2013 NBA Predictions: Top 10 NBA Title Contenders The All-Star game is in the books and before the final two months of the regular season begin, the break in the action is the perfect time to take a look at how the top teams in the NBA currently stack up. For the most part, only the order of the top four teams have been changing, but the rest of the top 10 is far from set in stone. Recently, some Eastern Conference teams have been making some noise, as several teams are trying to position themselves as the top threat to the defending champion Miami Heat. It is important to keep in mind that the pecking order could certainly change in the coming days with trade deadline looming, but for now, here is a look at the top 10 contenders for the NBA title.
2013 NBA Power Rankings: Top 10 NBA Title Contenders(Records before 2-19-13 games)
1. San Antonio Spurs (42-12): Tony Parker deserves serious MVP consideration as he has led the Spurs to the best record in the NBA while Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili have been out. The nigh-to-night consistency with this team is incredible, and San Antonio leads the league with 20 road wins and has the fewest home losses, as well. Parker and company are cruising to the top seed in the Western Conference once again, and assuming they can get close to 100 percent come playoff time, they are more than capable of winning another championship.
2. Miami Heat (36-14): It is clear from the past couple of weeks that the defending champs and LeBron James are kicking things into high gear. The Heat have reeled off seven straight wins, opening up a four-game lead in the Eastern Conference. During the stretch, Miami went to Oklahoma City and crushed the Thunder. When this group is focused, they are just about unstoppable.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder (39-14): Oklahoma City continues to be one of the top-scoring teams and currently owns the second-best record in the NBA. Meanwhile, Kevin Durant is having the best year of his career. On most nights, the Thunder’s athleticism and offensive firepower are enough to overwhelm opponents, but there are those nights against top competition when James Harden’s versatility and clutch shooting seem to be missed. Durant and company are more than capable of returning the NBA Finals and even winning a title this year, but they aren’t going to cruise through the Western Conference.
4. Los Angeles Clippers (39-17): What a difference Chris Paul makes. After going through a rough patch without their point guard, the Clippers have ripped off four straight wins and are closing in on the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. Questions remain about whether the team’s up-tempo style and poor free throw shooting will lead to success in the postseason, but the 18 road wins suggest that the Clippers are closer to be a legit contender than just a great regular season team.
5. Indiana Pacers (32-21): Outside of Miami, Indiana is the most dangerous team in the Eastern Conference because of the matchup issues the Pacers can create. They have size in the frontcourt, including a true center in Roy Hibbert. They also have an emerging star on both ends of the court in Paul George and are set to get a big boost in their perimeter scoring when Danny Granger returns from injury. Indiana currently has the third-best record in the East, and more importantly, this team is built to grind out games in the half court thanks to the stingiest defense in the NBA.
6. Memphis Grizzlies (33-18): It appears that the Grizzlies have adjusted to the new personnel in the wake of the Rudy Gay trade, and they won three straight heading into the All-Star break. In fact, Memphis’ new roster might actually play to the team’s strengths a bit more. Newcomer Tayshaun Prince is a much more efficient scorer than Gay while defensive stopper Tony Allen now gets to play more minutes. The Grizzlies are now completely dedicated to playing through the powerful frontcourt on offense and winning games with their second-ranked scoring defense. That style of play could pay dividends in the playoffs when the pace tends to slow.
7. Chicago Bulls (30-22): With former MVP Derrick Rose still sidelined, Chicago has been winning on the defensive end all year. The Bulls are currently allowing the third-fewest points in the NBA while holding opponents to the third worst field goal percentage and have more than held their own without Rose. Chicago is currently fifth in the East and is above .500 at home and on the road. If Rose can return in the near future, the Bulls could shoot of the pecking order in the conference and become a legitimate threat to the Heat.
8. New York Knicks (32-18): The Knicks are still having their best season in quite some time, but they have definitely slowed down after their blazing start. Injuries to Raymond Felton and Jason Kidd and ongoing chemistry issues with Amar’e Stoudemire have all played a role, but New York’s tendency to live and die by the 3-point shot is the biggest reason for the hot and cold stretches. The Knicks are still the No. 2 seed in the East, but they are closer to being the No. 6 seed than they are catching the Miami Heat.
9. Denver Nuggets (33-21): Led by speedy point guard Ty Lawson, Denver plays at a relentless offensive pace and currently ranks third in the NBA in scoring. With swingmen like Andre Iguodala and Danilo Gallinari and athletic big men like Kenneth Faried and JaVale McGee, Denver has the perfect personnel to run its current system and it can wear opponents out at home in the thin air. The problem for the Nuggets is that while they are 22-3 at home, they are just 11-18 on the road. Dropping three straight road games heading into the break was a reminder that this team is going to have issues winning a series in the postseason.
10. Boston Celtics (28-24): Boston has been on a tear since losing point guard Rajon Rondo for the year, and while I’m not sure what Kevin Garnett meant by his whole cooking analogy, I do know the Celtics are 8-2 in their last 10 and are safely in the playoffs for now. This is still a veteran, battle-tested team, and Boston is getting back to playing efficient basketball in the half court. The Celtics got a lot slower when they lost Rondo, but the slower pace seems to be working. This team could be a tough out in the postseason.
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