NBA: 4 Dark horse teams that could make a surprisingly deep playoff run

Exploring four NBA teams that could end up making a surprisingly deep playoff run.

This year’s NBA Playoffs could end up being amongst the most competitive that we’ve seen over the last few years. Looking at both conferences, it’s hard to pinpoint one overwhelming favorite that is expected to run through the postseason. In fact, you can make a strong argument for 4-5 teams that could seemingly win the NBA title.

I can’t remember when we’ve said that confidently so close to the start of the postseason. The result will likely prove to be an even more entertaining postseason. And that’s never a bad thing.

With just a few weeks left in the regular season, we take a closer look at four dark horse NBA teams that could end up making a somewhat surprising deep playoff run.

Cleveland Cavaliers

There’s a lot to like about the Cleveland Cavaliers heading into the postseason. They are one of the few teams in the NBA with a top-10 offense, defense, and net rating. Interestingly, despite being ranked fourth in the Eastern Conference standings, the Cavs have the best overall net rating.

It’s easy to suggest that the Cavs may still be a year or two and a move or two away from true title contention, but there is also a reason to believe that Cleveand could emerge as a very dangerous team in the NBA Playoffs. They have a superstar talent to lead the way in Donovan Mitchell and two rising stars in Darius Garland and Evan Mobley. The big question for this team could ultimately fall on the team’s supporting cast, which admittedly hasn’t been great this season.

That said, the Cavs are certainly a team to watch heading into the postseason.