At the start of each NBA season there are, realistically, about 10 teams who could make a run at a championship. By the time the All-Star break hits, those teams have made themselves known. After the break they really begin to separate themselves from the pack, and by the end of the year the true contenders are clear as day.
Last week Sports Illustrated kicked off the NBA’s stretch run to the playoffs by identifying those teams, ranking the top six seeds in each conference. Basketball history shows a team must finish that high in the standings to have any shot at the title. But the real favorites come from the top three seeds of each conference; nearly every NBA champion in the history of the league has been at least a three-seed or higher when they raised the Larry O’Brien.
