With the first round entirely wrapped up, and the second round set to begin, the top championship contenders are starting to emerge. There have been surprises and disappointments, such as the Trail Blazers putting up little resistance against the Grizzlies, and the Bucks losing by 54 in Game 6 at home to be eliminated by the Bulls. This article, however, will focus on the remaining teams. Who’s stock is rising? Which teams are poised to win it all? Let’s take a look at the remaining teams in the NBA Playoffs and rank them based on their chances of winning it all.
1. Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are the frontrunners to win it all this season. Based on their regular season and first round performances, it is next to impossible to see any team taking them out four out of seven times. The Warriors took down a surprisingly scrappy Pelicans team in spectacular fashion, and move on to face the Grizzlies. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson lead the way for this potent squad that showed it is never out of a game. Memphis poses a challenge in the next round, but the Warriors are firing on all cylinders right now. The real surprise of the playoffs would be if anyone takes them out before the NBA Finals. Frankly, that just doesn’t seem likely.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers
On the other end of the spectrum, the Cavaliers have emerged as the odds-on favorite to win the east. While the Kevin Love injury hurts their chances, they still have the firepower with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving to make it to – and win – the championship. A tough matchup with Chicago awaits them in the second round, but after that they would be a clear favorite in the eastern conference finals. At that point, we’ve seen it before: LeBron can take over four games and lead his team to a title. While the Warriors are still the biggest obstacle in their way, the Cavaliers have the potential to win it all too.
3. Chicago Bulls
The Cavaliers’ second round opponent, the Chicago Bulls, might have something to say about Cleveland being named the favorites of the east. Chicago obliterated Milwaukee in game six to advance, and their offense is as potent as ever. With Derrick Rose back, Jimmy Butler playing like the NBA M.O.P., and Nikola Mirotic and Pau Gasol providing a one-two punch inside, the Bulls suddenly are stacked offensively. Their defense is still suspect, but Butler is one of the best one-on-one defenders in the game, and will likely be tasked with stopping James for much of the series. Now that this team is almost 100% healthy, they are starting to look like the team that many picked to win the east at the start of the season. It pays to get hot at the right time, and Chicago might just be doing that.
4. Atlanta Hawks
How could the top seed in the east be the third most likely team in the east to win it all? Their particular weaknesses have been exploited and they are struggling in the first round. The Hawks don’t rebound well, and they rely heavily on their three point shooting and depth. Without a go-to scorer, Atlanta sometimes struggles down the stretch, and if anyone is playing poorly their system can falter. The Hawks still can get hot quickly, and spread the ball so well they get open shots on most possessions. If they can continue to force turnovers and make shots, they could easily live up to their regular season record and make a championship run. For now, though, they remain the only eastern conference team not to make it out of the first round yet.
5. Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are one of the best teams remaining in the playoffs. However they, like all other remaining western conference teams, remain at the mercy of the Golden State Warriors. Their championship chances are hampered by the behemoth of a team standing in their way. Complicating things further is the injury to Mike Conley, their top playmaker and a key cog in their offensive and defensive systems. Against Golden State in the second round, losing depth and quality at the point guard position just isn’t going to fly. Based on pure talent, this team has an excellent shot at winning the title. However, their chances aren’t great due to their opponent next round.
6. Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers are one of the most enigmatic teams left in the playoffs. They have virtually no bench, yet they are still neck and neck with the defending champions. Their athleticism is unparalleled, but the Spurs hung with them at every turn. Los Angeles relied heavily on Chris Paul and Blake Griffin having the series of their lives. Now that the Clippers escaped the series in seven, they have a decent matchup against a banged up Rockets team in the second round. At some point, you would think the starters would run out of gas. While that hasn’t happened yet, it’s difficult to imagine the Clippers being able to make a sustained run through the playoffs.
7. Houston Rockets
The last team out of the west is the Houston Rockets, who just finished off a wounded Mavericks team to advance to the second round. Led by MVP candidate James Harden, Houston has survived many injuries to get to this point. However, they rely on Harden too much to be considered a serious title contender. If it gets to the point where Houston faces Golden State in the Western Conference finals, the Warriors have shown they can lock down Harden and the rest of the Rockets. While Houston won’t go down without a fight, their lack of offensive balance is a fatal flaw.
8. Washington Wizards
Perhaps the surprise of the eastern conference has been the Washington Wizards, who swept the Toronto Raptors and now await the winner of the Hawks vs. Nets series. Led by John Wall and the resurgent Paul Pierce, the Wiz kids pose a legitimate threat to any team in the east. However, their offense can become stagnant, and to be honest it appeared that Toronto had already checked out of the series after game two. Against a team with the caliber of the Hawks, Cavaliers, or Bulls, the Wizards would be headed towards an early exit.