Top 5 Contenders?

[Eric Millegan]

Can't BELIEVE how many of you failed to mention the Heat in your top 5 when they have the SECOND BEST RECORD IN THE ENTIRE LEAGUE AND ARE PLAYOFF TESTED. The Top 3 contenders are indisputably Milwaukee, Phoenix, and Miami. Then there is everybody else. Hilarious people mention Brooklyn when it's looking like the Nets won't even make the playoffs. Do the Rockets get their pick this year?

[ElectricMayhem]

1. Bucks
2. Suns
3. 76ers
4. Warriors
5. Grizzlies

[Eric Millegan]

1. Phoenix Suns
2. Milwaukee Bucks
3. Philadelphia 76ers
4. Brooklyn Nets
5. Golden State Warriors

How are Nets number 4 when they are 1 loss away from being 11th in the conference? Nets are a contender to win the play-in, maybe, but that's it. I'd say Miami is the favorite to win it all and you didn't even mention them.

[Eric Millegan]

Sweet, what's your argument against them?

Well for starters, they're #5 in the East while 5 teams in the West have better records. Pretty tough to make a case that is a #5 team. To me you should be looking for the top 3 records in each conference and then cut the weakest team. In this case I would very reluctantly cut the Grizzlies because the Bucks are the defending champs.

Miami
Philly
Bucks

Phoenix
GSW

We can play what-ifs with the Nets but they are what their record is for now, at least to me.

The playoffs aren't happening last fall though. They're happening this spring. Since the start of 2022 the Celtics have had the best net rating, defensive rating, and point differential in the league, are winning games at a high clip and have climbed 5 spots in the standings.

I don't really get dismissing a team's chances in the playoffs because they weren't good 4 months ago. It's not 4 months ago anymore.

Historically, teams that played good all year do better in playoffs than a team that merely got hot at the end of the season. My Blazers, for instance, always went on a hot streak to close out the regular season. Won 13 in a row at one point down the stretch in 2018 and then got swept in first round. It's fun to say... SINCE 2022, my team is awesome. But what happened before is a part of the story. Tell me a team in the last 25 years that sucked for half the year, then got hot, and won the title. Never happens.

[Eric Millegan]

1. Bucks
2. Suns
3. 76ers
4. Warriors
5. Grizzlies

Ummmm Heat? They went to the NBA Finals in 2020 and might've won Bam and Dragic didn't get hurt. Now they have NBA Champion Kyle Lowry and an improved Tyler Herro and who is that I see putting up some shots? Is that All Star Victor Oladipo? Miami is loaded and has a coach who's won it all. I would consider them the odds on favorite to win this in June. Bucks are def Champs. Suns have best record in league but has no chance without Chris Paul. Sixers may be great but it's too early to tell. I hope they pound the Nets on Thursday though.

[TheHartBreakKid]

1. Bucks
2. Suns
3. 76ers
4. Warriors
5. Grizzlies

Ummmm Heat? They went to the NBA Finals in 2020 and might've won Bam and Dragic didn't get hurt. Now they have NBA Champion Kyle Lowry and an improved Tyler Herro and who is that I see putting up some shots? Is that All Star Victor Oladipo? Miami is loaded and has a coach who's won it all. I would consider them the odds on favorite to win this in June. Bucks are def Champs. Suns have best record in league but has no chance without Chris Paul. Sixers may be great but it's too early to tell. I hope they pound the Nets on Thursday though.

I keep looking at the Blazer logo in your profile and expecting it to turn into a Heat one.

I do agree that the Heat should be in everyone's top 5.

[Ritzo]

- Suns/Heat/Bucks/Philly/Celtics

Darkhorse: Mavs

[eyeatoma]

Miami
Phoenix
Milwaukee
Boston
Golden State

Lol

Sent from my SM-S908E using Tapatalk

[miamiballer]

Suns
Sixers
Bucks
Nets
and dark horse (drumroll) Nuggets for me. I just can't discount the Joker man, I can't, not the way he's playing.

Shout out to the Heat, great team and they could easily prove me wrong, I just think they're gonna miss that designated 30PPG dude in the playoffs.

I know that it may not seem like it but that guy for the heat is Tyler herro

[Pistol_Pete10]

MIL
PHO
PHI
UTA
BKN

[pj0tr]

This entire section is an argument FOR Boston. Everyone thinks the Warriors are a contender despite their recent stretch. Philly was a fringe contender before Harden and now are firmly a contender.

