In a marathon 82-game season, it might seem premature to pick a potential NBA champion this early in the year. But given that it is Thanksgiving time, let’s give credit to five teams that look playoff-ready.
One thing we know for sure is that the defending champ, the Golden State Warriors, won’t be on my list. A number of the NBA best bets have come out of the Eastern Conference teams, which may tell us that domination by the West is at an end.
Of course, there is an awful long way to go, but here are five teams that I think will still be in the running when spring rolls around.
Jayson Tatum and new Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla (photo courtesy Boston.com)
Boston Celtics. Boston clinched the Atlantic Division last year and then beat 1-seed Miami in the Conference Finals. But the Celtics couldn’t pull off another upset in the Finals against the Dubs. This year could be different. If so, a lot of credit has to go to interim coach Joe Mazzulla, who was thrust into the hot seat just days before training camp started. Jayson Tatum has stepped up again, helping Boston to a 1.5-game lead in the East, helped by going 9-1 in the team’s last ten games.
Milwaukee Bucks. The pesky Bucks are right behind the Celtics in second place, and one reason (of course) is the team’s big man Giannis Antetokounmpo. The guy is a hoops star, and I don’t know anybody who thinks otherwise. The good news on Lake Michigan is that he’s getting more help this year in the person of Brook Lopez, who (if he keeps up his play) could walk off with the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Utah Jazz. Out West, a new name has risen to the level of consideration, even though it’s only in the middle of the pack twenty-plus games into the season. It’s the Utah Jazz. After losing Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert in the offseason, few expected much from this team, but Coach Will Hardy has turned a roster of journeyman and bit-part players into a solid crew. As long as Lauri Markkenen keeps on doing what he has been doing, the Jazz has a chance of making the playoffs. Keep Utah in your sights.
Donovan Mitchell of the Cavs (photo courtesy Cleveland.com)
Cleveland Cavaliers. Things have been pretty quiet on Lake Erie since LeBron left town … a second time. But this may be the year for the Cavs to resurrect their playoff hopes. At the very least, the current third-place team in the competitive East has fans hoping. The Cleveland front office gets kudos for really going after Donovan Mitchell. He has been even better than expected, assisted ably by Darius Garland.
Phoenix Suns. Woe is Phoenix, beaten by Giannis and the Bucks in 2021 and getting bested by the Mavs in 2022. Will Playoffs 2023 be the charm? Well, there’s a good chance it will. The Suns are a deep and well-rounded team, and that’s saying something because Phoenix is playing without starters, Chris Paul and Cameron Johnson. Just think about what’s possible when they return. What’s that? An NBA Championship, that’s what!
