Culture of Hoops

Top Five NBA Title Contenders for the 2020-21 Season

Check out our other NBA season predictions below.

Top Five NBA Title Contenders for the 2020-21 Season

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2020-21 NBA Eastern Conference X-Factors

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Heading into each NBA season, all 30 teams hope that it will finally be their year to win a championship; with some franchises trying to raise another banner into the rafters, while some look to raise their franchise’s first. Being a championship caliber team in the league is extremely tough to do and each year there are only a few teams who you can legitimately say are true championship caliber teams. Let’s take a look at the top five NBA title contenders heading into the 2020-21 season.

5. Milwaukee Bucks

Last season, the Bucks looked like they were the favorite to come out of the Eastern Conference after a league best 56 wins in the regular season. However, they were shockingly knocked out in the second round by the underdog Miami Heat in five games. This left many to wonder if the team had what it took to actually be true NBA title contenders. With Giannis Antetokounmpo still in town for at least one more year, the Bucks are still a team to watch out for. 

They added some key pieces via trade in former All-Star guard Jrue Holiday to be the team’s new starting point guard, as well as forwards Bobby Portis, Torrey Craig, Nik Stauskas, and guard D.J. Augustin to add more depth to their bench. The Bucks seemed like they got a bit better, but can they prove to the world that they are not just a dominant regular season team? Can Giannis Antetokounmpo prove he has what it takes to be the number one option on a championship team? With the Eastern Conference getting stronger as Kevin Durant finally debuts in Brooklyn, the 76ers retooling their roster, and the Celtics adding depth at center, the Bucks will have a tougher road ahead than past years.

Miami Heat: Which Players Will Lead Team In Each Statistical Category

4. Miami Heat

The Heat surprised a lot of people last season, making an appearance in the NBA Finals and pushing the Los Angeles Lakers to six games. The grit and grind mentality that their young core played with was simply unlike any other we’ve seen from any other team in a while. Jimmy Butler proved to the world last year that he is a winning basketball player and can be the leader for a team heading into war. Now, with their young core of Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn, and Duncan Robinson all heading into another year, look for them to take bigger steps this season. On paper, Miami doesn’t seem like the favorites to go back to the Finals, but with the unpredictability of this team led by head coach Erik Spoelstra, you can’t count them out. The roster is so well rounded and mentally sharp that it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise if the Heat were to wind up back in the NBA Finals next summer.

3. Los Angeles Clippers

Like the Bucks, many thought the Clippers would at least make the NBA Finals last season, but the team collapsed in the second round and blew a 3-1 lead to the Denver Nuggets. It was a hard hit for many within the organization, and it even lead to the firing of longtime head coach Doc Rivers. However, the Clippers seemed to be more locked heading into this season and under new head coach Tyronn Lue, the hard-nosed culture will be strong. Although the team lost last year’s Sixth Man of the Year award winner Montrezl Harrell in free agency to the cross-town Lakers, they added Serge Ibaka to fill the void at center. The move is an upgrade considering Ibaka’s defense and how well he can space the floor with his shooting. 

But, can the Clippers be NBA title contenders without a solid starting point guard? The team missed out on Rajon Rondo, who they hoped would sign with them in free agency and failed to land any other new guards. Don’t get me wrong, Patrick Beverly is an excellent defender for a guard, but he hasn’t shown that he can be the guy that facilitates the ball and is a threat from three-point range. 

2. Brooklyn Nets

Last season, the Nets were clearly playing to just chemistry flowing as they knew their newly-inked franchise star Kevin Durant would be back and fully healthy to begin their quest for a title next season. Although there’s some questions regarding whether Durant will be his normal self again, having Durant at only 80 percent of his former self still makes him a top five player in the league. Add him and a healthy Kyrie Irving to a core of Spencer Dinwiddie, Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, Joe Harris, and Taurean Prince, as well as having DeAndre Jordan and Jeff Green; then that’s a guaranteed trip to the Finals at the very least. Now we still have to see how well Irving and Durant can play together, as they both are ball dominant players, but with new head coach Steve Nash at the helm, magic is waiting to be made. There’s no hard-set expectation that they must win this season, as the roster needs to build chemistry together and build trust with one another again; but don’t be surprised if Brooklyn manages to win it all in 2021.

1. Los Angeles Lakers

As they go on their quest for back-to-back titles, the Lakers are the clear favorites to win once again this season. Usually when a team wins a championship, they try to bring back the exact same roster that won them the title, but the Lakers didn’t do that this offseason. Not only did they change their roster around a bit, but they got younger and better (somehow) in the process. They added the reigning Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harell at center to replace an aging Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee, followed by a trade in which they acquired guard Dennis Schröder who is one of the young up and coming point guards in the league. Schröder will serve as another facilitator to take pressure off LeBron James, as well as be the third scorer behind James and Anthony Davis.

The other additions of Wesley Matthews and Marc Gasol strengthen their second unit and help the Lakers be better spaced out with more shooters. Losing Rajon Rondo in free agency to the Atlanta Hawks was tough, as he was one of the leaders that got the Lakers though that championship run last season, but the Lakers won’t have to worry too much because they certainly have a more deeper roster now to win the franchise’s eighteenth NBA title. 

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