The 4 Types of Teams in the NBA

The NBA. 30 teams, 6 divisions, 2 conferences. Arguably the most watched basketball league around the world. What's not to like? Every young baller's goal is to make it to the NBA and play for the most famous teams around the world. In this post, I'd just like to write one thing that popped into my mind this evening, which is the 4 types of teams in the league this season. You may not agree with some of my entries, but hey, it's a blog. Share yours if you disagree with mine.

Group A: The Contenders
This group is the group of the elite teams, the cream of the crop, the icing on the cake. These teams are legitimate contenders for the Larry O' Brien trophy come June. Teams in this group average 50+ wins a season, which is very tough in a league like the NBA. The players in this group are the real deal. They are the guys who get max contracts, personalized shoes, TV commercials, etc. Not only are the players good, but the front offices of the teams in this group gets the job done. The GM's of these teams are no pushovers. They are willing to go over the luxury tax just to sign players who they believe can help them win the championship. The point is, these teams set the bar for greatness around the league. If you can't beat these teams, it means only one thing: You don't deserve to contend for the title yet.

Teams in this group are:
Los Angeles Lakers - Kobe, Gasol, Artest, Odom, Bynum. What's not to like?
San Antonio Spurs - Duncan and Popovich will be in the Hall of Fame. Book it.
Boston Celtics - Allen, Wallace, Garnett, Pierce, Rondo. Best team on paper in the East
Cleveland Cavaliers - They've got the best player in the league today.
Denver Nuggets - 'Melo is having a career year.
Orlando Magic - 2nd deepest bench in the league today.
Dallas Mavericks - 3rd deepest bench in the league today.

Group B: We're not elite but we're getting there
This group are the new kids on the block. They're just waiting for the contenders to grow old and rebuild. They'll win 37 to 49 games this season, make the playoffs, only to lose at the 1st or 2nd round. Remember the cellar dwellers the previous 3 seasons? Here they are, new and improved. These guys know the system well, they've been together for some time, and they have played against the toughest of opponents. They're getting to the top, but they just need a bit more seasoning before they can contend.

Teams in this group are:
Portland Trail Blazers - Deepest bench in the league today. So many good players, so little playing time.
Atlanta Hawks - Very potent starting 5, solid 8 man rotation
Philadelphia 76ers - Lou Williams, Iggy, Speights, and Young are very talented young players. They'll be championship contenders after 2 more seasons. Book it.
Chicago Bulls - They've got Rose, Noah, and Salmons to build around. Maybe a veteran coach is all they need to get to the big stage.
Washington Wizards - Disregarding the injuries, this team looks ready to get back to the playoffs after last season's disaster. Good coach, solid 8 mand rotation.
Toronto Raptors - Finally, Bargnani is showing flashes of brilliance!
Houston Rockets - The T-Mac and Yao -less team play well together. Adelman is great, but 7th spot in the playoffs at best.
Phoenix Suns - Probably the last season they'll contend for the title. Offense has been great, but can they keep it up the whole 82 games?
Miami Heat - Wade's been tearing it up

Group C: I'm not sure what we're doing, but if we don't win we're screwed
These are the teams that have either made bad transactions or have just been inconsistent this season. These teams have failed to stand out among the pack and are in danger of being cellar dwellers in the upcoming seasons. Unless they get their act together, they'll be out of the playoffs and suffer 4-5 years of rebuilding and frustrations.

Teams in this group are:
Indiana Pacers - Danny Granger, now what?
Los Angeles Clippers - Kaman and Gordon are great, but can Baron Davis fit in?
Oklahoma City Thunder - Durant will be a beast. Just hope Westbrook, Harden, and Green may follow.
New Orleans Hornets - They've just been bad. West is not the same since 2 seasons ago, and Paul is getting frustrated already.
Utah Jazz - Deron Williams has not been big so far, Millsap and Boozer look bored, and Kirilenko can't wait to play for that Russian owner of the Nets.
Detroit Pistons - Overpaid Villanueva and Gordon, pissing off Prince and Hamilton. We'll see.

Group 4: Cellar Dwellers
These teams are awful. The bottom of the pack. The players play for stats, GMs don't want to spend, and the fans have turned their backs on them. These teams are in the dark ages, just rebuilding and rebuilding until they finally get the pieces that work together.

The teams in this group are:
Memphis Grizzlies - You have a good lineup of young players (Gasol, Arthur, Gay, Mayo, Conley), then you trade for Randolph and sign a disgruntled Iverson
Golden State Warriors - 2007 team was great, then you trade Richardson and Harrington in 2008. Now look where they are now.
Milwaukee Bucks - Jennings is making waves for the ROY award, but until Bogut has a breakout year, and Redd remains healthy the Bucks will win not more than 30 games.
Charlotte Bobcats - Larry Brown is great, but this team just can't seem to win at a daily basis
New York Knicks - Wait for 2010. But for now, don't expect them to win much.
New Jersey Nets - They're just a pain to watch now. Aside from Lopez and CDR, nobody's doing well in this team.
Minnesota Timberwolves - Flynn is great, but Jefferson is a step slower this season
Sacramento Kings - Good lineup, but they just can't seem to win