WHICH TEAMS ARE CONTENDERS/PRETENDERS AT THE ALL-STAR BREAK?

Breaking down each of the top teams in each conference, and determining whether they’re pretenders or contenders

The NBA All-Star break is officially here, as players from both conferences prepare for a weekend that will forever live in history. From the Celebrity Game that just took place on Friday night to all the festivities on Saturday night, culminating in the actual All-Star game on Sunday, there will be plenty of action over the course of the next couple of days.

At the same time, this is a great time for every team in the NBA to take a bit of a step back from the non-stop action that has been the regular seasons thus far. Most teams have a little more than a quarter of the season left to play, before the start of the playoffs.

It’s the point of the season where we’re beginning to realize who the real players will be this season, heading into the post-season, and separate the real potential contenders from the, for the lack of a better word, pretenders.

For the sake of not making this more complicated than it needs to be, we will only analyze the top 5 teams in each conference at the NBA All-Star break. With, really, the only exception being the Los Angeles Lakers for obvious reasons.

Is your favorite team a contender or pretender? We explore.

FIRST THE CONTENDERS

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (41-16)

It should come as no surprise that the Golden State Warriors are contenders heading into the final push for the playoffs. This is a team that is looking to win its third-straight NBA Championship and fourth in the last five seasons.

In addition to Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, let’s not forget that this team managed to add DeMarcus Cousins during free agency last summer. They simply get richer and richer. At certain points, the Warriors have five all-stars on the floor. That’s insane to believe, considering we were freaking out about three just a few years ago in Miami.

Nevertheless, the Warriors will be the overwhelming favorites heading into the NBA Playoffs once again this season. Question is, will there be a team that rises to the occasion and pulls off the biggest upset in NBA history?

Verdict: Contender 

HOUSTON ROCKETS (33-24)

The Houston Rockets got off to a rough start to the season, in large part due to the fact that they had to battle the injury bug quite a bit. However, after the NBA All-Star break, they’re expected to be relatively healthy. That means they could make a move up the West standings, ahead of the playoffs.

If the Rockets can avoid the Warriors until the Conference Finals, I would find a hard time not including this team as one that could potentially pull off the upset of the century in dethroning the Warriors.

It won’t be easy by any means, especially considering how close this team came to doing just that last season, but the combination of James Harden and Chris Paul is one that could potentially push all the right buttons. I don’t think anyone is expecting the Rockets to beat the Warriors in the playoffs this season, but they have the ability to do it. Question is, can they summon it all again this season?

Verdict: Contender 

TORONTO RAPTORS (43-16)

The Toronto Raptors have had a great season, similar to the one they had last year. Even though their records may appear similar, this is a much different team when on the floor. This team is no longer led by Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, and perhaps that’s why this answer is different this year.

The only reason why I lean towards giving this team the nod is because of Kawhi Leonard and the NBA Trade Deadline day acquisition of Marc Gasol. I’m not completely sold on this team, but in the East, with those two players, they’ll have as good of a shot as any other team.

Still, this team will be largely judged by what they manage to accomplish in the playoffs. And based off their recent moves, this franchise is all-in on this season.

Verdict: Contender 

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (37-21)

The Philadelphia 76ers were one of the trendy picks entering the playoffs last season to upset the Cleveland Cavaliers and come out of the East, however they fell flat on their faces in the second round at the hands of the red-hot Celtics.

However, this is a different Sixers team. They are a bit more experienced and have even added two all-star talents to their roster in the last few months, in the way of Jimmy Butler at the start of the season and Tobias Harris at the NBA Trade Deadline last week.

The Sixers have one of the most talented rosters in the Eastern Conference and will no longer be overlooked as a team that can potentially make a deep run in the playoffs. Jimmy Butler was a huge addition and could be the calming veteran force in the playoffs that this team needed last season.

Verdict: Contender 

BOSTON CELTICS (37-21)

Say what you want about how the Boston Celtics have looked during the regular season. With all the expectations that they entered the year with, there’s no question that this team has disappointed to a certain extent.

With that said, if the Celtics can somehow get right and flip their proverbial switch, I don’t think anyone would bet against this team making it out of the Eastern Conference once the playoffs start. If Gordon Hayward can turn his season around, and he’s gotten off to a nice February, he could make all the difference for Boston.

Kyrie Irving is going to be sensational, and Al Horford will continue to do what’s asked of him. The success or failure of the Celtics in the playoffs will ultimately come down to whether or not the other pieces can get it together. If they can, though, there’s no question that this is one of the most talented teams in the NBA.

