Who are the NBA title contenders post-trade deadline?
The NBA Trade deadline is finished, so teams are fully equipped with the players that will lead them into battle come playoff time.
Some of the NBA Championship contenders have had to make little to no changes to their all-star caliber roster, while some have made crucial swaps to bolster their chances of winning.
The trade deadline always serves as a crucial benchmark in the NBA season. For some teams, it's the difference between winning and losing at the end of the season.
Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!
Here are the three NBA Championship contenders in both conferences post-trade deadline!
The Boston Celtics have been one of the heavy favorites to win the NBA Championship from the start, possessing an all-star lineup of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, and Kristaps Porzingis.
The addition of Xavier Tillman on the deadline has only bolstered their front-court unit for battles against the beasts of the East, and they sit top of the Eastern Conference with a record of 42 wins and 12 losses. It will take an almighty effort to stop the Celtics this season!
Offense has not been the issue with Milwaukee Bucks this season, having the All-NBA caliber due of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard in their ranks, who can give you 50 points on any given night.
The Bucks made the smart move of firing coach Adrian Griffin and bringing the more defensive-minded Doc Rivers into the ranks. Under Rivers, the average number of points conceded has gone from 120 points to under 118, as reported by the NBA. Together, things look promising.
According to Stat Muse, since James Harden joined the LA Clippers in November, the Clippers have won over 30 of the 47 games he has played, showing their class and title potential in the team.
The Clippers already have a team stacked full of all-stars, with Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, and Russell Westbrook all on the team. They are the third-ranked best offensive team in the NBA, and the four players have 521 playoff games between them.
Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!
It's impossible to write off the reigning champion Denver Nuggets as contenders even though they stayed quiet on the deadline, with Nikola Jokic still producing MVP-worthy stats of 26.3 points, 12.2 rebounds, and nine assists per game, according to the NBA website.
According to SportsKeeda, the Nuggets are ranked 13th in defensive rating and tenth in offensive rating, but in the playoffs, Denver has shown they can turn it on when it matters.
The New York Knicks have been the surprise package in the NBA this season, with all-stars Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle leading the Knicks to fourth in the Eastern Conference.
To bolster their team, the Knicks added the defensive maestro OG Anunoby and Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burke at the trade deadline, creating perfect defense and outside shooting to compliment Brunson and Randle.
Led by superstar Anthony Edwards and all-star coach Chris Finch, the Minnesota Timberwolves are top of the Western Conference with a record of 38 wins and 16 losses, according to the NBA website.
As reported by Stat Muse, the Timberwolves are top of the West because of their defense, having the best defensive rating in the NBA (109.1 points allowed). Rudy Gobert is averaging 2.1 blocks per game, and Karl Anthony Towns is averaging 22.5 points per game.
Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!