Context matters. If Boston was healthy all year there is a reasonable chance they are a top 2 seed. Also historical data doesn't mean that much imo. Not when we are in the resting players era. Literally any team in the top 5 in the east could win the title. Phoenix and the Dubs could win a title. You can have teams over Boston and that's fine but it's a dumb take to dismiss the opinion of several people in this thread that Boston is absolutely a contender.

Also Boston's net rating > Phoenix. They have been the best team in 2022.

Because net rating is everything? Phoenix was 24-2 in 2022 before CP3 got hurt and then Booker entered protocols, and now Cam Johnson is hurt too.

Boston got to play Phoenix twice this season with Phoenix not healthy in both games.

[fishfuego.]

1. Bucks
2. Suns
3. 76ers
4. Warriors
5. Grizzlies

Ummmm Heat? They went to the NBA Finals in 2020 and might've won Bam and Dragic didn't get hurt. Now they have NBA Champion Kyle Lowry and an improved Tyler Herro and who is that I see putting up some shots? Is that All Star Victor Oladipo? Miami is loaded and has a coach who's won it all. I would consider them the odds on favorite to win this in June. Bucks are def Champs. Suns have best record in league but has no chance without Chris Paul. Sixers may be great but it's too early to tell. I hope they pound the Nets on Thursday though.

Two words: Heat haters.
It is wishful thinking at its best considering the Heat has beaten all of those teams and have the talent to compete against any team really.

Miami has plenty of star power if you really took the time to look and analyze the current players.

[Johnny Bball]

Heat
Suns
76ers
Warriors
Bucks

[TheBobster]

Phoenix
Milwaukee
Philadelphia
Miami
Golden State

This all depends on health of course.

[ElectricMayhem]

Two words: Heat haters.
It is wishful thinking at its best considering the Heat has beaten all of those teams and have the talent to compete against any team really.

Miami has plenty of star power if you really took the time to look and analyze the current players.

I have been found out. Whenever I hear the words "Miami Heat," I froth at the mouth. I seethe inwardly and break stuff outwardly. My identity is built around my virulent hatred of a randomly decided other basketball team in the league. Each game they lose brings me more joy than the birth of my child. Each win, I mourn more than at the funeral of a beloved friend.

[fishfuego.]

Two words: Heat haters.
It is wishful thinking at its best considering the Heat has beaten all of those teams and have the talent to compete against any team really.

Miami has plenty of star power if you really took the time to look and analyze the current players.

I have been found out. Whenever I hear the words "Miami Heat," I froth at the mouth. I seethe inwardly and break stuff outwardly. My identity is built around my virulent hatred of a randomly decided other basketball team in the league. Each game they lose brings me more joy than the birth of my child. Each win, I mourn more than at the funeral of a beloved friend.

Busted!

[RoyceDa59]

Phoenix Suns
Miami Heat
Milwaukee Bucks
Philadelphia 76ers
Boston Celtics

[ajones9219]

This entire section is an argument FOR Boston. Everyone thinks the Warriors are a contender despite their recent stretch. Philly was a fringe contender before Harden and now are firmly a contender.

Context matters. If Boston was healthy all year there is a reasonable chance they are a top 2 seed. Also historical data doesn't mean that much imo. Not when we are in the resting players era. Literally any team in the top 5 in the east could win the title. Phoenix and the Dubs could win a title. You can have teams over Boston and that's fine but it's a dumb take to dismiss the opinion of several people in this thread that Boston is absolutely a contender.

Also Boston's net rating > Phoenix. They have been the best team in 2022.

Because net rating is everything? Phoenix was 24-2 in 2022 before CP3 got hurt and then Booker entered protocols, and now Cam Johnson is hurt too.

Boston got to play Phoenix twice this season with Phoenix not healthy in both games.

It's not everything but it's the #1 indicator of playoff success. Followed by defensive rating

[liquidswords]

No particular order:
- Sixers
- Suns
- Warriors
- Bucks
- Heat

[Oscar9992]

Funny thing I am Mavs fan but since a long time I don't have teams that I am afraid of meeting against in Playoffs.

That team used to be a healthy Clippers with Kawhi, PG & stacked roster with the deep bench & role players. Clippers are no longer the same, Kawhi won't comeback. And now only team I am afraid of are Suns. Rest of the teams are OK.