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Drunk on Sports
14-Dec-2024 09:57
Best of the best: 8 must-see NBA lineups this season

The first quarter buzzer for this exciting NBA season has sounded and fans can’t get enough of all the top-notch basketball action so far. Hoop heads have enjoyed plenty of memorable highlights, milestones, and surprises this early in the season, and now real title contenders are starting to stand out from the rest of the pack. With more than half of the season still ahead, teams are now pushing the pace in the race to the playoffs and ultimately to the title. But in the last 40 years, squads that reigned as champions ranked in the top 5 in either offensive, defensive rating or both, with only three exceptions. Here’s a closer look at the must-see NBA lineups that belong in such elite category as the best of the best title-worthy contenders this season:

Fab five: NBA lineups with true title contender status

There are a few teams that currently rank in both top 10 in offensive and defensive rating. Trim it down to NBA lineups with top 5 efficiency in either offense or defense and we have five cream of the crop contenders in:

·        Oklahoma City Thunder. There’s good reason why many considered the Thunder as the best that will emerge in the West before the season began, and so far so good for this young but gritty squad. They have the best net rating in the NBA so far, with their 8th ranked offensive efficiency bolstered by the league’s most stifling defense. The OKC lineup has three of the top 10 steals leaders in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Cason Wallace. Plus, they have Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein in the lineup, while an injured Chet Holmgren is waiting in the wings to get healthy. There’s also Lu Dort who locks down the top offensive threat of their opponent on a nightly basis. The scary part, they haven’t played their full lineup yet and they are still leading the West with an 18-5 card.
·        Cleveland Cavaliers. The best team in the league, which rolled to a 15-0 start and owns a 21-4 record at this time, ranks second in net rating. Their defense is no slouch, ranking ninth in efficiency. But they have elite rim scoring led by their two towers in Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. With proven scorers like Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland leading the attack, the Cavs dominate opponents with the second most efficient offense in the league.
·        Boston Celtics. The reigning champions have lived up to expectations as heavy favorites to repeat this season. With a 19-5 record that’s second best in the league so far, the Celtics currently own the third highest net rating, with the third most efficient offense and ranking 10th in defensive efficiency. The championship winning core is intact, led by Jayson Tatum, Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Al Horford, and Kristaps Porzingis who has recently returned from injury. With the emergence of Sixth Man of the Year candidate Payton Pritchard and a historic offense on pace to break NBA three-point records, the road to the throne still goes through Boston.
·        Dallas Mavericks. Last season’s runner-up is also poised to contend for another go at a title this season, thanks to an intact core bolstered by new additions like Klay Thompson. Adding elite shooting threat to surround Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving has helped the Mavericks notch the fourth-best offense so far in the league. With Derrick Lively and Daniel Gafford anchoring the middle along with 3-D specialists like PJ Washington and Quentin Grimes, this Dallas lineup also has bolstered its defense to rank 8th in defensive efficiency.
·        Memphis Grizzlies. Memphis is back in the playoff race with a bang. After injuries left them out of the top teams in the West, the Grizzlies now sit second in the conference with an 17-8 record. The secret to their success this season is the health of stars like Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, and Marcus Smart. They also have the shooting, the depth, and size to match up well with any contender, which is why they have the fifth best offense and 7th ranked defense in the league.

Triple threat: NBA lineups with darkhorse contender status

There have been a few times in the past 40 seasons where a champion has had either an offensive or defensive rating outside the top 10. In fact, 3 of the last 5 champions had either an offensive or defensive rating outside the top 10, so there’s hope for these three darkhorse contenders:

·        Houston Rockets. The surprise of the season may be Cleveland, but Houston is a close runner-up. The Rockets rank outside the 10 most efficient offenses, at 16th place. But where they are turning heads is on defense, with the second highest defensive rating behind OKC. All props to coach Ime Udoka, who has devised a system and culture that has turned even defensive liabilities like Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green into willing and able defenders. Surrounded by noted defense-oriented role players like Dillon Brooks, Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, and Jabari Smith Jr., this Houston team can definitely be the nightmare that ruins plans for title contenders out in the West.
·        New York Knicks. Odd for a Tom Thibodeau-coached team to rank as low as 18 on defensive rating, but where the Knicks thrive is on the other end. Despite playing at one of the slowest paces in the league, New York owns the highest offensive rating in the NBA. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns form such a formidable duo on the halfcourt set. With Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, and OG Anunoby lurking in the wings for driving lanes and open shots, it’s no wonder why the Knicks are so excellent in finding gaps to score on any defense. If their defense gets closer to competent, watch out for this lineup in the East.
·        Golden State Warriors. Despite a recent slump that pushed them down to 14-9, the Warriors have been a surprising contender this season. Not even the loss of Klay Thompson hurt their title aspirations as new additions Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson have meshed well with the core lineup led by Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Jonathan Kuminga. With steady role players like Kevon Looney, Gary Payton II, and Brandin Podziemski, Golden State has ranked fifth in defensive efficiency and still packs some efficient scoring with a 9th-ranked offensive rating. Consistency will be the main challenge for the Warriors to contend in a stacked West.

Whether your favorite NBA lineup made the list or not, there’s still a lot of basketball action ahead and changes in rosters will be inevitable—whether through trades or injuries. While much remains uncertain, this one rings true—the teams with either an elite offense, defense, or both will more than likely make it to the top. So strap on and enjoy the rest of the thrilling NBA season. Stay tuned for all the exciting moves that NBA lineups will make to stake their claim as the best of the best.
Boston Celtics
Cleveland Cavaliers
Oklahoma City Thunder
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