5 most legitimate contenders for the NBA Championship right now
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.