The rain was tapping against my window pane in that persistent London drizzle, and I found myself thinking about connections—how we forge them, maintain them, and sometimes lose them entirely. See, last night I finished replaying Death Stranding, that haunting masterpiece from 2019 that somehow predicted our collective isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic before any of us knew what was coming. Playing it again now, years later, I can't help but marvel at how its themes of fragmented societies and people desperately trying to reconnect mirrored exactly what we all went through during lockdowns. But as I booted up the sequel footage this morning, I realized Death Stranding 2 isn't nearly as clear-cut about its message—it's throwing everything at the wall, from climate change warnings to how automation is stripping away our daily choices, from gun violence to corporate power struggles. And it got me thinking about another kind of connection entirely—the kind that exists between teammates on a basketball court, and specifically, who will be the NBA futures outright winner this season.
Funny how games can send your mind down these rabbit holes. After my Death Stranding marathon, I needed something lighter, so I fired up Sloclap's new football game Rematch. Now here's a developer that previously gave us the brilliant martial arts combat of Sifu suddenly delivering this chaotic, joyful football experience that perfectly captures what it felt like playing with friends in the park after school. Those wayward passes, the goalkeeper who'd suddenly decide he's a striker, that magical moment when someone would score from absolutely nowhere—Rematch isn't just a game, it's a time machine back to when sports were pure fun rather than billion-dollar industries. And playing it made me remember why I fell in love with team sports in the first place, which naturally brought me back to that burning question: who will be the NBA futures outright winner this season?
I've been following basketball religiously since I was twelve, back when Michael Jordan was still draining game-winners for the Bulls. Over thirty years of watching this sport has taught me that predicting champions is part science, part art, and part pure guesswork. The Denver Nuggets are sitting pretty with +450 odds right now, and honestly, with Nikola Jokić playing like he's from another planet, they've got every reason to be favorites. But I've learned to be skeptical of defending champions—the target on their back is enormous, and every team brings their A-game against them. The Boston Celtics at +500? They've got that stacked roster and historical pedigree, but I've watched them stumble in the playoffs enough times to have my doubts. Personally, I'm keeping my eye on the Milwaukee Bucks at +600—Giannis is a force of nature, and if Damian Lillard integrates properly, they could be terrifying come playoff time.
What Death Stranding 2 gets absolutely right is this idea that being stuck in the past dooms us to repeat it. In the NBA, we see this constantly—teams trying to replicate the Warriors' dynasty, organizations holding onto outdated strategies, coaches insisting on methods that worked a decade ago but don't today. The league evolves at lightning speed, and this season feels particularly transitional. The Minnesota Timberwolves at +1600 might be the most interesting dark horse—Anthony Edwards is that rare superstar who seems to be improving weekly, and their defensive schemes are disrupting everyone. Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns at +1200 have all that offensive firepower but still haven't figured out how to make their pieces fit consistently. I've watched every Suns game this season, and while they're spectacular when everything clicks, their lack of depth worries me.
Playing Rematch earlier reminded me that at its core, basketball—like football—is about chemistry. Not the kind with test tubes, but that intangible connection between players who've learned to anticipate each other's movements. The Oklahoma City Thunder at +2500 are the perfect example—on paper, they shouldn't be this good, but watch them play and you see this incredible synchrony, this shared understanding that transcends individual talent. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander might just be the most underrated superstar in the league right now, and at 25, he's only getting better. Meanwhile, out west, the Dallas Mavericks at +1800 have Luka Dončić putting up video game numbers—I watched him drop 45 points against the Celtics last week, and he made it look effortless.
The eastern conference feels more predictable this year, but that's usually when surprises happen. The Philadelphia 76ers at +1200 live and die by Joel Embiid's health—we all remember last year's playoff disappointment. The Miami Heat at +2200 always find a way to exceed expectations, but I'm not convinced they have the offensive consistency to go all the way. And then there's the Los Angeles Lakers at +2500—LeBron James is still performing at an elite level at 39, which is frankly ridiculous, but the supporting cast hasn't been reliable enough for me to consider them serious contenders.
As I write this, the rain has finally stopped, and a patch of sunlight is breaking through the clouds. It occurs to me that both Death Stranding 2 and this NBA season are about navigating uncertainty—embracing the chaos rather than fighting it. The Golden State Warriors at +2800 aren't the dynasty they once were, but Stephen Curry remains the greatest shooter I've ever seen, and counting them out completely would be foolish. The Cleveland Cavaliers at +5000? Probably too young, but they've got that hungry energy that reminds me of the 2015 Warriors before anyone took them seriously.
In the end, predicting who will be the NBA futures outright winner this season feels a bit like trying to interpret Death Stranding 2's layered themes—there are no easy answers, only fascinating possibilities. My heart says the Bucks will pull it off, but my head keeps returning to the Nuggets' methodical excellence. What I do know is that between now and June, I'll be watching every game I can, because this season has that special feeling—the kind where anything can happen, and probably will. Just like in Rematch, where a seemingly hopeless match can turn on one miraculous moment, the NBA playoffs will undoubtedly deliver their own unforgettable twists. And honestly? I can't wait to see how it all unfolds.