The top teams really emerged with about two weeks remaining in the regular season.
Looking at the current landscape of league rankings, there are three elite teams that stand out more than the others.
The Oklahoma City Thunder enjoyed an even more productive year, winning over 60 games in their second consecutive season. The Western Conference’s best-ranked top, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the frontline MVP awards, has led the entire league with 61 wins so far.
They had some bumps recently, but this still doesn’t change the fact that the Cleveland Cavaliers have established a historic campaign for a strong playoff run. It boasts a solid collection of talent led by four major stars Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
And of course, the Boston Celtics are being put up strong to defend the crown and win back-to-back titles. The Celtics, led by Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown, have a deep roster and have become a standout figure since the All-Star break.
When it comes to records and overall team performance, Thunder, Cavs and Celtics are in their own leagues and separated from other presents.
This concept was further emphasized by Charles Berkley in his recent appearance on the Dan Patrick Show, noting that these three teams cannot match.
“There are three teams that can win the championship. The Thunder, the Celtics and the Cavs, that’s it,” Berkley said.
“Everyone is just playing. They’re getting the participation trophy.”
Barkley has not bought the hype surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers following the stunning Luka Doncic deal last month.
I asked about the Lakers: “They’ve had zero chances. I said that a month ago. People were hooked.”
“For two weeks, people were hooked when they loved it.”
The Lakers have surged since buying Luka Donsic from the Dallas Mavericks, increasing their odds to compete for the championship. They are mixed as one of the top competitors in the West, standing in fourth place (44-29).
Nevertheless, Berkley believes that despite Los Angeles’ additions to Don Sic, it’s not as good as it’s advertised by the majority. For him, it works the Golden State Warriors as well after signing a contract with Jimmy Butler.
“Whenever you make a deal, you get a bump,” Berkley said. “They got Luka’s bumps. Now they’re where they are, do you know?
“No, the Lakers are not candidates, that makes me crazy.
“They won some games, and they were going to get bumps. You get Luka, you’re going to get bumps. The same thing as Jimmy Butler got bumps when he went to the Warriors, but that’s the OKC world. Denver is probably the second best team in the West.”
Interestingly, despite the advantages OKC, Cleveland and Boston are showing, confusion remains possible given the level of talent and competition between teams heading into the NBA playoffs.
Donsic proved this with the Mavericks last season, passing them past OKC all the way through the finals.