An NBA team must have incredible skill, perseverance, and luck to reach the NBA Finals.
Even the so-called superteams are having a hard time getting there nowadays. Gone are the days of trading for big-name players and filling up the rosters with minimum contracts to win a title. It’s all about developing young assets correctly and keen roster construction that makes all the difference.
With the Pacers-Thunder finals, we’ve been taught that any team with a competent front office can develop a contender. While the 2026 NBA Finals are still a year away, here are way-too-early matchups we’d all want to see next year.
Which NBA Finals clash would you like to see in 2026?
Golden State Warriors vs New York Knicks
Believe it or not, there was a time when Stephen Curry could’ve ended up as a member of the Knicks. Leading up to the 2009 NBA Draft, Curry’s representation informed all teams that he preferred to land in New York, but the Warriors scooped him up anyway at the 7th spot.
Nearly a couple of decades later, an NBA Finals matchup between the Dubs and the Knicks would definitely skyrocket the league’s ratings. As we all know, Curry loves to play in MSG and often shows off his entire repertoire whenever he visits New York.
On the other hand, we’d like to see how Jalen Brunson plays out in the league’s grandest stage. After two consecutive seasons of failing to get out of the East, the Knicks are rumored to make some drastic moves in the 2025 offseason.
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If that happens, a Warriors vs Knicks NBA Finals would be one of the ages.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Indiana Pacers
With how the 2025 NBA Finals went, of course, we’d love to see both teams go at it again in 2026.
These two teams are evenly matched from the first to the fifteenth guy on the roster. They both have superstar point guards leading the way on a nightly basis, who have yet to hit their prime athletic years. For all we know, this could usher in a new era of rivalry, not just with their stars but between the teams, too.
Indiana and Oklahoma City love to run and push the tempo. Both teams have brilliant coaches who won’t budge easily under pressure. As fans of the game, we’ll have no qualms about another round of Pacers vs Thunder in 2026.
Denver Nuggets vs Miami Heat
Before you roast us with this one, please consider that this matchup will only be plausible if Miami adds another star on its roster this offseason.
Let’s just say that a marquee big-name player ends up in Miami. That addition alone should be enough to catapult them into title contention in 2026, given how the East has been relatively weak within the last few years.
While the 2023 NBA Finals were a little bit “meh,” considering that Miami was an 8th-seed team at that time and had no business coming out of the East, a rematch will be welcomed by most die-hard basketball fans due to the presence of Nikola Jokic and presumably a rejuvenated Heat squad.
But…this hypothetical clash largely depends on a huge trade or a great pickup this offseason to somehow find its way to Miami. If not, the Heat will barely be a playoff team with their current roster next year.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Detroit Pistons
The Thunder are expected to deploy the same roster in 2026, as most of their players are still on their rookie contracts. In other words, we’d be seeing a lot of them within the next couple of years.
So, who’ll be their foes next year? How about the up-and-coming Detroit Pistons? The Pistons are expected to make a huge leap next season after their surprising campaign in 2025. The team is young and hungry, and they aren’t afraid of the big dogs in the Eastern Conference.
Cade Cunningham is slowly becoming a superstar in the league. They have the right pieces to make a deep postseason run in 2026. And who doesn’t like for the Pistons to become relevant again?
All basketball fans would love to see the clash between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Cade Cunningham. Two top-tier point guards go head-to-head in the NBA Finals. That would be a sight to see.
Los Angeles Lakers vs Cleveland Cavaliers
This was supposed to be one of the dream matchups in the 2025 NBA Finals, but since it did not happen, 2026 may be the year it will materialize.
Luka Doncic will arguably be the headliner here as he seeks his first title, but in reality, this would be LeBron James battling his old team, which gets the bigger story in this clash. LBJ will be playing as a visitor in his old stomping grounds. The league office would love for this to happen.
Even though the Cavs fell short of the ultimate goal this year, they can regroup and address all of their flaws for a better campaign in 2026. Don’t count them out just yet.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs New York Knicks
Anthony Edwards playing at the NBA’s grandest stage? Count us in for that.
Plus, there’s history between these two teams. Karl-Anthony Towns was once deemed a Timberwolves lifer but was shipped to the Knicks in 2024. Julius Randle reportedly had few fond memories during his fruitful but pressure-driven stay in New York.
This should be a matchup that heavily favors the Knicks. They have the tools to shut down Edwards’ offensive rhythm and limit the production of his co-stars, since he’s not a great passer of a double team.
Or, Anthony Edwards will suddenly morph into prime Michael Jordan and surprise us all with his newfound maturity and leadership. Personally, I’d want to see this clash happen.
San Antonio Spurs vs Indiana Pacers
At this point, we all realized that a competent front office will go a long way in morphing a possible champion, and the Spurs have all the tools to make it happen.
First, they have Victor Wembanyama. The French beanpole will inevitably become one of the league’s best players as soon as next season. Second, they have a very good backcourt, which could potentially become much more potent should they select Dylan Harper in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Or, they could package the second overall pick in June in exchange for the Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo. Anything could happen. It’s safe to say that San Antonio’s future is bright, and they are on the right path to contention.
And the Pacers? Like OKC, they are built to contend for a championship for years to come. Tyrese Haliburton hasn’t hit his prime years yet, but is widely considered one of the best young stars in the league today.
A Pacers vs. Spurs NBA Finals would be a treat for the league. It would be a fast-paced contest with a lot of ball swatting and highlight dunks. Who wouldn’t want that?
Los Angeles Lakers vs New York Knicks
Luka Doncic vs Jalen Brunson. Mavericks fans would eat their hearts out when they see this.
Not only would this be a great matchup in the 2026 NBA Finals, but it will also be an awesome clash that even casual basketball fans would find the time to tune in because these are the two biggest markets in the entire league.
LeBron James loves to play in MSG, and this is his last chance to go out with a title. The publicity and the revenue for both teams and the league would be off the charts should this happen in 2026.
In addition, this would be a classic East vs West bloodbath that everybody wants to witness.
Denver Nuggets vs Indiana Pacers
This would likely be the NBA Finals this year if the Nuggets took care of business in their semifinals series against OKC.
How about next year instead? The Nuggets would have a massive advantage in the middle because, you know, they have a guy named Nikola Jokic. The three-time league MVP would feast on the Pacers’ big men—no doubt about that.
However, the Pacers have the backcourt advantage in this one due to the presence of Tyrese Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard. Indiana loves to push the tempo while the Nuggets thrive on slowing the game down.
Honestly, we’d love to see the playing contrast between these two juggernauts.
Los Angeles Lakers vs Boston Celtics
While the Celtics are in serious jeopardy of missing the postseason next season due to Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury, let’s just say that they’ll beat all the odds and make a surprising run to reach the NBA Finals next year.
The best-case scenario for the Cs is that Tatum will recover near 100 percent and Jaylen Brown somehow evolves into a tier-one star. If Boston makes the postseason and Tatum returns to the lineup healthy, then this team wouldn’t mind facing anybody in the East, even if they don’t have home-court advantage in the playoffs.
And for nostalgic purposes, a Lakers-Celtics NBA Finals does have a different feel to it. Both teams have an extensive history in the league’s biggest stage, and fans do love to root for the superstars to clash it out in a seven-game series.
