The 2022-23 NBA playoffs are finally here, as teams have wrapped up their seasons, and we are ready for the play-in tournament. The top contenders have their spots solidified in both conferences, while teams scrambling for a shot to get into the playoffs are hoping for a play-in seed. No matter the case, this is shaping up to be one of the most exciting postseasons in NBA history.
It is time to separate the 20 NBA teams that will be competing in the postseason whether they are guaranteed playoff teams or competing in the play-in tournament. Remember, the 7th and 8th seeds have to battle the 9th and 10th seeds in the play-in tournament to determine which team grabs the final spots in both conferences.
Let’s divide the 20 playoff teams into tiers, Tier 1 being the legitimate title contenders and Tier 2 giving chances to strong teams that won’t surprise anyone if they go far. Tier 3 includes teams that deserve to be in the playoffs but probably won’t make a conference final. Tier 4 are the playoff teams that probably won’t even manage to surprise anybody.
Without further ado, here are all 20 NBA teams separated into tiers before the postseason rolls around.
Tier 1 – Title Contenders
Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets
Tier 1 teams are the strongest title contenders this year, with the largest chances to win the title. It is expected that one of these three teams will end up winning the championship this year.
The Boston Celtics need their respect for making the NBA Finals last year after turning it on before the playoffs started. The team found its defensive identity under Ime Udoka, while Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown took over the offense. This season was more of the same as Boston managed the second seed in the Eastern Conference and had an MVP candidate in Tatum. Expect the Celtics to battle the Milwaukee Bucks for a chance to make the Finals again.
The Milwaukee Bucks are also a legitimate title contender because of MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo and a deep team filled with shooters and defenders under one of the best head coaches in the league. The Bucks won the 2021 NBA title and lost out to Boston in the second round last year, so their revenge could be sweet. As long as Khris Middleton is healthy enough for a deep playoff run, the Bucks will battle the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Phoenix is stacked with superstars, make no mistake about that. Kevin Durant is once again on a team that is the overwhelming favorite in its conference because the superstar forward has Chris Paul, Devin Booker, and Deandre Ayton to compete with. The Suns went undefeated with Kevin Durant playing in the regular season so that is an indication of what could be to come. Health is the biggest factor since they will likely take out whoever they play in the first two rounds.
People aren’t talking about the Denver Nuggets as much, mainly because they do not trust Nikola Jokic in the playoffs, and health is always a major question mark. However, the Nuggets were the first seed in the West in the regular season and still have a solid core of two-time MVP Jokic along with Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr, and Aaron Gordon. Mike Malone is a fantastic head coach, so expect to see Denver in the Western Conference Finals against the Phoenix Suns.
Tier 2 – Dark Horses
Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors
How in the world would a team barely over .500 finish in Tier 2? Because of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, two players that occupy the top ten lists of players in the league. The King is still an elite player who averaged 28.8 PPG, 8.4 RPG, and 6.8 APG during the regular season, and Davis averaged 26.1 PPG and 12.5 RPG as well. With these two and the new acquisitions, including Rui Hachimura, Malik Beasley, and Jarred Vanderbilt, the Lakers will be a massive threat, especially if they get out of the first round. LeBron James is motivated and happy with the team since the trade deadline, and so should Lakers fans.
The Philadelphia 76ers have the likely MVP Joel Embiid, who had an incredible season posting 33.1 PPG and 10.2 RPG while leading the game in scoring. The center will be the key to what the team does on the floor, and next in line is James Harden. The Beard hasn’t had the best postseason career, so he will have to be at his best to lead the team far. If the 76ers don’t make the NBA Finals, there could be roster changes coming.
The Memphis Grizzlies are expected to be a contender with Ja Morant back in full force. There is a lot to look forward to from the point of view of Grizzlies fans because the team is so young and had to deal with some drama from Morant, who only played 61 games. As long as Morant and key players such as Jaren Jackson Jr are healthy, the Grizzlies will be a threat to make the Western Conference Finals, although it won’t be easy.
Never count out the Golden State Warriors. The reigning NBA champions have suffered through an inconsistent season this year, finishing 44-38 for 6th in the Western Conference. The first-round matchup with the Sacramento Kings will be extremely fascinating because it will tell a lot about how the champions can gain momentum and deal with dangerous opponents. Remember, the Sacramento Kings ranked 1st in the NBA in PPG so they could take advantage of the Warriors’ 22nd-ranked defense.
Tier 3 – Second-Round Dreamers
Sacramento Kings, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers
Who would have thought that the Sacramento Kings would have finished with the No. 3 seed in the West? If anyone says that they predicted that, it is a lie. The Kings are the best offensive team in the NBA, led by Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox, two All-Star-caliber players who are having terrific seasons. Coach Mike Brown is the frontrunner for Coach of the Year and has done a tremendous job gearing up the players all season. Their biggest test is the reigning champion Golen State Warriors, so time will tell if the Kings are ready to make it past the first round.
