Oklahoma City Thunder

They’re still the team to beat. Loaded with depth, hungry to repeat, and they’ve got time to get healthy before the postseason grind begins. The gap is closing — but OKC set the bar and nobody’s cleared it yet. Sleep on SGA at your own risk.

Detroit Pistons · Denver Nuggets

Detroit is not a fluke. They’re playing with purpose and they look the part — physical, disciplined, dangerous. Don’t dismiss them because they’re young. As for Denver? Injuries have slowed them down, but Jokić in April and May is a different creature entirely. Bank on a Nuggets resurrection when it matters most.

San Antonio Spurs · Boston Celtics

Both teams are overachieving and flying under the radar — which makes them lethal. The Spurs don’t know what they don’t know, and that fearlessness is a weapon. The Celtics have been here before and JB is playing like a legitimate MVP right now — he’s that guy. If Tatum comes back healthy? Lock the doors. These two are the biggest wildcards in the field.

Houston · New York · Cleveland · Minnesota

This group gives us reasons to believe — then yanks them away. Houston is close but missing a piece. The Knicks keep getting our hopes up then go cold — the JB and KAT chemistry still feels unresolved. Cleveland has real upside with the Harden acquisition, but beating elite teams consistently is a different test they haven’t passed yet. Minnesota looks disinterested in February, but we’ve seen what Ant can do when the lights come on. Playoff Ant is a cheat code. The question is whether the whole squad shows up with him.