Favorites
Phoenix Suns (): Chris Paul (thumb) is out for the rest of the regular season, but should be back right in time for the playoffs with fresh legs. The Suns have been the best team in Clutch situations by a wide margin and they gained invaluable playoff experience last summer.
Golden State Warriors (): With Draymond Green active, the Warriors are 28-6 with the best defensive rating in basketball. Without their leader, they’re 14-11 with a 110.8 defensive rating. Green said he’ll return from his back injury sometime in late March.
Brooklyn Nets (): While they’ve lost 12 of their last 14 games, the Nets signed Goran Dragic and should have Kyrie Irving (vaccination status) available to play in home games within a couple of weeks. Kevin Durant (MCL) should also return in time to try and right the ship and Ben Simmons could make a huge impact along with Seth Curry and Andre Drummond.
Milwaukee Bucks (): Something seems to be amiss for the Bucks this season. Brook Lopez (back) has been absent all season and Pat Connaughton (hand) is going to miss significant time. Giannis Antetokounmpo is having another all-time season after carrying his squad to the title last season.
Philadelphia 76ers (): James Harden (hamstring) should debut for the Sixers after the All-Star Break and he’ll join the most dominant player this season, Joel Embiid. Philadelphia has tremendous potential with that superstar duo.
Contenders
Miami Heat (): With Kyle Lowry and P.J. Tucker added to a team that was already regarded as one of the toughest in the league, Miami will be tough to bounce out of the postseason.
Utah Jazz (): After a terrible spell of basketball without Rudy Gobert (calf, shoulder) and Donovan Mitchell (concussion), Utah is back on track. The Jazz haven’t had much success in the postseason in recent years and blew a big lead to the Lakers heading into the break.
Boston Celtics (): The Celtics are the hottest team in the NBA over their last 15 games with the best defensive rating by a huge margin during that span. Derrick White has been integrated seamlessly into the rotation and their team chemistry is pointing way up with Daniel Theis replacing Dennis Schroder.
Memphis Grizzlies (): The Grizzlies have won 20 of their last 25 games and are capable of passing the Warriors for the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference with Draymond Green still out.
Chicago Bulls (): DeMar DeRozan is on an unprecedented tear and the Bulls should get their defensive stoppers, Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso, back from their respective injuries in time for the playoffs.
Denver Nuggets (): Michael Porter Jr. (back) is ahead of schedule in his return, but Jamal Murray (ACL) is way behind his timetable. If Nikola Jokic doesn’t have his elite pick-and-roll partner in the playoffs, Denver is likely sunk.
Dallas Mavericks (): Luka Doncic has caught fire over his last 10 outings and the Mavericks are playing some of the best defense in basketball. Dallas might not have enough scoring threats around Doncic to navigate the field in the West.
Los Angeles Lakers (): The Lakers are clawing for a spot in the play-in tournament and will likely be without Anthony Davis (foot) the rest of the regular season. This veteran-laden team could still be dangerous if they make the big dance.
Longshots
Cleveland Cavaliers (): Darius Garland is one of the most improved players in the league, Evan Mobley is the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year, Jarrett Allen could be Defensive Player of the Year, and Caris LeVert is a huge addition for Cleveland off the bench.
Los Angeles Clippers (): Kawhi Leonard (ACL) and Paul George (elbow) are both without firm timetables for their respective returns and the Clippers seem to be building towards next season. They’ve still been competitive and should be a dangerous draw in the play-in tournament.
Toronto Raptors (): The Raptors have hopped the Nets for the No. 7 seed in the East and they’re capable of bouncing Brooklyn in a one-game playoff. Toronto has also given Miami, Milwaukee, and Boston plenty of trouble in recent seasons.
Atlanta Hawks (): The Hawks went 11-5 with a 119.4 offensive rating over their final 16 games heading into the All-Star Break. They have a ton of work to do if they want to avoid the play-in tournament.
Minnesota Timberwolves (): The Wolves are averaging 121.7 PPG and posting a 116.2 defensive rating over their last 20 games, resulting in a slew of shootouts. They will need to figure out how to defend if they want to pull off any upsets this postseason.
Charlotte Hornets (): The Hornets have dropped 9 of their last 10 games and are now 3-9 without Gordon Hayward, who is out indefinitely with another ankle injury.