(Image via nba.com)
Staff Writer: Aidan Danforth
Email: adanforth@umassd.edu
It’s that time of year again! After an insane regular season featuring some of the best and worst teams in basketball, the NBA playoffs have begun. Soon, we will see the league’s best face off for a chance at winning the NBA title.
The playoffs will begin on April 15th, beginning with the play-in tournament that will determine the matchups for the two best teams in each conference.
Before the playoffs begin, here’s a look at the five best teams most likely to compete for the championship and become the kings of the NBA.
Honorable Mentions
5. Los Angeles Lakers
Whenever title contenders are discussed, you can never count out the team with the greatest of all time on their roster. With Lebron James, the Lakers are always destined to compete in the postseason, no matter their seeding.
Lebron is not alone. Recently acquired star Luka Doncic has also gained playoff experience coming off a finals appearance. Unfortunately, this team has lacked defense since trading Anthony Davis and could very well be first round exits in this stacked western conference.
With both Lebron aiming to make it to the big game one last time as well as Luka looking to add a championship title to his large lists of achievements, the Lakers are certainly going to be a major threat for the championship.
4. Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are another team with a legendary superstar that always has them in title contention. Nikola Jokic is having the best season of his career, averaging a triple-double per game. Jokic might even end up winning his fourth MVP.
Denver also has Jamal Murray, rising star Christian Braun, as well as Russell Westbrook who is hoping to finally get over the hump and win his first ring. They also have a low floor due to the Western conference and their lack of depth may be a disadvantage.
Like the Lakers, the talent of their superstars like Jokic and Murray are nothing to sleep on. When the Nuggets are hot, they show that they have what it takes to ascend to the top of the basketball food chain.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers
One of the surprises of this past season was Cleveland’s performance. No one expected Cleveland to win 60+ games while also holding the first seed in the east. The Cavaliers are one of the most complete teams in the NBA as they are capable of beating any opponent in multiple ways.
If they can overcome their issues with possession and rebounding, this team can potentially surpass the Celtics as the new top dog of the east. Securing the number one seed and home-court advantage gives them a slight edge over their competitors.
Between the dynamic shooting of Donovan Mitchell’s, Evan Mobley’s and Darius Garland’s defense, along with their stacked bench, they are anticipated to bring Cleveland back to the glory days of Lebron and Kyrie by winning a championship.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder
In a loaded western conference full of title contenders, the Oklahoma City Thunder have the best chance at winning the west due to their complete roster. They are a stellar team that is top five in both offense and defense, while also having the youngest roster in the NBA.
They have Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, and Isaish Hartenstein. This is without even mentioning a super star point guard named Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who is arguably the hottest player in basketball with a huge case to win MVP.
To make things better, this is only the beginning for the Thunder. Even if they don’t win this year, the amount of talent and depth on the court will make them a threat for years to come.
1. Boston Celtics
It is nearly impossible to put any other team but the defending champions at number one. The Boston Celtics picked right where they left off by completing yet another impressive season, this time breaking the record for most threes in a single season.
All of the talent is the same. Jayson Tatum is on the verge of making First Team All-NBA. Jaylen Brown acts as a great second option. Jrue Holiday and Derrick White make up the elite defense. The only thing holding them back is injuries, which Boston has done an excellent job at overcoming.
It won’t be easy for them to repeat as champions with the rise of Cleveland and the western conference. But this team’s experience and chemistry in the postseason gives them a huge advantage over the others in their quest to repeat as champions.