The NBA season is all set to tip off, and basketball junkies everywhere are celebrating as the regular season commences on Oct. 26.

This year promises to be just as entertaining as the previous, with mega stars like Kevin Durant changing jerseys and joining the single-season wins record-setting Golden State Warriors.

The western conference is weird this year. A case can be made that there is a prohibitive favorite to make it to the finals in the Warriors, yet simultaneously a healthy amount of parity.

After all, the west is absolutely stacked. Teams like the Los Angeles Clippers, Portland Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets all have the talent to make it to the western conference finals.

But there is one other team that has the best chance to knock off Golden State in the playoffs and it’s the same team that had them on the ropes with a 3-1 in a best-of-seven series last season, and that is the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Their talent is undeniable, but there is one extra factor that could potentially work in favor of the Thunder — revenge.

The Thunder cannot possibly help but feel spurned by Durant’s rejection –telling his old team that they were not good enough for him to win a title and many took that as a parting shot to his now former superstar teammate Russell Westbrook.

These two squads are going to meet again in the western conference finals, and it is going to be a proverbial bloodbath. The team with the overwhelming talent wins way more often than not, and that is why the Warriors will end up in the finals yet again.

The eastern conference is almost as brutally tough as the west. The defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers have a tall order in front of them to make it back to the finals.

Teams like Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls, Charlotte Hornets, Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards all have very formidable rosters, yet are not expected to seriously challenge the Cavs for the eastern conference crown.

The two teams that have the best opportunity to knock off the champs are the Boston Celtics and the Toronto Raptors.

Toronto’s defense is their calling card, especially on the perimeter, and that is crucial to beat any team with LeBron James on it.

Boston is very similar as they also are a team that relies on stopping the other team from scoring. The main difference is the two teams’ offensive capabilities.

Both teams have some very good talent, but coaching will be the determining factor as to who gets to the eastern finals to play the Cavs, who are all but a shoe-in to make it to that point with all of their talent.

Celtics’ head coach Brad Stevens has already established himself as one of the bright young coaches in the game of basketball in his three seasons at the helm.

They will rely on their stout defense to get past Toronto and face Cleveland to determine who plays the Warriors.

Cleveland will take care of business and set up round three of the Warriors versus Cavs saga, with both teams winning one a piece.

In an absolute classic, Golden State will utilize their deadly shooting-from-the-perimeter to create spacing for Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson to penetrate to the basket and finish or dish it to one of the myriad of marksman for open jump shots.

Cleveland will counter with an attack that relies on isolation too much at times which will allow the Warriors to set their defense up in half court situations, when they are really tough to score on.

The Warriors will christen their newfound superstar in Durant with a second championship in three seasons, and they will be celebrating by the bay once more.