The new NBA season promises several storylines that could determine the league's future. Basketball analyst Maxim Gayovoy highlights the stories to watch from the very first games in his column: from San Antonio's title ambitions to whether New York can withstand the pressure of being defending champions, as well as Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk's prospects in a rebuilt Utah team.
San Antonio: From the world's best team to a title — one step away?
According to Gayovoy, San Antonio was arguably the strongest team in the league last season. Victor Wembanyama played outstandingly, but in the playoffs, he lacked maturity: he was too often thinking about "hitting someone" or picking a fight rather than focusing on pure basketball. At the same time, the team didn't rely on one player — Castle and Harper had super seasons, Vassell was very strong, and De'Aaron Fox fit well into the system. In terms of pure basketball, athleticism, and execution speed, the team was top-tier.
The context of the 2026 finals underscores this picture: in game four of the series against New York, San Antonio led by 29 points but faltered, and the series ended in favor of the Knicks (according to a championat.com review, the series score after game four was 3-1 for New York). Gayovoy calls it a matter of time: if the team realizes that they haven't "grabbed God by the beard" yet and improves rather than regresses, the title could arrive this season.
New York and the defending champion's curse
The second story is the Knicks. The main risk, according to the columnist, is that the team will perceive the title as the pinnacle of their lives and stop progressing. A significant loss is Mitchell Robinson, one of the best offensive rebounders and a classic "blue-collar" player who left for Boston, where rebounding is critical for the Celtics' attacking style. Added to this is the uncertainty with Karl-Anthony Towns, who is being offered a contract $70 million below the maximum, which, in Gayovoy's opinion, affects the microclimate. The analyst tends to believe that New York will fail this season or perform significantly below expectations: defending a title is always harder than winning it, and the motivation of a champion is a separate issue.
Miami and the question for Spoelstra: Giannis, Adebayo, and overestimated statistics
The third story is Miami with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo. Gayovoy notes that Erik Spoelstra is considered the best coach in the league every year, yet he holds an arbitrary 8th-9th place rank. Now he has two elite players: Antetokounmpo and Adebayo, who, according to the analyst, scored 83 points "on a random night" last year — the second-best result in NBA history (this is Gayovoy's own claim). The columnist uses this example to show how overestimated attacking statistics are in the league. Prediction: Miami definitely won't take 8th-9th place, but according to the analyst, they won't go past the second round.
Mykhailiuk and Utah: The Ukrainian's chance in a rebuilt team
A separate storyline is Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk and Utah. After several years of rebuilding, the team can aim for much more, and the key question is whether the Ukrainian will get a stable role in the new season. This is one of the stories that, according to Gayovoy, should be followed to understand where the league is heading as a whole.
Taken together, these storylines form the map of the season: San Antonio is looking for its title, New York is testing the sustainability of its championship status, Miami is Spoelstra's coaching project, and Utah and Mykhailiuk are another candidate for a surprise breakthrough.
