Top 5 Championship Contenders
The 2022-23 NBA season is almost here, with pre-season just starting up. There is so much talent around the league, and both conferences feel deeper than ever. So here are the top five teams I think have the best chances to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy next June.
Golden State Warriors
Photo courtesy of Anadolu Agency
This should be no surprise, as the reigning NBA champions look ready to repeat as they did in 2017 and 2018. Golden State returns the majority of their core that helped them beat the Celtics in the 2022 Finals but lost role players Gary Payton II and Otto Porter Jr.. In addition, the Warriors revamped their roster by adding former Kings guard Donte DiVincenzo and Nuggets forward JaMychal Green. Factor in the return of 2020 second-overall pick James Wiseman, who missed all of last season, and increased minutes for 2021 lottery picks Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody, and this team could be even deeper than last year’s squad.
Unfortunately, reports came out last week that Draymond Green had a physical altercation with Jordan Poole at practice. This affects the team’s outlook, but this should be resolved quickly because the Warriors are too talented not to compete for another championship.
2. Milwaukee Bucks
Photo Courtesy of Forbes
I believe the Milwaukee Bucks are the strongest team in the Eastern Conference and pose the biggest threat to the Warriors’ repeat title chances. A Khris Middleton injury early in last postseason shut down their own repeat hopes, but I believe with a healthy Middleton, the Bucks are the team to beat in the East.
The Bucks did not make too many roster changes but added veteran Joe Ingles to help the bench unit. The Bucks also selected talented forward MarJon Beauchamp from the G League Ignite in the first round. Giannis Antetokounmpo remains atop the best players in the league, and a healthy roster surrounding him should lead to another successful season with championship aspirations.
3. Boston Celtics
Photo Courtesy of Celtics Blog
The Boston Celtics came up short last season, losing to the Golden State Warriors in six games in the Finals. After early offseason acquisitions of guard Malcolm Brogdon and forward Danilo Gallinari, the Celtics seemed like the obvious favorites to get back to the Finals and win it this time. Instead, these title hopes were met with a series of devastating blows to the team: first, Gallinari tore his ACL and will miss the entire season, head coach Ime Udoka was suspended for the entire season for a team policy violation, and starting center Robert Williams III underwent knee surgery.
Williams should be back in a month or two, but the Celtics took a serious hit to their depth right before their season. Losing your head coach only a month before the season starts does not help either. Joe Mazzulla, an assistant under Udoka last season, is set to take on the head coaching role for this season. The Celtics have definitely had a strange offseason. Still, the top six players on their roster (Brogdon, Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, and Williams) are too talented for them not to be right back in the mix for another Finals appearance.
4. Los Angeles Clippers
Photo Courtesy of Sports Illustrated
The LA Clippers had a down season last year. The team lost in the play-in tournament, with Kawhi Leonard missing the entire season rehabbing from ACL surgery and Paul George missing 51 games. However, the NBA’s best duo is supposedly healthier than ever and ready to lead the Clippers to the franchise’s first-ever NBA Finals appearance. The Clippers also signed John Wall to compete with Reggie Jackson for point guard duties.
Factor in these additions and last year’s trade acquisitions of Norman Powell and Robert Covington, and this team has all the talent and depth it needs to make a run in the playoffs. Obviously, health is the biggest concern with this team, and losing one of Leonard or PG would be detrimental to the Clippers’ Finals chances.
5. Brooklyn Nets
Photo Courtesy of ClutchPoints
Last on this list is the Brooklyn Nets. After an offseason filled with the drama surrounding Kyrie Irving trade rumors and an official Kevin Durant trade request, the Nets return their star duo for another season. Many people have been overlooking the Nets because of all the drama and a poor end to last season, but this Nets team looks to be deeper and stronger than last year.
Last year’s team struggled with defense and a true playmaker outside of Irving and Durant, and a healthy Ben Simmons will slide right into that role. The Nets also return elite shooter Joe Harris after he missed most of last year’s campaign. The Nets also added forwards Royce O’Neale and TJ Warren to help their depth and take some of the load off Durant. There are still some questions about Warren’s health, but he is expected to return at some point this season.
The Nets fixed many of their depth issues with a healthy Simmons and these free-agency moves. Also, with a healthy Harris, Patty Mills, Seth Curry, Cam Thomas, and Durant and Irving, this Nets team could easily be the best three-point shooting and offensive team in the league.
