5. Dallas Mavericks (6): The Mavericks aren’t playing great basketball right now, but they are playing good enough and the Lakers are struggling to the point where Big D might end up with the No. 2 seed in the West. I still think that they are pretenders, and that element of the team will show come playoffs – just wait.
4. Oklahoma City Thunder (5): They are peaking at exactly the right time and the Thunder’s revamped roster is really starting to click. They need one more year before they are legitimate championship contenders, but they will undoubtedly be very difficult opponents for whoever they are matched up with in the playoffs.
3. Miami Heat (4): They avoided a devastating season-series sweep to the Boston Celtics by taking the C’s apart on Sunday, but I’m still not sure if they have what it takes to challenge Chicago for a finals bid. LeBron and Wade are fantastic, but do they have what it takes to steal four out of seven games against the Bulls and Celtics? I’m not sold on that idea.
2. San Antonio Spurs (3): After taking a considerable dip over the last few weeks, the Spurs are back and looking to close out the season with homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs. They close out the season on the road against the Lakers and Suns, so they might have a tough time holding on the the No. 1 spot. However, as of late, they have looked as poised as any playoff team – which is nothing out of the ordinary for the postseason-savvy Spurs.
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1. Chicago Bulls (1): Derrick Rose and the Bulls have been making noise all season, but it took until Mid-March for the majority of people to realize that they are for real. Now, with the season winding down, the Bulls have won seven in a row and look like the best team in the league heading into the playoffs. They can score, defend, scrap and have a great coach – the perfect recipe for playoff success.