Tier 1: Favorites- Lakers and Nets
This year two teams stand out as clear favorites to make and win the title. The Lakers boast the league’s best defense. The Nets have an all time offense. Since the trade for Harden the Nets have looked like the best team in the league and that’s with Durant missing for a lot of that time. And that leads me to the only question mark about these two teams, health. No one knows what’s going on with the injuries to Anthony Davis and Kevin Durant and until that is sorted out these two teams do look vulnerable.
Tier 2: Contenders- 76ers, Bucks, Clippers, Nuggets
All four of these teams can win the title, but have one question that keeps them out of tier 1. For the 76ers I’m still not sure that when it comes down to the end of the game in the playoffs that they’ll be able to score. Especially if teams force the ball out of Joel Embiid’s hands. I don’t trust Tobias Harris, do you?
For the Bucks it’s a simple question; can you do it in the playoffs? Once again they’ve looked great in the regular season, but will things be any different in the playoffs this year?
Do the Clippers have any guts? There are good questions to ask about this team’s inability to get to the rim, but ultimately what we all wanna know is whether the bubble was a fluke or if this team is just soft. On paper they look like a tier 1 team, but they gotta show something.
The Nuggets are the only team that made a tier jumping move at the deadline. Aaron Gordon may not make you swoon, but he’s exactly what this team needs. Also they MVP favorite Nikola Jokic, one of the league’s best crunch time players. I really like this team, but two things hold me back, Jamal Murray’s inconsistency and the defense. Fix one or both of those and why not Denver?
Tier 3: NGWT- Jazz, Suns, Heat, Mavericks, Blazers
These are the teams that are Not Gonna Win the Title. These are all good teams, but be honest, you’d be surprised to see any of these teams in the Conference Finals, let alone winning the title. Don’t look at me like that Utah. Now I’m not saying these are bad teams. They can all win a series over any of the tier 2’s and could even push a tier 1. But in the end even with the injury concerns at the top I can’t realistically see any of these squads winning it all and you can’t either.
Tier 4: ATPGTP- Celtics, Spurs, Hawks, Knicks, Warriors, Pacers, Hornets, Bulls, Grizzlies, Raptors
Are The Play-in Games The Playoffs? That’s the question on the minds of these teams. This tier has a combination of big disappointments (Celtics, Pacers, Raptors), desperate teams begging to be sacrificed at the altar of the actual good teams (Hawks, Bulls, Warriors), and teams just happy to be here (Spurs, Hornets, Grizzlies, Knicks). Some of these teams will finish top 6, at least one will miss the playoffs all together, but most will be asking, Are The Play-in Games The Playoffs.
Tier 5: YDGAMU- Pelicans, Wizards, Kings
You Done Gone And Messed Up. That’s the story of these three. Before the season all three saw themselves as legitimate playoff contenders and now they’re jokes. Well the Wizards and Kings have been jokes for a while, but I digress. At least Zion’s awesome.
Tier 6: TANK– Thunder, Cavs, Magic, Rockets, Pistons, Timberwolves
