As we enter the final stretch of the NBA season, the title contenders are starting to separate themselves from the rest of the league. For ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, five teams stand out in particular.
On Thursday’s edition of First Take, Stephen A. revealed his top five contenders to win the NBA Finals. For his “Stephen’s A-List” segment, he had the Heat, Bucks and Nets from the East, and the Suns and Warriors from the West.
Stephen A. had the Nets as his top contender from the East. He explained that Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant are superstars and that newly-acquired Ben Simmons will be a major threat in the playoffs.
In the West he had the Suns and Warriors in his top two. But the Warriors got the edge for their superior star power with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson now healthy.
Here is Stephen A. Smith’s full list of the top 5 NBA title contenders:
- Golden State Warriors
- Phoenix Suns
- Brooklyn Nets
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Miami Heat
.@stephenasmith lists his Top 5 contenders for the NBA Finals:
1. Golden State Warriors
2. Phoenix Suns
3. Brooklyn Nets
4. Milwaukee Bucks
5. Miami Heat pic.twitter.com/u72WJAnnun— First Take (@FirstTake) February 24, 2022
It’s a strong list though not without some people complaining about it. Some fans in the comments have asked where the Philadelphia 76ers, Chicago Bulls and Memphis Grizzlies are.
There’s just over a dozen games left to go for most NBA teams. Some of them have already been effectively eliminated while others are jockeying for seeding.
But in less than two months, only 20 teams will remain in contention for the title.
Did Stephen A. Smith get this list right?
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