These are the 10 teams that can win the NBA championship as all-star weekend wraps up:
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
The key to Oklahoma City winning the 2024-2025 NBA Finals will come down to health and continued consistency.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland has a favorable schedule the rest of the way, and they can win the NBA Finals by continued domination and winning close games as the playoffs start.
3. Boston Celtics
There have been several games where they did not show up in crunch time, and this must be fixed as they try and defend their NBA title. If they clean up the fourth quarters of close games, Boston can win a second-straight NBA Championship.
4. Denver Nuggets
Denver can win the NBA Finals with improved defense and experience in the NBA playoffs.
5. New York Knicks
Boston, Cleveland, and Oklahoma City have dominated the Knicks with a 5-0 record. The Knicks’ path to an NBA Championship is simple: beat the top teams in the NBA.
6. Memphis Grizzlies
They do not give up many second-chance points defensively and have a knack for second-chance points on the offensive side of the glass. Memphis’ path to the NBA Finals, and championship, will come down to their ability to defeat Western Conference foes that are arguably the best in the NBA.
7. Los Angeles Lakers
The trade for Charlotte center Mark Williams was rescinded and need to solidify the center position. If the Lakers are to win the NBA Finals, they must figure out a way to bring in a dominant center.
8. Houston Rockets
Houston’s path to a championship comes down to regaining their stout defense and continuing to win close games in the playoffs.
9. Minnesota Timberwolves
The key to Minnesota reaching and winning the NBA Finals comes down to overall health and warding off any games that are blowout losses.
10. Indiana Pacers
Indiana cooled off as Myles Turner deals with a neck strain. He is the driving force of this young Pacers team and must be healthy as the playoffs begin. It’s a tough road, and while Indiana would need the stars to align perfectly, they can win the NBA Finals with a healthy Myles Turner and a continued high pace of play.
