The six teams competing for the NBA championship

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SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 03: Kyle Lowry #7 of the Miami Heat is guarded by Kevon Looney #5 of the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on January 03, 2022 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

The six teams competing for the NBA championship: Golden State Warriors

The Warriors still hold the second-best record in the league, despite losing four of their past five before the All-Star break. They’ve also won two of their three outings with the Suns, a tantalizing matchup that could culminate come playoff time.

The most optimistic view for Warriors fans is the fact the trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green have played a total of seven seconds together. They still maintain the best defensive rating in the league, yet Green’s return will be a welcome return post-All-Star break.

The six teams competing for the NBA championship: Miami Heat

The Heat are tied for the best record in the Eastern Conference, doing so despite missing key players for large chunks of the season to date. In particular, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo have been out for a combined 44 games.

Like the Suns, Miami is top ten in both offensive and defensive rating. With their renowned toughness and uncompromising style, few would want to face Erik Spoelstra’s crew come playoff time.

The six teams competing for the NBA championship: Philadelphia 76ers

Who knows which James Harden will turn up post-All-Star break, but if it’s anything close to his best, then this team is a serious threat. Joel Embiid is arguably the favorite for NBA MVP, too, with few, if any, teams armed with the ability to slow him.

The acquisition of Harden could prove to be the missing piece, particularly given the 76ers are ranked just 12th in overall net rating. They still contain nice complementary scorers in Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey, as well as one of, if not the best perimeter defender in the league in Matisse Thybulle.