heat | Hawks | Hawks | Pacers | ||
No. 9 | Nets | Pacers | Nets | Heat | Bulls | Bulls |
No. 10 | Hawks | Pacers | Raptors | Raptors | Magic | |
No. 11 | Bulls | Bulls | Magic | Magic | Magic | Hawks |
No. 12 | Raptors | Magic | Hornets | Nets | ||
No. 13 | Hornets | Hornets | Raptors | Bulls | Hornets | Raptors |
No. 14 | Pistons | Pistons | Pistons | Pistons | Pistons | |
No. 15 | Wizards | Wizards | Wizards | Wizards | Wizards | Hornets |
Western Conference standings predictions
| Brad Botkin | James Herbert | Jack Maloney | Sam Quinn | Colin Ward-Henninger | Jasmyn Wimbish | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. 1 | Nuggets | Nuggets | Nuggets | Nuggets | Nuggets | Nuggets |
No. 2 | Suns | Suns | Suns | Lakers | Suns | |
No. 3 | Lakers | Warriors | Warriors | Grizzlies | Pelicans | Warriors |
No. 4 | Pelicans | Clippers | Kings | Warriors | Warriors | Clippers |
No. 5 | Warriors | Timberwolves | Lakers | Suns | Thunder | |
No. 6 | Thunder | Grizzlies | Clippers | Lakers | Kings | Timberwolves |
No. 7 | Timberwolves | Mavericks | Grizzlies | Suns | Timberwolves | Kings |
No. 8 | Kings | Kings | Timberwolves | Kings | Clippers | Lakers |
No. 9 | Clippers | Thunder | Thunder | Clippers | Mavericks | Grizzlies |
No. 10 | Grizzlies | Lakers | Pelicans | Mavericks | Grizzlies | Pelicans |
No. 11 | Mavericks | Pelicans | Mavericks | Pelicans | Thunder | Mavericks |
No. 12 | Jazz | Jazz | Jazz | |||
No. 13 | Rockets | Jazz | Rockets | Rockets | Blazers | Rockets |
No. 14 | Jazz | Spurs | Blazers | Blazers | Rockets | Spurs |
No. 15 | Blazers | Blazers | Spurs | Spurs | Spurs | Blazers |
NBA title predictions
 |  |  |  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Conference champion |  | | | | | |
| Eastern Conference runner-up |  | | | | | |
| Western Conference champion |  | | | | | |
| Western Conference runner-up |  |  | |  |  |  |
| 2024 NBA champion | | | | | | |
