#15 Memphis Grizzlies
The greatest attribute of this year’s Memphis Grizzlies team is that they have numerous guys who can knock down big shots and they do not really have that “star-level” player that they play through. Ja Morant is the young star of this team, but they do not solely play through him, which is why they have been so successful without one of their top players in Jaren Jackson Jr. this year, who is set to return after suffering a knee injury in the NBA Bubble last year.
Memphis currently finds themselves as the 8-seed in the Western Conference and while they may still have to fight in the play-in tournament, they are definitely a team that has what it takes to put up a good fight in the first-round against one of the top teams in the Western Conference.
Roster wise, they may not blow you away in terms of pure talent, but this team plays so well together and fundamentally, they are as good as any team in this league. Memphis is going to be a team that nobody wants to play down the stretch-run of the season and for good reason.
#14 Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks are going to go as far as Luka Doncic is able to take them this year. The third-year star does it all for Dallas and with not much of a supporting cast, the Mavericks could falter come playoff time as a result.
They are a really good team, don’t get me wrong, but the Mavericks are a very inconsistent team. While they have great wins over the likes of the Clippers, Nuggets and Nets this season, they also have really bad losses to the Kings, Rockets and Thunder.
Whichever team shows up come playoff time will decide the fate of this year’s Mavericks squad, one of the most inconsistent teams in the NBA. When they want to be good, they are definitely a threatening team, but when they start a game sluggish and missing shots, it normally ends in a blowout for the other team.
Dallas could make some noise in the playoffs this year and potentially upset one of the top seeds in the Western Conference, but they could also lose their one-game play-in series.
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#13 Boston Celtics
Much like the Mavericks, the Boston Celtics are also a very inconsistent team, but they have better overall players on their roster, which is why they are still “in the championship conversation.” The reason I put that in quotes is because whether or not the Celtics have a chance to win a title with this team is one of the biggest questions in the NBA this season.
The Celtics have gone from being sure thing championship contenders to start the season, to a team that is on the verge of having to play in this year’s play-in tournament. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart are all high-level, key players for Boston, but that is it, this is the Celtics’ production.
They have one of the worst benches in the entire NBA and given that they only play through four guys, they are a really easy team to beat for some of the top teams in the league that not only have All_Star talent, but a great supporting cast as well.
Expectations for the Celtics in the postseason should not be high and as a result, this team is going to see some major roster changes in the offseason. With Tatum and Brown moving forward though, Boston is not going anywhere playoff wise in the Eastern Conference.
#12 Atlanta Hawks
Given all of the injuries they have dealt with this year, the Atlanta Hawks should be near the bottom of the standings, but they currently find themselves as the 4-seed in the East! Trae Young is this team’s best overall player, but Clint Capela is their most important player.
The soon-to-be 27-year-old center is in the midst of his best season in the NBA, averaging 15.6 points, 14.5 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and shooting 60.1% from the floor. He gets it done on both ends of the court for the Hawks and as a result, he is a big reason why they are one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.
Danilo Gallinari will be returning from a foot injury within the next few games, De’Andre Hunter is on the mend from a knee procedure and Bogdan Bogdanovic has been insanely good for the Hawks ever since he returned from injury a few weeks back, making this Hawks team a real threat come playoff time.
They are a young, hungry team that can score in bunches, so watch out for the Atlanta Hawks in this year’s postseason!
#11 Miami Heat
After making the NBA Finals last year as a 5-seed in the East, the Miami Heat have had a very bumpy season this year, as they have been very inconsistent. Some days, they look like the championship-caliber team they were a season ago, but other times, they look like a team fighting for their playoff lives.
Jimmy Butler is an All-Star level talent and Bam Adebayo is one of the better young players in the NBA, but the biggest question mark for this team is who is “the guy?” Who is going to step up and take the big shots late in games and who is going to be able to carry this team against some of the tougher teams in the league?
These questions have not been answered all season long, which is a major concern for Miami as they gear up for what they hope is another deep playoff run.
