As the trade deadline and All-Star Game approaches, teams are in a sprint toward the playoffs. There’s no better time to look at contenders. Here’s my take.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Chris Paul (photo, NBA.com)
Phoenix Suns: They didn’t quite get it done last year, but can the Suns scoop their first-ever title this time? The roster is barely changed since 2021, save for quality backup additions in JaVale McGee and Landry Shamet. Devin Booker is currently tracking slightly below his 2018-19 high of 26.6 ppg. And Chris Paul, who was fifth in NBA MVP voting last season, is playing well enough to be a candidate for the award once more. Phoenix may not be the NBA’s most talented team, but I believe it’s one of most reliable.
Golden State Warriors: More than a few analysts thought Golden State would compete for a title once Klay Thompson got back from injury. Well, Thompson has barely gotten his game legs back and James Wiseman hasn’t suited up yet, but the Warriors are still a force with which to be reckoned–so much so that Coral’s basketball odds already have them pegged as a favorite in the West. Stephen Curry has been magnificent, Draymond Green has been as disruptive (in a good way) as ever, and Steve Kerr has worked magic with his role players. Lookout when Thompson gets to full speed!
Utah Jazz: The Utah Jazz are a well-oiled machine–elite on offense and anchored on defense by a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate, Rudy Gobert. However, some leveling up needs to happen if the Jazz hopes to succeed in the playoffs. Donovan Mitchell is far too good a player to be relegated to a catch-and-shoot (as happens too often), and the defensive effort in front of Gobert needs to be more consistent. In short, Utah has enough quality and efficiency to be a threat, but it remains to be seen if Utah can get everything to click at once. A deep playoff run hangs in the balance.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Brooklyn Nets: The Nets went into the season as a favorite for obvious reasons. On paper, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden are far and away the league’s best “Big Three.” Throw in some savvy vets, Patty Mills and LaMarcus Aldridge, to name two, and promising young guys, like Cam Thomas and Nic Claxton, and it’s hard to do anything other than really like this team. That said, the Nets haven’t yet hit on all cylinders. Irving’s unvaccinated status, Durant’s recent injury, and Harden’s apparent fitness issues are three reasons why. Nevertheless, seven of nine writers contributing to CBS Sports’ preseason picks pegged the Nets as favorites, and other analysts/publications have followed suit. The bottom line is Brooklyn is a juggernaut if at full strength. But “if” is a big word.
Caleb Martin (photo, ESPN)
Miami Heat: At this writing, Miami is perched atop the East, despite having had a season littered with player absences due to health protocols. One reason Miami has continued to achieve is the team’s penchant for finding diamonds in the rough. Previously overlooked players like Caleb Martin, Omer Yurtseven, and Kyle Guy have made enormous contributions at a time when stars Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Kyle Lowry have missed playing time. We almost have another Brooklyn Nets situation on our hands here, but for entirely different reasons. Miami has done well without being at full strength, and that makes the Heat a true contender once again.
Chicago Bulls: Earlier this year, we wrote that the Bulls had something to prove when they pieced together their new-look roster. But we didn’t think they’d parlay that remake into becoming a true contender–at least not this quickly. New additions Lonzo Ball, DeMar DeRozan, and Alex Caruso have transformed the team, not just on offense (where improvement was most predictable) but on both ends of the court. These Bulls look unusually polished for a newly assembled group, too, and credit for that goes to head coach Billy Donovan, as well as to DeRozan, whose All-NBA form has returned in the Windy City.
Final Comments
Of course, there are other contenders on the scene this year, including defending champ Milwaukee and its big-man, Giannis Antetokounmpo. Out West, it’s hard to count out LeBron James and the LA Lakers even though they are (at press time) a .500 club. And we’re taking long looks at two teams making strides and moving up the standings–the Cleveland Cavaliers in the East and the Memphis Grizzlies in the West.
Still, though, as the season hits the home stretch of the regular season, we like the six teams featured here. They are, we believe, the true contenders for the 2021-22 NBA crown.
