2013-14 NBA Predictions: NBA Championship Favorites and Contenders

2013-14 NBA Predictions: NBA Championship Favorites and Contenders: The 2013-14 NBA season is set to tip-off at the end of the month, and unless you have been living under a rock, then you already know that LeBron James and the Miami Heat are gunning for a three-peat this year. Yes, James and company should once again be among the NBA’s best, but there were several teams that spent the offseason getting healthy and getting better. With that in mind, here is a look at some of the frontrunners and top challengers for the NBA championships heading into the 2013-14 season.

The Favorites

The two-time defending champion Miami Heat return basically everyone from last year’s team, including league MVP LeBron James. Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Ray Allen are also back, along with a solid group of role players. Meanwhile, the Heat signed former No. 1 overall pick Greg Oden and former No. 2 overall pick Michael Beasley, and if they get decent production from one the two, it will just be a cherry on top of an already-loaded group that is stocked with offensive firepower and athleticism.

After winning the most games in the Western Conference last year, the Oklahoma City Thunder were bounced in the playoffs when Russell Westbrook went down with an injury. The explosive point guard will also miss the start of the upcoming season with an injury, but scoring-machine Kevin Durant and the rest of the supporting cast can carry the load in the meantime. As long as Westbrook and Durant are healthy come playoff, there is no reason the Thunder can’t play for a title in 2013-14. There is no better offensive duo in the NBA.

They pushed Miami to the brink of elimination last year before falling in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, but the San Antonio Spurs proved that they are still a forced to be reckoned with. Yes, Tim Duncan is getting older, but he seems to be getting more efficient with age. Meanwhile, Tony Parker keeps getting better, and Kawhi Leonard is a budding star. Throw in role players like Danny Green, Tiago Splitter and Boris Diaw, and the window hasn’t closed on battled-tested Spurs just yet.

It took longer than expected, but Derrick Rose is finally back to run the show for the Chicago Bulls. The former MVP will be an enormous boost to a Chicago offense that struggled to generate points at times last year. Meanwhile, the Bulls are a lock to be one of the top defensive teams in the league with Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer patrolling the paint and the length of Luol Deng and Jimmy Butler on the perimeter. With Rose as an X-factor, the hard-nosed Bulls have a shot to win it all in 2013-14.

The Contenders

By landing James Harden prior to last season, the Houston Rockets became factors in the Western Conference. After landing Dwight Howard this past offseason, they became legit contenders for an NBA title. Throw in the fact that role players like Chandler Parsons and Patrick Beverley should only get better, and the biggest hurdle between the Rockets and a championship could be developing chemistry.

Armed with a new head coach in Doc Rivers and a few new role players, the Los Angeles Clippers may have all the pieces they need to go on a title run in 2013-14. Point guard Chris Paul is back to run the offense, and Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan form one of the most athletic frontcourts in the league. Meanwhile, newcomers J.J. Redick, Jared Dudley and Darren Collison should help solve some of the Clippers’ offensive issues in half-court sets. The only question that remains is whether Los Angeles can get it done in the playoffs.

They gave the Miami Heat all they could handle in the Eastern Conference finals last year, and the Indiana Pacers added to an already capable core of players in the offseason. Paul George is a budding superstar, and the frontcourt of Roy Hibbert and David West is one of the biggest and strongest in the NBA. Meanwhile, Lance Stephenson has emerged as a stout perimeter defender, and this year’s team will also feature a healthy Danny Granger and Luis Scola in the post.

Thanks to a busy offseason, the Brooklyn Nets suddenly have a ton of firepower to play with in 2013-14. They landed Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, and they will jump into the starting lineup with Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez. Throw in a bench with Jason Terry, Andray Blatche and Andrei Kirilenko, and the only real question is whether or not all the new parts can gel in their first year together.

After being the darlings of the playoffs last year, the Golden State Warriors will try to make a serious run in 2013-14. The explosive backcourt of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson gets all the hype, but the frontcourt of David Lee and Andrew Bogut is solid, as well. Meanwhile, the offseason signing of Andre Iguodala gives the Warriors a true defensive stopper and allows the team to move Harrison Barnes to the bench as a scoring presence for the second unit.

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