The break for the NBA All-Star Game is already in the rearview mirror, and the second half should begin, although it would be a misnomer to call it half. With less than 25 games left in the 82-game schedule, the championship race has officially begun.
In most years since the All-Star break, a few teams have separated from the rest to look like serious title contenders, but this season the race is extraordinarily wide, and if we learned anything from last season… when the Phoenix Suns were in the regular championship broke away from the pack only to burn out in the second round of the playoffs – leadership in the standings in February does not guarantee anything.
So, even though the Boston Celtics enter the race with the best record in the league (half a game ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks), there are at least 10 teams that can harbor some championship hopes, with a handful of teams looming on periphery. race.
With that in mind, let’s break down the NBA contenders into tiers and see what makes each team a title threat.
Note. Teams are listed at each level in order of current regular season record.
Top shelf
Boston Celtics
Last NBA title: 2008
Last final appearance: 2022
Source: www.espn.com
