5. Oklahoma City Thunder (4): If your looking for a team that’s going to surprise a lot of people come playoff time, the Thunder is your squad. They may already be considered one of the West’s best, but they have been flying under the radar all year, and with a newfound interior defense, they are going to sneak up on some teams, maybe even the world champs.
4. Miami Heat (6): They followed up a game in which each member of their “Big Three” posted at least 30 points and 10 rebounds, with a riveting loss to the Cavs on the road. However, that may have simply been a bite courtesy of karma.
3. San Antonio Spurs (5): A big win over Phoenix put the kibosh on their six-game losing streak, and the Spurs still hold a 2.5 game lead over the Lakers for the best overall record. With the exception of their April 12 contest against the Purple and Gold, they have a fairly easy schedule, and should hold onto the No. 1 spot, unless their big three continues to fall apart.
2. Los Angeles Lakers (1): A shoddy fourth quarter against Denver ended their nine-game winning streak, but the Lakers still look as scary as ever. They’ve won nine of their last 10, with five of those games coming against legitimate playoff teams.
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1. Chicago Bulls (2): Despite their current 56-20 record, the Bulls are still the team no one is paying enough attention to. They are only 1.5 games behind San Antonio for home court advantage throughout the playoffs, and with the way the Spurs have been struggling as of late, that’s a very real possibility for this surging Bulls team.
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