Are These NBA Teams Contenders or Pretenders?

There are a lot of really good teams in the NBA. There are about ten though that stand above all the other teams. It is the top five teams in each conference (on Feb 10), and most people would say these teams are the ones that have a real chance of winning the championship. But some of these teams are not contenders. Who? Let’s get into it.

The Boston Celtics. Contenders. This might be the easiest pick of all of them. The Celtics have the best record in the NBA by four games. And rightfully so. They have been incredible this season. Kristaps Porzingis has been a great addition this season. So have all of their other off-season additions. The Celtics have lived up to the hype this season. Derrick White has also been underrated. This whole team is incredible.

The Milwaukee Bucks. Contenders. This team could probably go either way. But with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, I don’t predict them going down easy. The rest of their roster is also very good. They have Brook Lopez at the starting center and Bobby Portis on the bench. The Bucks are one of the scariest teams in the league and I predict them to stay that way through the playoffs.

The Cleveland Cavaliers. Pretenders. They don’t have the star power. Last year, they lost in the first round of the playoffs in five games. Everyone thought they would win that series. They also don’t have the playoff experience. The Cleveland Cavaliers don’t have many players that have ever really played in the playoffs. They aren’t good enough to do it on the big stage.

The New York Knicks. Contenders. Their deal for OG Anunoby changed everything. In January 2024, the Knicks were 14-2. That is incredible. Coach Tom Thibodeau has been incredible this season. The main cause for the team's success has been Jalen Brunson, though. Brunson has been incredible this season, averaging 27 points per game on great shooting splits.

The Philadelphia 76ers. Contenders. They might be in the play-in race when this is published, but as of February 10th, they are the 5 seed. I just think if they make it to the playoffs, a healthy Embiid will finally show up. Philadelphia has the playoff experience even though they choke, and they are so talented, so I think they could be lethal.

The Minnesota Timberwolves. Pretenders. The Wolves are similar to the Cavaliers. They just don’t have playoff experience. They have a proven playoff performer in Anthony Edwards, but nearly everyone else on their team is known to play badly in the playoffs. Overall, they don’t have the playoff talent or experience.

The Oklahoma City Thunder. Pretenders. They are so young. They have no experience. Also, they might be the least talented team on this list. They have a very good coach which makes their team incredible. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the reason they are on this list. He is carrying them, averaging 30 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds, and good defense. They just don’t have any experience.

The Los Angeles Clippers. Contenders. This is easy. They are a matchup nightmare for nearly every team in the NBA besides the Celtics. They got James Harden and nothing was working, but ever since the first ten-ish games together, they have looked incredibly good. They have had one of the best records in the NBA since December and have looked like that record too.

The Denver Nuggets. Contenders. They’re the reigning champions. Nikola Jokic looks just as good as he had in previous years. Jamal Murray will go crazy in the playoffs. They look just as good as last year. It is weird because they don’t have wildly good roster talent or the best coach in the league. It is just that they have very good talent in both.

The Phoenix Suns. Pretenders. I don’t believe that they can stay healthy. Also, no one on their team has proved that they could be a contender on their own, so if their team gets injured, they are done. Also, their big three (Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal) don’t have enough defense. Their team has gotten injured a lot this season, and don’t think that won’t happen in the playoffs.