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With the buzz from the NBA All-Star Weekend concluding, the final stretch of the season begins. More than half of the campaign is finished and the teams have figured out what they need to do to make it to the playoffs. The squads have been finalized and now it's about making the final push to the postseason.
There are contenders and pretenders. Some teams have been genuine title contenders since the start of the season while there are teams that have dropped off due to various reasons.
That being said, now we look at the usual suspects who are once again headlining the season and will once again be looking to win the championship.
#5 Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics have the ideal combination of youth and experience. The addition of Kemba Walker for Kyrie Irving has proven to be a masterstroke as he seems the perfect fit to lead the likes of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. They are currently third in the Eastern Conference with a 39-17 record.
Jayson Tatum's meteoric rise continues as the forward is leading from the front for the Celtics. Kemba continues to be the leader on the court while the likes of Jaylen Brown, Gordon Hayward, and Marcus Smart have all done their part.
Their elite offense has been troubling the top teams all season long and their performances against the Lakers and Clippers are a testament to this fact. Smart is in contention for the Defensive Player of the Year Award and he sets the bar for Brad Stevens and co.
#4 Toronto Raptors
Despite losing Kawhi Leonard to the LA Clippers, the Toronto Raptors have not dropped off their level at all this season. With Pascal Siakam being the talisman this season, the Raptors are the second seed in the Eastern Conference and have a 42-15 record. Siakam being the No. 1 scoring option for Toronto, is once again in contention for the Most Improved Player Award.
Head coach Nick Nurse has continued to work his magic with the side as they are forced to be reckoned with offensively. Their ability to come off the blocks very quickly and start the game well can be overwhelming for opponents. Their bench plays key minutes in games and contributes efficiently on both sides of the floor with the likes of Norman Powell and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.
While the loss of Kawhi Leonard could be a problem for them in the playoffs, they seem to be becoming more and more formidable as the season goes on. Experience is key during the postseason and they have that in plenty.
#3 Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers managed to stretch a fully loaded Golden State Warriors to six games last season in the first round of the playoffs last year. Then, they managed to add two MVP caliber players in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
Arguably the best team in the league, the Clippers led by Doc Rivers have been coasting along with injuries and load management playing a big part so far. They have been showing up in big games and putting on absolute clinical performances against their rivals. Their elite defense coupled with their free-scoring offense makes them difficult to contain.
With the reigning Finals MVP leading the way along with the likes of Paul George and Lou Williams and their tremendous bench production, the Clippers are much suited to win it all come June.
#2 Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are well and truly back. After suffering years of disappointment due to poor recruitment and coach, the Lakers have finally turned it around this season with the arrival of Anthony Davis during the offseason and LeBron James in 2018.
Led by Frank Vogel, the Lakers currently hold the number one seed in the ever-competitive Western Conference. They have a 43-12 record and are six games ahead of the Denver Nuggets.
The Lakers made quite a few additions during the summer with the likes of Dwight Howard, Danny Green and Anthony Davis joining the franchise. With their elite defense and the offense led by LeBron, the LA-based franchise are well equipped to go all the way this season.
#1 Milwaukee Bucks
With Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the way, the Milwaukee Bucks have been an absolute juggernaut this term. Mike Budenholzer has masterminded and built a team around the Greek Freek by utilizing his potential to attack the rim while spacing the floor with sharpshooters. So far, it's worked perfectly as the Bucks have the best record in the NBA which reads 48-8.
The Bucks reached the Eastern Conference finals last year and went up against the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors got the better of Giannis and co. by winning the series 4-2, despite trailing 2-0.
Milwaukee has pretty much maintained the same squad from last year with the exception of Malcolm Brogdon who was traded to the Indiana Pacers. They will be looking to go once again as they remain the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference.
Guess the Lakers players!
