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The NBA Season is nearly over, which means that the playoffs are just around the corner. Although 16 teams will be in the playoffs, there are only a handful of teams that have a legitimate chance of winning the Larry O’Brien trophy, so we are going to take a closer look at them.
Eastern Conference Contenders
The Chicago Bulls
The Bulls are currently 4th in the East, and if the standings remain the way they are at the end of the season, they will play the Washington Wizards in the first round of the playoffs. They won the season series against the Wizards 2-1, and if they can get past Washington, they will face the Atlanta Hawks, who have the best record in the East.
The Bulls have been a playoff team since Tom Thibodeau took over as their head coach, and have been contenders for some time now, but they have been unable to get to the Finals because of the injuries that Derrick Rose has suffered over the years. This season the team has Pau Gasol, who had a big impact on their success this season, and they will also have Rose available for the playoffs, which will make a big difference, and give them a great chance to make the finals.
Team Odds
The Odds of the Bulls winning the Championship is 16-1.
My Assessment
The Bulls have a very good team, and can make the NBA Finals if they catch a few breaks. I think they will make it to the Eastern Conference Finals, but they will lose if they have to play the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks have the best record in the East, and have been a formidable team for most of the season, but they have slowed down lately, and aren’t as dominant as they were earlier in the regular season. The team has been without leading scorer Paul Millsap for the last couple of games because of an injury, and he is expected to miss a few more games, but should be back in time for the playoffs. The Hawks are a very dangerous team, because they play a very unselfish style of basketball, and will cause a lot of matchup problems for some of the other playoff teams that they play.
Team Odds
The Odds of the Hawks winning the championship is 14-1.
My Assessment
The Hawks might not be a very flashy team, but their style of play makes them the team with the best chance of defeating the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference.
The Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers had a slow start to their season, which made people wonder if they had what it took to be contenders in the East, after signing LeBron James and trading for Kevin Love in the offseason. The team responded to their slow start with an impressive run, and despite the fact that they will finish second in the Eastern Conference standings, they are considered the best team in the conference. The Cavs should have an easy path to the Conference finals, because they are likely to play the Boston Celtics or Brooklyn Nets in the first round, and the Toronto Raptors in the second round.
Team Odds
The Cavaliers are considered the top contender in the East, and their odds of winning the NBA championship is 21-10.
My Assessment
The Cavaliers are definitely the team to beat in the East, because LeBron James is still the best player in the NBA, Kyrie Irvin has emerged as one of the best players in the league, and despite the criticism of Kevin Love this season, he is still averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds per game. The addition of J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert provides them with much needed depth. They will be a very tough team to beat when the playoffs start.
Western Conference Contenders
The Houston Rockets
The Rockets were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs last season, but they are expected to go on a run this year. James Harden has been playing at a very high level this year, and is in consideration for the MVP award, because he kept the team near the top of the tough Western Conference, without Dwight Howard for most of the year. Now that Howard is back in the lineup, they will be an even better team than they were for most of the season.
Team Odds
The odds of the Rockets winning the NBA championship is 22-1.
My Assessment
The Rockets are definitely a team to look out for in the playoffs, but if the standings stay the way they are right now, they will have difficulty making it to the finals, because they will have to face the defending champion Spurs in the first round, and if they get past San Antonio, they will have to face the Memphis Grizzlies.
Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis has the second best record in the West right now, and they are hoping that this will be their year to make it to the finals, after plenty of close calls in the past few seasons. Marc Gasol established himself as one of the best centers on the NBA this season, and Zach Randolph continued his strong play, giving the Grizzlies one of the best fronts in the NBA.
Team Odds
The odds of Memphis winning the NBA championship is 20-1.
My Assessment
The Grizzlies have a great chance of making it to the Western Conference Finals, because they play the Mavericks in the first round, and will likely play Houston in the second round. They have winning records against both teams, and will also get to avoid San Antonio and Golden State until the Western Conference Finals.
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors have the best record in the NBA this season, and are considered to have the best chance of winning the championship. Steph Curry played very well this season, and is in consideration for the MVP award, and the supporting cast also played very well for the team. The Warriors have the best offense in the league, but their defense is average, and they will have to play better in order to win.
Team Odds
The Warriors have the best odds of winning the championship at 2-1.
My Assessment
The Warriors shouldn’t have any problems in the first round, but they will have their hands full in the second round, if the Spurs are able to defeat the Houston Rockets in the first round. If Houston wins the series, then the Warriors will have an easier time getting to the NBA Finals.
San Antonio Spurs
The defending champions had a slow start to the season, but they have turned things around, and they are the hottest team in the league, with nine straight wins. The Spurs basically have the same roster as they did last year, and they have made it to the NBA Finals for two straight years, so they are team to be feared.
Team Odds
The odds of the Spurs winning the NBA championship is 3-1.
My Assessment
The way the Spurs are playing right now, they are a team that a lot of other teams are hoping they don’t have to face in the first round. Getting to the NBA Finals will be difficult without home court advantage, but they are only half a game behind Memphis in their division, and can still clinch the second seed in the West, making it easier to get back to the finals.
