With about five weeks left in the NBA’s regular season, we have a pretty clear picture of the contenders for the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
There have beenseven different championsover the last seven seasons. Will that trend continue and a new team be crowned this season? Or will the Thunder repeat as champions?
As the regular season winds down, here are the three most likely teams in each conference to reach the mountaintop in June.
Oklahoma City:Heading into this season, the Thunder were the favorites to win another title. They cemented that narrative by sprinting to a 24-1 start while former All-Star Jalen Williams only played in six games over that period. It seemed as though they weren’t only going to win, they were going to lap the field.
But a few teams have decided to play the spoiler to that storyline, most notably the Spurs in the West. The first sign that the Thunder had some real competition was when San Antonio beat them in the semifinal of the NBA Cup in Las Vegas in December. The Spurs have gone on to win four of their five matchups against the Thunder this season.
Meanwhile, the Thunder have struggled with injuries after their hot start. Williams has had trouble staying in the lineup, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning MVP, had an extended nine-game absence due to an abdominal strain. And various role players have missed time because of health.
While the Thunder remain the front-runners with the NBA’s best record (50-15) through Saturday night, they’re no longer considered shoo-ins for the title. Winning back-to-back championships is hard and a lot of teams are nipping at the Thunder’s heels, most notably the Spurs who have somehow solved the riddle of OKC’s top-rated defense.
San Antonio:Welp, the Spurs’ ascension has been fast. They went from not even making the playoffs last season to being considered real contenders, all because a certain 22-year-old, 7-foot-5 Frenchman is living up to his potential.
Victor Wembanyama recently helpedthe Spurswin 11 games in a row. They’re peaking at the right time.
But are the Spurs really ready for the NBA throne? Or will they need another year or two of playoff experience before being able to win multiple best-of-seven series on the NBA’s biggest stage?
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
