The 2021-22 NBA season officially kicks off Tuesday night and with it comes hope anew for all 30 teams in the league that this just might be their respective years.
Of course, the reality of the situation is that there can only be one champion at the end of the eight-month marathon. While just about every team believes they have a chance at the start of a new season, we all know that isn’t actually true.
Because of this harsh reality, we’re kicking off the first instalment of the 2021-22 edition of the NBA Tier List by grouping up teams in accordance to how likely we believe they are to win it all before any games have been played.
Legitimate championship threats
To have the Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers and defending champion Milwaukee Bucks at the very top of the heap isn’t very adventurous, but’s it just feels the most factual. All three teams feature legitimate superstar talent who have won before and stacked starting lineups. Sure, there’s something to be desired from this group’s bench units – Los Angeles’, in particular – but until we see how that plays out, these three clubs are the favourites to win it all.
Solid-looking contending teams
These eight squads represent clubs that all look like they could be in the championship mix, but we just aren’t confident enough yet to move them up to the top of the list for various reasons.
Some examples of this are: The Ben Simmons saga occurring in Philadelphia right now, how Klay Thompson might look coming off an Achilles injury when he returns to the lineup, what Jamal Murray might look like when he returns to Denver’s lineup and how quickly the Heat will be able to integrate Kyle Lowry into their mix.
Variables like this hold these teams back for now.
Playoff-calibre squads
As the sub-head suggests, this quintet of clubs is made up of teams that should be a lock for the playoffs. Anything beyond that, however, feels like anyone’s guess, though, as there are still a lot of question marks and simply just a talent deficiency on these teams compared to the ones we have ahead of them.
Playing for the play-in
Last season saw the introduction of the play-in tournament, and for all the trepidation around it, the event became a big hit because of the high-stakes nature of one-and-done situations.
The play-in tournament will return this season and we believe that these eight teams will be the ones most likely in the mix for one of those spots as they all appear to be decent enough, but there are certainly flaws you can point out on each of their rosters that make you think twice about pencilling them in for a playoff spot.
Let the Chet Holmgren sweepstakes begin
Gonzaga freshman centre Chet Holmgren is expected to go No. 1 overall because he has legitimate perimeter ball skills, a good-looking jumper, playmaking skills and he does all that while also being able to play like the seven-footer he is as a strong rim protector and shot-blocker.
In all likelihood, he is the prize that these six teams will be “competing” for this season.
