After a week of the NBA season, who are your contenders?

[Richesly]

East: Bulls, Heat, | POSSIBLE CONTENDERS| Hawks, Cavs, Toronto

West: Spurs, Mavs, Thunder, | POSSIBLE CONTENDERS| Rockets, Warriors

[Clyde]

Too early.

[AirFederer]

Boarding Lakers Championship cruise right now :cheers:

[Demitri98]

East: Bulls, Heat, | POSSIBLE CONTENDERS| Hawks, Cavs, Toronto

West: Spurs, Mavs, Thunder, | POSSIBLE CONTENDERS| Rockets, Warriors
Completely unbiased and objective observation.

[ImKobe]

East: Bulls, Cavs
West: Spurs, Lakers

[russwest0]

East: Cavs
Possible: Bulls

West: Spurs, Thunder
Possible: Mavericks, Grizzlies, Warriors

[Heavincent]

Warriors

[MellowYellow]

contenders- teams that have won
pretenders- teams that haven't

[Mr Exlax]

Rockets still have McHale as our head coach. Rockets and championship don't belong in the same sentence yet. We'll make the playoffs for sure. Won't make any noise. Once we get a different coach we'll revisit this.

[DMV2]

Championship contenders:
1. Spurs
2. Mavs
3. Thunder

Darkhorse spoilers: Warriors

I don't consider any of the EC teams to be contenders at the moment.

[White Mamba]

Lakers and heat

[b0bab0i]

East: Bulls, Heat, | POSSIBLE CONTENDERS| Hawks, Cavs, Toronto

West: Spurs, Mavs, Thunder, | POSSIBLE CONTENDERS| Rockets, Warriors
LOL bro first week.:facepalm :facepalm :facepalm

If you're going by first week, why do you have Thunders as contenders? As of now both Durant & Westbrook are out.

[Real14]

haven't been a week yet:coleman: :banghead:

[Proctor]

East: Bulls and Cavs
West: Spurs, Mavs, Thunder

There are some other great teams, but there is a difference between a great team and a contender. I refuse to deem a team like the Rockets, Warriors or Clippers a contender. Not to say they won't contend, but they haven't given us a reason to believe they will. I also like the Heat and think they will be a solid regular season team but don't think they have anywhere near the depth they need to contend.

[I<3NBA]

East: Bulls, Cavs,
West: Spurs, Mavs, Grizz

[DMV2]

East: Bulls and Cavs
West: Spurs, Mavs, Thunder

There are some other great teams, but there is a difference between a great team and a contender. I refuse to deem a team like the Rockets, Warriors or Clippers a contender. Not to say they won't contend, but they haven't given us a reason to believe they will. I also like the Heat and think they will be a solid regular season team but don't think they have anywhere near the depth they need to contend.
Warriors at least deserve a darkhorse contender label, meaning that they have legitimate shot at knocking out the contenders(Spurs, Mavs and Thunder). But might be too young and inexperience to win multiple tough/close series like in 2013 when they were heavy underdogs and knocked out the Nuggets, then losing to the Spurs the next round.

Speaking of that Spurs series, not only was it Curry and Klay's first playoff run but also without Lee and they almost took a 2-0 lead going home. Last year, lost in 7 to Clippers without Bogut in a series overshadowed by the Sterling scandal.

[Genaro]

Now the answers will be the same as predictions for the season. 5 days is too little time to make evaluations.

[Richesly]

Now the answers will be the same as predictions for the season. 5 days is too little time to make evaluations.

I disagree. How a team opens their season is a good way to evaluate their season.

[nathanjizzle]

east in order - bulls, newyork , cavs
west in order - mavs, spurs, clippers/okc.

[Proctor]

Warriors at least deserve a darkhorse contender label, meaning that they have legitimate shot at knocking out the contenders(Spurs, Mavs and Thunder).

First playoff with Curry and Klay, almost took a 2-0 lead going home against the Spurs in 2013. That was without David Lee. Last year, lost in 7 to Clippers without Bogut in a series overshadowed by the Sterling scandal.
Yeah, I probably shouldn't have lumped them in with the Clippers and Rockets. They are no joke and I certainly think they have a far better chance than the Rockets and Clippers. I like the Rocket's addition of Ariza but as far as the playoffs are concerned, I feel like that move is really inconsequential. The Clippers haven't really changed either, and I don't believe Griffin's improvement alone can set them over the top.

The Warriors look to be improving and the franchise seems stable in a way it hasn't been in previous years. They do deserve a darkhorse label and could definitely knock out a contender, I just feel that there chance to actually win a championship is much less - not to say they won't be great.

[BuffaloBill]

Spurs

[ArbitraryWater]

Thunder? Because you're assuming when KD/Russ come back they'll beast even more with the others established? (Question not just to OP)

[Richesly]

Thunder? Because you're assuming when KD/Russ come back they'll beast even more with the others established? (Question not just to OP)

They are playing extremely well and I predict they'll play even better when Westbrook and KD return.

[DMV2]

Yeah, I probably shouldn't have lumped them in with the Clippers and Rockets. They are no joke and I certainly think they have a far better chance than the Rockets and Clippers. I like the Rocket's addition of Ariza but as far as the playoffs are concerned, I feel like that move is really inconsequential. The Clippers haven't really changed either, and I don't believe Griffin's improvement alone can set them over the top.

The Warriors look to be improving and the franchise seems stable in a way it hasn't been in previous years. They do deserve a darkhorse label and could definitely knock out a contender, I just feel that there chance to actually win a championship is much less - not to say they won't be great.
Yeah, totally agree that they're not ready for a championship yet. Just too young, too inexperience to win multiple series and in the West, it's gonna be at least 2 tough series. Add that to their new coach and health issues with their bigs.

In a best of 7, they can go toe-to-toe with anybody incl. the Spurs, Mavs, Thunder. But can they beat two of those team back-to-back series?

[El Gato Negro]

Heat, raps and grizz, rockets.

[Inferno]

Warriors

:applause: :applause:

[thefatmiral]

spurs, thunders, cavs, bulls. this should be the semi match ups, all teams healthy. possible entry are clippers and heat, wizards.