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With only 88 games left to play in the season (eight games for each team), we have effectively reached the business end of the NBA season. This time, the playoffs will have an unconventional twist. The seedings are not going to matter much in the traditional sense due to the lack of the home and away concept.
With that in mind, let us have a look at the list of 5 teams best equipped to win the NBA championship in October this year.
Top 5 NBA championship contenders
#5: Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are the only team in the NBA to currently have three 20-point scorers on their roster. Kemba Walker has fit in seamlessly into Brad Stevens' plans. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have made the progression from young guns to All-Star calibre swingmen while Gordon Hayward has had a resurgent season.
The Celtics' major problem in their path to the NBA Finals will be their relative lack of depth in comparison to the Sixers, Bucks or Raptors. Most of their bench players are relatively underwhelming. In addition, their big men Daniel Theis and Enes Kanter could be found wanting when faced with the elite big men of the East.
Whether their perimeter players can outplay their opposite numbers by enough of a margin to negate this is a question we can only answer come the NBA playoffs.
Also Read: 5 reasons why 2020 could be LeBron James' last chance to win an NBA championship.
#4: Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are one of the most unconventional dark horses in NBA history. Their NBA championship hopes rely mainly on having the most prolific scorer and the most explosive guard in the league on their roster.
James Harden and Russell Westbrook will have to play out of their skins in a manner hitherto unseen for the Rockets to make it all the way to the Larry O'Brien trophy.
Giving up Clint Capela for Robert Covington was a questionable move in the eyes of many. So was waving Isaiah Hartenstein, which means the only 7' player on their roster is 37-year-old Tyson Chandler.
However, if they can bombard 3-pointers and the likes of Jeff Green and PJ Tucker are up to the task of playing small-ball centre, there is no reason to doubt the Rockets' ability to make a deep playoff run.
#3: Milwaukee Bucks
Didn't expect to see the Bucks so soon on this list? Bear with me as I explain why.
While the Bucks' offence runs great in the regular NBA season and grades sixth in the league by offensive rating, they can become quite predictable. This was apparent in the Eastern Conference Finals last season. There's only so many iterations of the Giannis-kicking-it-out-to-an-open-shooter that they can run before a good NBA coach counters it.
The Bucks will still be heavy favourites to emerge from the Eastern Conference, given their depth and defence. But the NBA Finals could be a different ball game, as they will most likely face one of Harden, Kawhi or LeBron James - all of who are prolific scorers from all three ranges.
Not only will they be tasked with containing an all-time great offensive player, they will also have to find ways of offence against a stacked defensive team. And that will be no easy task, given that all three of those players have been to the NBA Finals before.
#2: Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers will be powered by the best player in the world and the most well-rounded big man in the NBA. In addition, the likes of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Danny Green, Kyle Kuzma, Alex Caruso, JaVale McGee, Markieff Morris, Rajon Rondo and Quinn Cook are all reliable role players.
LeBron James made it to eight straight NBA Finals in his time with the Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The problem for him this time around, however, is that unlike the Eastern Conference, he will have a battle on his hands in every round of the NBA playoffs.
The Lakers came together really well as a unit in the regular season to virtually nag the top seed in the Conference. But their way to the NBA Finals and the Championship became slightly tougher when Avery Bradley, their designated starter at point guard, opted out of the bubble.
It will take a Herculean performance from any team to knock LeBron James out of the playoffs before the NBA Finals, that's for sure.
#1: Los Angeles Clippers
The reason the Los Angeles Clippers are the top contenders for the NBA title is that their two best players are probably the two best two-way players in their position in the NBA. Paul George and Kawhi Leonard are two MVP-calibre players who have the ability to take over a playoff game at either end of the floor all alone.
Kawhi virtually dragged the Raptors past the challenge of the Philadelphia 76ers last season before his teammates started coming up big. This time around, with Paul George for support, Patrick Beverley getting in opponents' heads and Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell scoring on their own, the load on his back will be a lot less. He can focus on defence, which is still his best attribute in the game.
In addition to these five players, the Clippers' mix of size (Zubac, Joakim Noah, JaMychal Green) and perimeter players (Shamet, Marcus Morris, Reggie Jackson) is unmatched across the NBA. I'd be very surprised to see any team taking them to even seven games behind closed doors, given their well-rounded nature of play.
Also Read: Top 5 contenders for NBA Defensive Player of the Year| Ranked.
