We all know that the two-time defending NBA champion Miami Heat and their superstar LeBron James are ready to continue their dominance over professional basketball, but where the San Antonio Spurs took the 2013 NBA Championship to 7 complete games, maybe there is a team that could beat the Heat. Here are 5 of those teams that could give him a real chance this year and potentially win the title, other than the Heat:
1. Indiana Pacers – With the best record in basketball, the Pacers are a potentially dangerous team for the Heat. They play very well on defense and have a balanced attack, with 5 players averaging more than 10 points per game. Paul George is a rising star and would love to lead the Pacers to success. They led Miami to 7 games last season and will desperately look to usurp them in 2014. This is definitely a team to watch out for that successfully thwarted the Heat in last year’s Eastern Conference Finals. Could they beat Miami this year?
2. Oklahoma City Thunder – This team is ranked in the top 10 on both offense and defense and is led by sensational star Kevin Durant who went on a 12-game streak scoring over 30 points per game. At 25 years old, he is ready to take the next step and win a championship. It seems the question is quickly becoming when, rather than if he will win it all. When Russell Westbrook returns, this team should once again be a contender.
3. San Antonio Spurs: The team that just can’t get old is at it again, nearly winning it all last year, except for a dramatic Ray Allen 3-pointer late in Game 6. The Spurs are led by the maturity of Manu Ginobili . , Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, who would just love another chance to push LeBron back. They could definitely challenge for a title again and would love to get another championship together, and they haven’t won it all since 2007.
4. Houston Rockets – This team is an offensive force, with Dwight Howard, James Harden, Jeremy Lin, and Chandler Parsons being effective scorers. However, as a team they are average defensively and I just can’t see them taking on James, Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade. They will be outmatched in a firefight against the superior opposition. However, the future is bright in Houston and they could become a force in the Western Conference in the long run.
5. Los Angeles Clippers: Undoubtedly one of the most enjoyable teams to watch this season, the Clippers finally took control of the City of Angels (thanks in large part to Kobe Bryant’s injuries). Behind Blake Griffin, Jamal Crawford and Chris Paul, the Clippers will be a dangerous team in this year’s playoffs, even though things haven’t gone well for this team in recent NBA playoffs. Another offensive powerhouse, the Clippers may be stunted by a stern defense, but there’s a definite chance the team could make some greatness happen!
