Contending Tiers 

With about two and half weeks to go in the season, I thought I would provide my unwanted, unprovoked and unnecessary analysis on who I think fits into 3 different contending categories.  This article is completely opinion based and has absolutely no basis to it except how I see the league currently.  

The Three Contending Tiers

Powerhouse Contenders 

Dark Horse Contenders 

Wild Card Contenders 

Power House Contenders: 

These are the teams that everyone has touted to go far in the playoffs, the teams that are atop the standings in each conference (except for 1, which we can all agree should be higher in the standings).  In this catergory we have 3 teams from each conference.   

Cleveland Cavaliers: 

The Cavaliers have long been the best team in the NSL this season, a team built around length, depth, rebounding bigs and the engine that drives it all De’Aaron Fox.  Although, they MAY be without their superstar guard this post season, they have enough depth to still make a lot of noise in the post season.  We are yet to see them play their new “fully” healthy lineup without Fox, so there is a lot of questions surrounding the Cavaliers and a lot of eager eyes to see just how good they will be the rest of the way. 

Record vs Playoff Eastern Teams: 14 - 4

Washington Wizards: 

The Wizards as always are all the way in yet again this season!  GM Josh has been close to going all the way many times and is yet to get there, could this be the year?  LeBron James, Devin Booker, Jrue Holiday, Clint Capela. Robert Williams, might just be the best starting 5 in the league, but will we see it? The Wizards biggest concern will be health, if they get healthy, this really could be their year!

Record vs Playoff Eastern Teams: 8 - 9

Milwaukee Bucks: 

Under new management this season, the Milwaukee Bucks look significantly different from last years championship winning team, very high chance that they look too different and may be a step further away than we planned.  However, we are yet to be fully healthy with all our new additions and think we have the depth, defence and scoring ability to hang with everyone, not to mention we have SGA which will give us a great chance in any matchup. 

Record vs Playoff Eastern Teams: 8 - 9

Los Angeles Lakers: 

The Lakers were in the finals last year, they re-tooled, they traded 2 of the best 2k players we have and two top 15 players of all time in the NBA, yet they are somehow younger, better and looking more dangerous than ever!  Gm Justin has done a fantastic job at the trade table yet again, and may have positioned himself to be the best team in the league this year and for years to come.  Fantastic GM work 

Record vs Western Playoffs Teams: 9 - 9

Oklahoma City Thunder: 

The Thunder for maybe the majority of the season have sat atop the Western Conference behind stellar play from Trae Young and Anthony Edwards, along with their bevvy of good role players.  This was not good enough for GM James, as he decided to push the chip sin further and bring in Steph Curry to be Anthony Edwards running mate.  On paper, this is a fantastic move, but Curry has not reached the heights in 2k that someone like him should in my opinion, this is purely from a team success stand point, not a stats or accolades stand point.  The thunder look fantastic, James won’t even read this so I can probably stop here. 

Record vs Western Playoffs Teams: 15 -2 

Remember that one team that I mentioned that should be much higher? Well here they are 

San Antonio Spurs: 

The Spurs, A power house? A contender? A shock to absolutely nobody.  GM Nels is as ruthless and as competitive a GM as we have in the NSL.  He has the greatest player 2k has ever seen, he has hit the trade tables hard and found a roster that seems to fit fantastically around the freak himself.  The Spurs look menacing right now, just go look at their record over recent weeks.    

Record vs Western Playoffs Teams: 10 - 9 

Minnesota Timberwolves: 

The Wovles look fearsome, they have 2 of the best players in the NSL, not to mention they are elite 2-way talents.  What a genius pairing this is!  Throw in big Val, D’Angelo Russel, some above decent role players and the Wolves might be more than a dark horse.  My concern is that Shay is not around, who knows if he even watches the games?  How will they go making adjustments ? Only time will tell, Set and Forget won’t work in the playoffs like it does in the post season.

Record vs Western Playoffs Teams: 9 - 5

Dark Horse Contenders 

The Dark Horse Contenders are a minor step below the power house contenders.  These teams can win any game on any given night, but are a little more volatile night to night than the powerhouse contenders (except SA).  I would not be shocked if any of these teams made the conference finals in their respective conferences. 

Charlotte Hornets: 

The Hornets have one of the most talented starting fives in the league when they are healthy, they posses a tonne of scoring talent, an elite shut down defender and a high powered guard in Ja like this engine loves!  Lord knows the Bucks do not want to see the Hornets in the playoffs as we are 0-3 against them this season.  GM Craig is very savvy and will no doubt maximise his team to it’s fullest potential in the post season.  

Record vs Playoff Eastern Teams: 7 - 8 

Western Conference Dark Horses: 

Utah Jazz: 

If healthy this team is absolutely in the powerhouse category, and maybe they still belong there.  I just think without Embiid, the other teams listed above, will be a handful for them this postseason.  They have plenty of talent still available from Harden and KP to Franz and Dyson, they have the scoring punch and defensive ability to be an absolute bitch to go against.  They are going to be an incredibly tough out for any team that draws them out west. 

Record vs Western Playoffs Teams: 8 - 7

Houston Rockets: 

Will Maxey be healthy? This is the biggest question hovering over the Rockets right now.  With their big 3 available, I think the Rockets will probably end up in the second round of the playoffs.  Without Maxey, they may not even make it there! There is a lot riding on his health, this playoff might make or break the big 3 in Houston, change may be a foot if they don’t make a deep run. 

Record vs Western Playoffs Teams: 3 - 10

Wild Card Contenders

The Wild Card Contender category is for those teams who can really play playoff spoilers and have the potential to get hot and go on a run.  The issue being they may have some injury concerns or just lack some consistency. 

Miami Heat: 

Pistol loves his heat, this might be the most excited he’s been about an iteration of his heat since the NSL inception.  They have some great defenders, good quality big men, and some good scoring guards.  Not to mention latest addition Lauri Markannen, which may be the biggest reason they’re in this category, we don’t fully know what to expect yet when they’re fully healthy and ready to go. 

Philadelphia 76ers: 

The 6ers were running rampant on the league there for a few weeks, the big question with them comes back to injury rulings.  If they get some of these players back, they’re going to be a tough out in the eastern conference.  I know the Bucks would not be excited to see them, as they have played us well this season. 

Toronto Raptors: 

The Raptors have one of the best 2k minds we have at the helm, the KD injury looms over their team.  If he comes back for the play-in, the raptors likely take either the 7th or 8th seed in my opinion and then all bets are off for this team.  They have 2 legitimate star players and some great role players. 

Honourable Mentions: 

Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns 

I think both of these teams have great potential to do well this post season, but are a slight tier below the above mentioned teams. If Damian Lillard is back for the post season I would bump the Suns into the Wild Card territory.

Again, I would like to reiterate that this is just my opinion and would love to be proven wrong! 

All the best to those in the post season hunt!