The 2024-2025 NBA season tips off tomorrow night. FanDuel Sportsbook's NBA odds have got you covered if you want to get in future bets before the season starts.

Let's dive in to some of the biggest takeaways from the NBA preseason as we look ahead to tomorrow's opener.

NBA Preseason Takeaways

The Knicks Could Be Lethal, But It Will Take Some Time

Maybe it's the narcissistic Boston fan in me speaking, but the New York Knicks have made a concerted and pointed effort to match up with the defending champs -- and they've done a great job.

New York has upended their roster, bringing in two-way stud OG Anunoby in the middle of last season and trading for another two-way threat in Mikal Bridges this offseason. Bridges joined his former college teammates -- Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Donte DiVincenzo -- and thus, the Nova Knicks were formed.

But the front office called off the college reunion before the GQ photoshoot could even drop. Earlier this month, DiVincenzo and Julius Randle were traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Karl-Anthony Towns. With that, the Knicks now have a durable, three-point shooting big who can create floor space, something they lacked with Randle.

There's a lot to like about this team. The Knicks figure to be one of the best defensive and three-point shooting units in the 2024-2025 season, Brunson is always growing, and the bench could thrive so long as it stays healthy. But we shouldn't be surprised to see this team flounder in the early days of the season. During last season's Christmas Day game, nine players logged minutes for New York. Only two players -- Brunson and Hart -- are still with the team. That's some massive upheaval in such a short timespan.

KAT spent his entire nine-year career with Minnesota. How will he adjust to the new environment, particularly with such short notice? Bridges went 2-for-19 from behind the arc during the preseason and admitted to tweaking his shooting form. Will he manage to find his rhythm in New York? Hart acknowledged that he's felt "lost" in the preseason and indicated that he may be in need of a role change. On top of that, Mitchell Robinson and Precious Achiuwa will both be sidelined to start the season, so the frontcourt is as thin as can be.

Luckily, the Knicks have 82 contests to work out any kinks before the games start to really matter, and they're my pick to give the Celtics a run for their money in the Eastern Conference playoffs. However, I won't be surprised if momentum wanes and this team struggles from the get. There's a sliver of disaster potential.

The Ready, Fire, Aim Approach Isn't Working in Milwaukee

In the 2020-2021 season, the Milwaukee Bucks won their second championship in franchise history. Giannis Antetokounmpo served as the most threatening face in the league, Jrue Holiday was building his Hall of Fame case, and Mike Budenholzer appeared to be the winning and steady head coach that most team's yearn for. It seemed as if we would be watching Milwaukee play in the Finals for some time.

Just three seasons removed, the Bucks have yet to make it back to the Eastern Conference Finals and have been knocked out in the first round of the playoffs in back-to-back years. What happened?

Well, they fired Budenholzer, hired Adrian Griffin, promptly fired Griffin, and then made the questionable decision to hand the keys to then seemingly-retired Doc Rivers. More impactful, they dealt Holiday and decided to pair Giannis with Damian Lillard, who turned 34 years old this offseason.

Dame's shooting numbers in his first season with the Bucks were his lowest since the 2015-2016 season. Defense was another big issue as the Holiday-less Bucks ranked 19th in defensive rating a season ago. Simply put, Dame and Giannis are an underwhelming pairing in contrast to their individual talents. The two did not practice together this offseason, which doesn't instill much faith that the injury-prone Giannis and aging Lillard will manage to make a turn for the better this season.

None of Doc, Dame, and Giannis seem to be on the same page and Antetokounmpo recently said that "he might get traded" if the Bucks don't win a championship this year.

To add, Khris Middleton is expected to miss the season opener and has played less than 70 games in five straight seasons. Situated in an Eastern Conference that is primed to be as competitive as it's been in years, it could be tough climbing for a Bucks organization that seems to be their own worst enemy.

Milwaukee's win total is set at 49.5 entering this campaign. They went 49-33 last year, even with Dame and Giannis each playing 73 games. The East got stronger this offseason yet the Bucks seem to be equally as lost as a season ago, so I'm good to bet against them.

The Western Conference Is Completely Up For Grabs

The Golden State Warriors era is officially over following the departure of Klay Thompson. The Los Angeles Clippers are no longer expected to be contenders after losing Paul George in free agency. LeBron James is always waiting in the wings but his Los Angeles Lakers aren't as prepared.

The Western Conference is more wide open than ever before, and we could see some under-the-radar teams make some serious noise.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, and Timberwolves -- the top three seeds in the West a season ago -- are destined for the most success, though none of these teams have a super clear-cut championship case. OKC is the most talented group, but their young roster and lack of deep playoff experience cause room for concern. Minnesota narrowly missed the Finals a season ago and might just be the best-suited team to take down the Celtics, but we still need to wait and see what they look like sans KAT. From a value perspective, I like Denver's +1100 championship odds, though losing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the Orlando Magic this offseason will prove to be a brutal blow.

Past those teams, the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks have the next-highest win totals. While the star power in these cities is alive and well, their lackluster defenses put their championship hopes at bay, at least to some degree.

Realistically, the West could just come down to OKC, Denver, or Minnesota. But in a fun conference that has undergone some change, let's make some bold-ish predictions about what we could see in the West this season.

Phoenix Suns Make the West Play-In Tournament (+190)

The Suns were narrowly spared from the play-in tournament a season ago after clinching the conference's sixth seed, but I think a downhill trajectory paired with impending new West groups could force them into the play-in this year.

On paper, a team led by Kevin Durant and Devin Booker is destined to clinch a real playoff spot, right? The 36-year-old Durant led the Suns only so far in his first full season with the team, even though he played more than 55 games for the first time since the 2018-2019 season. Durant's age and lack of durability scare me, and a defensive backcourt that includes Tyus Jones and Bradley Beal is hard to look at.

Phoenix is riding with two below-average starting defensive guards and their depth at the center position includes Jusuf Nurkic and Mason Plumlee. They look like a play-in team to me.

San Antonio Spurs Make the West Play-In Tournament (+230)

The last play-in prediction held a negative connotation, but for the San Antonio Spurs, a play-in spot is the goal. Victor Wembanyama is rising up the ranks with ease, and the Spurs made some solid moves this offseason, so I think Gregg Popovich can get them there.

Wemby currently has the eighth-shortest (+2000) NBA MVP odds. Each of the top 10 player's teams in this market have -215 playoff odds or shorter, except for Wemby and the Spurs. We can't discount the weapon that the second-year Wemby could be this go-around, and Chris Paul is an intriguing piece for him to be paired with. Past Paul and Wemby, the Spurs brought in Harrison Barnes and drafted Stephon Castle with the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

San Antonio is armed with young pieces who could break through in this campaign. Perhaps we are a year or two away from this young Spurs core proving dominant, but with Popovich and CP3 around, I'll take the chance that it could happen to some degree this season at +230 odds.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.