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NBA: Determining Early Championship Contenders

By Shane Young

Nov 11, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) dribbles the basketball against San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9, left) and forward Tim Duncan (21, right) during the first quarter at Oracle Arena. The Spurs defeated the Warriors 113-100. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 11, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) dribbles the basketball against San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9, left) and forward Tim Duncan (21, right) during the first quarter at Oracle Arena. The Spurs defeated the Warriors 113-100. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 28, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33) tries to get past Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) during the first quarter of the game at the Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports /

You’re sitting beside your Christmas tree on a cold, shivery morning. Unraveling your first present and glowing in a smile, you hold a sweater featuring your dearest NBA franchise.

Dressed in support of the team you grew up admiring, even watching them play on Christmas Day, you probably asked yourself an important question.

Is my team an NBA contender?  Is it possible that my team could actually live up to the dream I’ve always wanted to live, hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy?  Is my team in the mix of those receiving national attentions as “title favorites?”

Everyone has pondered at least one of those questions since October, the beginning of the greatest season in sports.

Within today’s civilization, it’s always a fight to gain national recognition when you’re a lower market organization. Regardless if your team is built sturdy for the playoffs and a deep run, some fans aren’t going to buy into the notion of giving you a chance. It’s solely because of the name and recent history (see: Atlanta Hawks). The NBA is not a sport mirroring the MLB, where you can go from mediocre to phenomenal in just one season and have people believing in the success.

They ultimately sell it, because of the recent champions that have dominated the NBA’s biggest stage. Since 1999, either the Spurs, Lakers, or Heat have appeared in every NBA Finals matchup. That’s 16 years, and just three teams.

Sure, Dirk Nowitzki (Mavericks) and Paul Pierce (Celtics) have snuck in titles between those years. But, they did so against the Heat and Lakers. It’s the fact of three particular teams reaching the final corner 100 percent of the time that’s alarming.

Every year, there is only a certain group of four or five championship “contenders,” in which I define using a simple method for spectators, but an extremely difficult method for the teams themselves.

Who would be your top candidates for the 2014-15 title, when the Western Conference is deeper than it’s ever been in history?

Next: The Method