These are the top 10 teams as the NBA playoffs begin. Each of these teams has a chance to win it all, and here are the reasons why:
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
Oklahoma City finished the season with the NBA’s best record. They are the clear favorite to reach the Western Conference Finals and have one of the best odds to win the NBA Finals.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers finished the season with the NBA’s second-best record and have the best odds to reach the Eastern Conference finals. Cleveland and Boston are the favorites to reach the Eastern Conference Finals, with the winner likely to face Oklahoma City in the NBA Finals.
3. Boston Celtics
The veteran Celtics team enters the playoffs with a second-straight championship in their sights. Their core of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis are poised to carry the team to the Eastern Conference Finals.
4. Houston Rockets
Houston enters the playoffs as the Western Conference’s #2 seed. They await the play-in tournament results and will face the #7 seed. One of the better defensive teams in the NBA, Houston will rely on stout defense to carry them throughout the playoffs.
5. Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles will face Minnesota in the first round and have their work cut out for them. The Lakers/Timberwolves first-round matchup is intriguing as Los Angeles will face a tough test as they may not have an answer for Minnesota big men Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid.
6. New York Knicks
New York begins their championship quest against Detroit. The Knicks played steady offense throughout the regular season. Combining their offense and tough defense could prove too much for Detroit.
7. Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers’ first-round series against Denver will be a must-watch. The Clippers can go as far as Kawhi Leonard can take them.
8. Denver Nuggets
Mike Malone was relieved of his head coaching duties before the end of the regular season. It was a shocking move by the front office and the Nuggets will either enter the playoffs highly motivated or see a disruption in chemistry that sees them fall early in the playoffs.
9. Indiana Pacers
The Pacers finished the season as the Eastern Conference’s #4 seed and face Milwaukee in the first round. Veteran Pascal Siakam will lead Indiana’s young roster, but Milwaukee’s experience may prove to be too tough a test for the Pacers.
10. Golden State Warriors
Golden State enters as a play-in team. They are the favorite to move on and will be a tough matchup for either Oklahoma City or Houston. Should they finish as the top team in the play-in tournament, they have fantastic odds of winning the first-round series.