The NBA’s Top 5 Title Contenders

Editor: Brian Symons

Author: Danny Gardner

1. Brooklyn Nets

Make no mistake, if every team in the NBA stays healthy the Brooklyn Nets will be the last team standing. No one in the league can match the firepower brought when KD, Kyrie, and James Harden are all on the court together. The, however, challenge for the Nets will be doing just that. Harden was hampered by hamstring injuries for a decent portion of last year, and with so many miles under his belt already it is fair to question whether his body will hold up for a full season. Kevin Durant comes into this season following a remarkable postseason and an Olympic gold medal, but he is also coming off a regular season where he hardly played after coming back from a ruptured achilles. Kyrie Irving is perhaps the hardest of the three stars to predict in every sense. He took 2 prolonged breaks from the team last year for personal reasons, reportedly claimed he would retire if the Nets traded him and is not even eligible to play in Nets home games this year due to his vaccination status. The Nets don’t necessarily need Irving to be a contender this year but having one of the league’s best and efficient high-volume scorers adds an element to their team that no one can match.

2. Milwaukee Bucks

The Nets might have the best team in the NBA, but the Bucks are the reigning NBA champs and deserve the respect that comes with that title. Giannis Antetokounmpo found himself last postseason, which should terrify the rest of the league given that he’s 26 years old and already won two MVP awards. They are also returning most of their core that won last year. They have chemistry, they are battle tested, and they have the belief that they can win close games now which they clearly lacked before. I would not pick them to beat the Nets, but they would make it a fun series.

3. Los Angeles Lakers

Any team with Lebron James and Antony Davis on it will be competing for a championship if Lebron is still in the league. They totally overhauled the rest of their roster, however, losing key contributors at every position in exchange for a third “star”. Don’t get me wrong, I love Russ as an individual talent, but that is all he is. His ball-dominant, low efficiency, high energy game produces mind-numbing stats and some regular season success, but will always crash and burn in the playoffs. Now he is co-starring with Lebron, who might be the worst possible fit for Russ’s game. Both need the ball and neither of them are floor spacers, particularly not Westbrook who is one of the worst three-point shooters in the NBA. He will help them in the regular season where he can give James and Davis rest while carrying the Lakers to wins, but if Russ continues to play his way there will be a ceiling to his teams’ success. All I picture is Russ chucking up a stupid shot or committing a dumb foul at the end of a tight playoff game, and Lebron looking at him like its 2018.

I hesitate to count out any Lebron-led team, but Russ makes me wary.

4. Phoenix Suns

Any team below the top three is not really a true “contender” in my eyes but it does say five teams in the title of this article. The Suns’ hopes for redemption rest on the projected growth of Devin Booker, DeAndre Ayton, and Mikal Bridges and the belief that the seemingly ageless Chris Paul can stave off Father Time for another year. Is that likely? Probably not, but the Suns are smart, versatile , and skilled and now have a quality backup for Ayton in JaVale McGee (seriously how did they not do this last year?). If Chris Paul can continue to play like has and their young players grow, I’d give the Suns a puncher's chance at a ring. But that’s a big if.

5. Denver Nuggets

Look I’m not any happier about this than you are but who else am I supposed to put here? The Heat’s two best players are on the wrong side of 30 with a lot of intense playoff mileage on them and Bam hasn’t quite mastered scoring yet. If you think I’m putting the words “Rudy Gobert” and “NBA Championship” in the same sentence you are either dumb or French, or both (no offense to the French). The Celtics haven’t figured out who they are outside of Tatum and Brown. And while Luka Doncic is ready, no one else on the Mavericks is. Who else is left, the Knicks? In my dreams. I’ll go with the reigning MVP and his duo of injury riddled, max contract having sidekicks.

SPORTS ARE OUR UNIVERSE