Honorable Mentions
The Denver Nuggets are never out with Nikola Jokić. The former MVP averaged a triple-double, but Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun and Peyton Watson — contributing members of the team’s 2023 championship campaign — each played below 60 games this season. To boot, the Nuggets drew the dark-horse Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round.
But if Jokić and star guard Jamal Murray can lead the team while the supporting cast stays healthy and contributes, the Nuggets have a chance.
The New York Knicks were two wins from the NBA Finals last season. The Knicks — who retained last season’s starters and added solid rotation players like Jose Alvarado, Jordan Clarkson and Jeremy Sochan — finished the season as the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference and fifth in net rating across the league.
Despite this strong performance, a lack of consistent wing scoring on off nights for Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns makes the Knicks shaky on a game-to-game basis. Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart need to play strongly if the Knicks want to go further than last season.
“Defense wins championships” is the Detroit Pistons’ mantra, but Cade Cunningham is the only Piston to average more than 20 points per game this season.
The Pistons deservedly achieved the first seed in the Eastern Conference with 60 wins, but reliable scoring options beyond Cunningham are necessary for playoff success. .
- The Boston Celtics
Even as a Celtics fan, I would’ve called you crazy in October if you said the Celtics had a chance at winning the title.
Yet, Jaylen Brown played his best season of basketball, Anfernee Simons and Payton Pritchard commanded the backcourt and Coach of the Year candidate Joe Mazzulla uncovered gems in Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez and Neemias Queta.
To top it off, Jayson Tatum recovered from a torn Achilles tendon at a historic rate and has 16 games under his belt.
Experience matters in the playoffs, and seven players from the 2024 championship team are still on the roster.
Center Nikola Vucevic — a trade deadline acquisition — bolsters the team’s chances against big men like Jalen Duren, Mitchell Robinson and Jarrett Allen, but he came at the cost of removing Simons’ offensive engine.
The big question marks are Tatum’s level of play and how impactful players like Pritchard and Sam Hauser will be, but this Celtics team — as shown in a late March game against the Oklahoma City Thunder — has a puncher’s chance with anyone when at its strongest.
- The San Antonio Spurs
Victor Webenyama, a 7 ‘4 center — who averaged 25 points per game, shot 35% from 3-point range and led the league in blocks by 44 in his third year in the league — is a great foundation for a title contender.
The guard play from De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, the 3-point shooting from Julian Champagnie and Devin Vassell and the interior support of center Luke Kornet is what makes Wembanyama’s ascension to MVP-level play terrifying for the playoffs.
The Spurs are young and unproven, but the last two NBA Finals served as crowning moments for Tatum, Brown and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
As a two seed, the Spurs would not face the defending champions until the Western Conference Finals. Even then, the Spurs boast a 4-1 record against the Thunder this season.
Wemby’s physical nature makes him susceptible to injury, and the grueling schedule of the playoffs heightens that risk. But, if he can stay healthy and the playoff experience of veterans like Kornet and Fox rubs off on the younger guys, the Spurs may break through the Western Conference and win the title.
- The Oklahoma City Thunder
This has been OKC’s title to lose since October.
The Thunder were no strangers to injuries this season — former All-NBA forward Jalen Williams played 33 games, and starting center Isaiah Hartenstein played 47 – but SGA anchored the team to the best record in the NBA.
In doing so, they enjoy a first-round matchup against the Phoenix Suns, followed by the best of the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets.
Whoever survives the bloodbath in the lower half of the Western Conference bracket would still need to beat the Thunder, who ranked first in defensive rating and net rating this season, before reaching the Finals.
The Thunder’s only weakness is they have too many solid rotational guys.
In the playoffs, coaches typically go with eight solid guys to let lineups build chemistry and each player have their momentum during games. This season, head coach Mark Daigneault played as many as 13 guys in crucial games.
While the presence of guys like Aaron Wiggins, Jared McCain and Kenrich Williams provides flexibility, Daigenault will be forced to sit quality players during the playoffs if he wants to help the team win.