A little over halfway through the NBA season, we have gotten a taste of what all 30 teams are capable of. Now heading into the NBA All-Star break, we have compiled a list of six teams to keep an eye on after the break.
Some have shown that they have what it takes to win an NBA Championship, while others have shown that they are good, but not quite worthy of being in the conversation as the league's best.
NBA All-Star Break-Out Teams: The Milwaukee Bucks
Giannis and the Milwaukee Bucks are no strangers to going on championship runs, as they did in the 2021 postseason to win their first championship. Even after firing hiring head coach Adrian Griffin and replacing him with Doc Rivers, the Bucks are still a favorite to win it all.
The only concern is whether the Bucks's defense can hold up in order for them to make it back to the finals. It's no secret that the Bucks took a drastic defensive step back this season after trading Jrue Holiday away in the offseason. It was a big move to bring in Damian Lillard, who is having another All-NBA season.
If the Bucks can get over their defensive issues along with coaching hiccups as of late, then you pencil this team as playing in the finals.
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NBA All-Star Break-Out Teams: The Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are in the midst of one of their best seasons since the 2004-05 season, a year in which they made the Western Conference Finals behind an MVP campaign from Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett.
Despite the great success they are experiencing this season, they might be far away from an NBA Championship compared to the rest of these teams.
The Timberwolves are still relatively unproven in the Western Conference, even with boasting one of the best records in the league. Having little playoff success with their current core is what sets them off as a serious contender.
Last year, they lost to the NBA Champion Denver Nuggets in the first round, even after taking them to five games.
Anthony Edwards' emergence into a superstar has been an absolute joy. Karl-Anthony Towns continues to come up huge for the Wolves this season, and is surrounded by a strong core that features the likes of Mike Conley, Jaden McDaniels, and Naz Reid.
This season's postseason is a real test for the Timberwolves to prove they are ready for primetime playoff games.
NBA All-Star Break-Out Teams: The Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns were one of the busiest teams in the offseason, making moves to trade for Bradley Beal after getting Kevin Durant in the season prior, along with a coaching change from Monty Williams to Frank Vogel.
Despite making massive changes in the offseason, the Suns have started this season slow out the gate, struggling to get it going due to a combination of injuries and working out the right lineup.
Now it seems the Phoenix Suns are starting to find their rhythm at the right time, reeling off seven wins in a row after blowing out the Dallas Mavericks.
Booker and Beal have been relatively healthy over the Suns' most recent stretch, and Durant is continuing to prove why he is one of the best players in the league averaging 29.1 points per game while shooting 45% from the field.
The Suns have proven players who know what it takes to win in the postseason, led by Durant who has two titles to his name.
Building any real momentum before the playoffs only helps the Suns with their three-headed monster of Durant, Booker, and Beal, which can be a problem for any team out West.
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NBA All-Star Break-Out Teams: The Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers find themselves in an interesting situation this season. The team has had a lot of turnover over this offseason, trading James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers and firing coach Doc Rivers, bringing Nick Nurse.
But despite all of that, they have been able to right the ship, continuing to be one of the best teams in the league with Embiid continuing to play at an MVP level.
Point guard Tyrese Maxey is having a breakout season as the Sixers have the tools and talent to make a deep playoff run. On the other hand, we have unfortunately been down this rabbit hole with Philadelphia basketball.
Based on the team's history, we could likely see another epic collapse in the postseason again; or Nick Nurse and the crew could prevail, finally lifting the Sixers up to the promised land.
The 76ers ultimately still need to prove they can get it done once playoffs come around.
NBA All-Star Break-Out Teams: The Miami Heat
While this one might be a hot take, the Miami Heat have yet to do anything to show that they can be a serious contender after making the finals for the second time within five years last season.
This season the Heat, though they are playing better than last season, still lack a significant spark.
Miami has constantly bullied their way to a championship in the Eastern Conference, but may face problems this season as the Bucks and Celtics have gotten significantly better through trade or free agency.
We could be wrong, as each time the Miami Heat have been counted out; they have proven that they can make a deep run in the playoffs on multiple occasions.
Eric Spoelstra has proved his worth as a leader head coach, and Jimmy Butler has also shown that he can carry his team when needed most.
NBA All-Star Break-Out Teams: The Boston Celtics
This might be the year for the Boston Celtics. After an offseason of retooling their roster, the Celtics assembled what many feel may be the best team in basketball.
The dynamic duo of Tatum and Brown continue to click at a high level. The signings of Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis have proven to be key moves done, helping elevate this team to another level.
The Celtics are currently the best team in basketball with a record of 34-10 and likely are the odds on favorite to come out of the East to likely win it all.
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