After the All-Star break, which NBA teams on the fringe are primed to break into the playoffs in the second half of the season?
Now that all the festivities of All-Star weekend have concluded, basketball fans can now put our sights on the best part of the season: The playoffs.
The word “parity” has often been used in describing this season. Golden State has been reduced from the juggernaut it once was to an injury-plagued team at the bottom of the league (for now). There is no clear-cut favorite to win the title this year and the anticipation is high for what is sure to be a riveting few months of basketball come playoff time.
The fiercest competition right now is among the teams in the 7/8 seeds and below. These teams scrap and claw their way into finally getting that glorified recognition as a “playoff team” (only to likely be absolutely disassembled by a top seed powerhouse).
There are three teams currently on my radar that I believe can make a last successful push into the postseason and possibly even make some noise in their respective series. These teams have got the talent and systems to turn a perceived sweep into a real fight.