The Spurs will win 62 games with the rival Thunder not far behind at 60. That’s according to the projections of ESPN’s Insiders. Denver (51), Houston (51) and Minnesota (50) round out the top five in terms of win totals in the Western Conference. ESPN projects the Knicks and Pistons to tie atop the Eastern Conference standings with 53 wins apiece. They’re followed by Cleveland (51), Philadelphia (50) and Boston 48).

Here’s more from around the international basketball world:

• The Kings will wear a band with the word “Adelman” on their jerseys this season to honor longtime coach Rick Adelman, according to the team’s Twitter feed. The Hall of Fame coach passed away at the age of 79 on June 1. He spent eight successful seasons with the Kings, making the playoffs on each occasion. He led Sacramento to a berth in the Western Conference finals in ’01/02, when the team lost to the eventual champion Lakers in an epic seven-game series.
• The bidding for the London franchise in NBA Europe has reportedly reached $1 billion. That means the new league is being built as a business proposition first and a basketball product second, according to Eurohoops.net. A billion-dollar valuation for a franchise only makes sense if the buyer believes there will be media rights growth, real estate/arena leverage in the host city, and a talent pipeline that doesn’t cannibalize EuroLeague’s existing product, the story notes.
• Jabari Parker‘s contract with Serbia’s Partizan runs through next season but, after a recent front office change, he may not be on the roster much longer, Eurohoops.net relays. The two parties are working toward a resolution, Partizan president Ostoja Mijailovic told B92 Sport. “Jabari Parker is a Partizan player and has a valid contract with the club for another year. It is true that his arrival was the wish of the previous coaching staff, while the current coaching staff has its own plans and vision for the team next season,” he said, adding “at this moment, together with the player and his representatives, we are looking for the best possible solution, primarily taking care of Partizan’s interests, but also maintaining a fair relationship with the player.” The No. 2 pick of the 2014 draft last appeared in the NBA during the 2021/22 season.