Cleveland has Donovan Mitchell, so anything is possible. The shooting guard had a career year, posting 28.3 PPG and even having a 71-point game which broke the Cavaliers’ franchise record. Along with Mitchell, the Cavs have a solid supporting cast, including Darius Garand, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen, who are all young and relatively inexperienced. Hopefully, Mitchell can lead the youngsters to the second round because the team is extremely talented and yet does not have high expectations of them.
The Knicks did a great job this season after having a disastrous 2021-22 campaign, finishing 5th in the East and once again getting a great year from franchise player Julius Randle. The addition of scoring guard Jalen Brunson has made New York a more than a respectable team, and even if most outside NBA fans expect them to lose in the first round to the Cavaliers, Knicks fans are already aiming toward an Eastern Conference Finals berth. Although unlikely, let’s see what New York can do this postseason.
It is a shame that Paul George is out for what seems like considerable time already because the Los Angeles Clippers will have no shot at defeating the Kevin Durant-led Phoenix Suns without him. Kawhi Leonard is a bona fide superstar who had a solid season (23.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG) through 51 games. Norman Powell and Russell Westbrook will have to pick up the slack, and if they do, the Clippers can let Kawhi lead them to a 6 or 7-game series. Otherwise, the Suns are the heavy favorites going into the first round, which leads one to wonder why the Clippers did not throw the game against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night.
Tier 4 – Pretenders
Brooklyn Nets, Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder
Brooklyn no longer has superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on the team, but they do have talented young players, including Mikal Bridges, who want to prove they can win in the new era. The Nets have a difficult matchup against the Joel Embiid-led Philadelphia 76ers, so they aren’t expected to win more than one game. Anything can happen, including injuries, so we have to wait and see. The Nets are in the playoffs mainly because Durant and Irving won enough games, but they are not a threat for the title.
Miami is not supposed to be this low because even as underdogs in the past, they have always either made the Eastern Conference Finals or NBA Finals. This year, however, the team is not the same. They are middle-of-the-pack as a team, ranking 25th in offensive rating and 8th in defensive rating. Offensively, Miami is atrocious because if Tyler Herro does not go off, they can’t score enough. The Heat rank 30th in PPG, and that won’t cut in the postseason, especially when having to win in the play-in tournament and compete with either the Boston Celtics or Milwaukee Bucks.
The Hawks are in the play-in tournament against a Miami Heat side that has been disappointing but somehow always a threat. Atlanta has also been disappointing because Trae Young and Dejounte Murray have not led the team to enough wins, and the side is far off from the 2021 Eastern Conference Finalists. Atlanta was ranked 22nd in defensive rating and 7th in offensive rating in the playoffs, meaning not much is expected of them. Their first goal is to get by the Miami Heat in the play-in and hopes that momentum picks them up as the games go by.
Toronto is another forgettable side that will have to compete in the play-in tournament for a chance to fight one of the top teams in the East. The Raptors are not good enough to challenge for the title, even if Pascal Siakam had an incredible season at an individual level. The Canadian team is not the same one that won the NBA title in 2019, so Raptors fans have almost zero expectations that this team will even make it out of the play-in tournament.
It is a shame that the Chicago Bulls have struggled all year, and head coach Billy Donovan should absolutely be in the host seat. After all, the Bulls have some serious talent on the team. DeMar DeRozan made the All-Star Team after posting 24.7 PPG in the regular season, and Zach LaVine was consistent by posting 24.9 PPG. Nikola Vucevic is a talented center who averaged a double-double again (17.8 PPG, 11.1 RPG), so there is a trio that can get it done on offense. The Bulls want to at least make it out of the play-in before regrouping next year and focusing on free agency.
The Pelicans have the very young and inexperienced Oklahoma City Thunder in the play-in tournament, and they are favored. Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum, and Jonas Valanciunas are a talented enough trio to get the job done, as Willie Green has the side playing inspired basketball at times. New Orleans is a first-round exit without Zion Williamson, however, and that will continue to bother Pelicans fans that their star player simply cannot stay healthy. Something has to be done about that, whether it is a trade or a deep conversation with the player and his team.
Minnesota has to face LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and the Los Angeles Lakers in the play-in tournament, which is no easy feat. The Lakers will be favored simply based on championship experience and superstar power, but it won’t be completely shocking if the Timberwolves get the job done. Rudy Gobert’s behavior toward Kyle Anderson does not look too good with the postseason starting, but it might signal the team is war-ready…sort of. The Timberwolves are not a great team, and their utmost success might only be defeating the Lakers.
The Oklahoma City Thunder did not anticipate being in the postseason mix, especially with Chet Holmgren missing the season. However, thanks to budding superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder find themselves in the mix to make the postseason. Dealing with the New Orleans Pelicans won’t be easy, and the Thunder are the underdogs, but it is still promising to see how far Gilgeous-Alexander has come as the best player on the team. Regardless, it is good for the youngsters, including Josh Giddey, to gain playoff exposure because the future is very bright for them.
