Bucks, Suns, 76ers atop Cowherd's NBA Finals favorites
With the All-Star break over with, and the regular season resuming, the NBA is drawing one step closer to the postseason.
With the playoff picture coming into focus, and contenders separating themselves from pretenders, it's time to figure out who realistically has the best chance at winning a championship this season.
Colin Cowherd dove in on "The Herd" on Tuesday, deciding which teams he is most confident can hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy at season's end.
Bucks lead Colin's list of NBA teams he's most confident can win a championship
Miami Heat (41-21), 1st in Eastern Conference
Colin-fidence Meter: 4 out of 10
Colin's thoughts: "I'm way lower on the Heat than everybody else is. I love their coach and I think they're built for the regular season. I probably have them a spot too low — my confidence meter is a four, should probably be about a six. Here's my thing — their bench scoring is great but your bench shrinks in the postseason. Bench scoring is not taking you to a title. I'm OK with having average bench scoring. You don't win championships because you have the best bench."
Los Angeles Lakers (27-33), 3rd in Western Conference
Colin-fidence Meter: Broken
Colin's thoughts: "They're chemistry is not good and AD's not healthy."
Milwaukee Bucks (36-25), 5th in Eastern Conference
Colin-fidence Meter: 9 out of 10
Colin's thoughts: "They're very Giannis [Antetokounmpo]-dependent, and they don't have a bench. But I don't care. You've got seven guys who can play. I don't care about eight, nine, 10. The bottom line is they miss [Brook] Lopez, they don't rebound as well, they don't defend the 3-point line as well. But Jrue Holiday, I trust him in the playoffs. Giannis, I trust him in the playoffs. Khris Middleton, very good last year in the playoffs."
Brooklyn Nets (32-30), 8th in Eastern Conference
Colin-fidence Neter: 1 out of 10
Colin's thoughts: "Don't buy them at all. Not this year. Maybe next year. Kevin Durant is hurt, [Ben] Simmons hasn't played since the playoffs last year. They have weird personalities. I don't buy them at all this year. If Simmons comes out with Kyrie [Irving] and Kevin Durant, they'll be interesting, and they'll have nights, but you have no idea about their chemistry."
Golden State Warriors (43-18), 2nd in Western Conference
Colin-fidence Meter: 6 out of 10
Colin's thoughts: "I don't know if they're big enough to win. Here's the thing I like about them: second-most 3s in the league, best home team in the league, very Steph-dependent. But that's okay, I like Steph [Curry]. They're small. Draymond [Green] is hurt. They need him. I still don't know if James Wiseman fits."
Memphis Grizzlies (43-20), 3rd in Western Conference
Colin-fidence Meter: 3 out of 10
Colin's thoughts: "I think they're so much fun to watch, but they don't shoot the 3 at all. And let's be honest, refs swallow the whistle in the playoffs. So this team is second in the NBA in free throw attempts — not getting those in the playoffs. Young teams and free throw shooting teams don't get respect in the playoffs. They're going to have to earn it. They'll win a playoff series and then they're done."
Dallas Mavericks (36-25), 5th in Western Conference
Colin-fidence Meter: 4 out of 10
Colin's thoughts: "I will say this: Since [Kristaps] Porzingis left, they are a better team. They play real defense, they defend the 3, they defend the interior — it's a real team. They will win a playoff series and they are thriving. They're like the Miami Heat — I don't think they can win a championship. I probably have Dallas, like Miami, low because you wouldn't be shocked if Miami with Spoelstra or Dallas with Luka [Doncic] carried them to a second playoff win."
Chicago Bulls (39-23), 2nd in Eastern Conference
Colin-fidence Meter: 5 out of 10
Colin's thoughts: "Listen, they've got two stars. They shoot the 3 well, it's a good offensive team, they don't have a bench. Where I don't mind a team with stars having no bench like Philadelphia, I don't think this team has enough stars to overcome having no bench. I think their bench would be more important."
Phoenix Suns (49-12), 1st in Western Conference
Colin-fidence Meter: 10 out of 10
Colin's thoughts: "I think this is a championship team. I think when Chris Paul comes back, I get a bench, I get a big, I get youth, I get a scorer. I got the coach I like. The only question I have with them is they don't always shoot the 3 great. They can dry out a little at the 3, but I think they're so deep and so gifted and so versatile that it won't matter."
Philadelphia 76ers (37-23), 3rd in Eastern Conference
Colin-fidence Meter: 8 out of 10
Colin's thoughts: "I love them. No bench scoring, but again, I'm OK with that if you have two dominant scorers. They are very Joel Embiid-dependent, but that's OK. He's the closest thing to Shaq that we have seen. They're co-favorites to win. I think they're going to meet Milwaukee in a seven game series, and health and who hits the free throws late will decide it."