Verdict: Contender 

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (37-20)

The Oklahoma City Thunder are only one game back of the Nuggets for the second spot in the Western Conference, and are being powered by an NBA MVP caliber season on the part of Paul George, who is doing it on both ends of the floor.

After a disappointing showing in last year’s playoffs, the Thunder will be looking to prove the masses wrong about their DNA. This is a team that came up short against the Jazz in last year’s first-round playoff series, and probably still remember it like it was yesterday.

I just love everything about the combination of Russell Westbrook and PG, and believe that this team is primed to make a deep run in the playoffs. How would you feel about a Thunder-Warriors Conference Finals?

Verdict: Contender 

NOW THE PRETENDERS

MILWAUKEE BUCKS (43-14)

The Milwaukee Bucks are an interesting team that have remained atop the Eastern Conference for what feels like the majority of the regular season. They have the firepower and defense to compete with any team on any given night. But, I still think don’t think they’re ready for the big stage.

Perhaps I’m completely wrong about the Bucks and suggesting that they’re a pretender, but I’m just not sure this team is ready to make the jump from first-round exit team to NBA Finals team. That’s not generally how it works in the Association.

I think Giannis is a great player, and will continue to be for years to come, but they’re simply a year away from making a real deep run in the Eastern Conference playoffs. I hope they prove me wrong, though. I’d love to see Giannis vs. the Warriors in the NBA Finals.

Verdict: Pretender 

LOS ANGELES LAKERS (28-29)

The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most interesting teams in the league, there’s no doubt about that. But the month that LeBron James missed due to injury really put this team back, and they’re now in real danger of missing the playoffs altogether.

Even if they make the post-season, I have a hard time believing that this team is built to make any type of real waves.

The only reason why the Lakers are getting any type of attention in these pieces is because of LeBron. This is a team that might not even make the playoffs this season. There’s no question in my mind that this team is a year away from being any kind of players in the Western Conference playoffs.

Verdict: Pretender 

INDIANA PACERS (38-20)

The Indiana Pacers have been one of the best feel-good stories in the Eastern Conference and NBA this season. They’ve defied odds and sit third in the East, despite Victor Oladipo being lost for the season a few weeks ago.

Heading into the NBA All-Star break, the team has won six of its last seven games and don’t appear to have any interest in giving up their top 3 spot in the East. However, when push comes to shove, I simply don’t believe that this team has enough firepower to win a seven-game series against many of the other playoff teams right now.

And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. This team needs Oladipo and they simply won’t have him in the playoffs. That’s why I don’t think this is the year for the Pacers. Perhaps if Oladipo is healthy, we’re having a different conversation.

Verdict: Pretender 

UTAH JAZZ (32-25)

Entering this season, many were quick to jump on the Utah Jazz bandwagon, which made them a trendy pick to finish as one of the top 3 teams in the Western Conference this season. Through the NBA All-Star break, that hasn’t exactly gone according to plan.

Nevertheless, the 6-seeded Jazz are still projected to make the playoffs and possibly make a deep run (if the standings fall perfectly). The big question is whether or not they have what it takes to give the Warriors problems in a potential seven-game series.

And after not making any real moves at the NBA Trade Deadline, coupled with how they’ve looked so far this season, I’d lean that this team is still a year or two – and possibly and big-name acquisition – away from being a real player in the West.

Verdict: Pretender 

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (34-23)

The Portland Trail Blazers are doing what they’ve done successfully over the last few seasons. They’re playing up to their strengths in the regular season, and are taking advantage of the up-and-down play of other teams in the West.

They are currently fourth in the conference, and are being powered by the dynamic duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. They were swept in the first-round of the playoffs last season, at the hands of Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans.

Can they perform any better this season? Could they prove the naysayers wrong? Could this finally be the year where they get hot and make a run to the Conference Finals? As good as they are I don’t think so.

Verdict: Pretender 

DENVER NUGGETS (39-18)

The Denver Nuggets have been a great story not only in the Western Conference, but in all the NBA this season. They have the second-best record in the West and have one of the NBA’s rising young stars in Nikola Jokic.

They also have a great young core around their prized big man. But the big question for this team is whether or not they have the experience to make waves in the playoffs. I see this team as I see the Bucks in the Eastern Conference, where I feel they’re a year away from really making a deep run in the playoffs.

The Nuggets have had a great run this season, and that could never be taken from them, but I still feel they’re nothing more than a pretender once they get on the floor with a team like the Warriors.

Verdict: Pretender