Who’s Left in the NBA?

The NBA playoffs are in full swing, and there are only a handful of teams still vying for the title. Who’s left in the race?

The teams

The teams that are left in the NBA are the Golden State Warriors, the Houston Rockets, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Boston Celtics.

The Warriors

The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league’s Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 1946 in Philadelphia, the Warriors relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1962 and took the city’s name, before changing its geographic moniker to Golden State in 1971. They play their home games at the Chase Center.

The Warriors won the inaugural Basketball Association of America (BAA) championship in 1947, followed by winning its Europe-based sister league, the National Basketball League (NBL), championship in 1948. The team lost both times in the Eastern Conference Finals, successively to the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics. The team only regained moderate success since 1975 when it returned to Oakland, with former head coach Al Attles leading them to their first playoff appearance since 1962 as well as their first NBA Finals appearance since 1975, albeit losing both times to their cross-bay rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Warriors’ dynasty started 2015 when former MVP Stephen Curry led them to a then-record 73 wins en route to their first title in 40 years; this was followed up by setting another NBA record with 67 wins during the 2016–17 season which resulted in back-to-back titles after defeating LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers; they repeated as champions again in 2017–18 after beating James and the Cavaliers for a third straight time in The Finals. With three All-Stars (Curry and fellow Splash Brothers Klay Thompson and Draymond Green), one MVP (Curry) and two Defensive Players of the Year (Green), they became just the seventh team –and fifth franchise– ever to have won three straight championships. They would complete two more consecutive four-game sweeps of James’s Cavaliers teams en route to a fifth consecutive Finals appearance –and second consecutive championship– following a 123–109 win during Game 4 of 2018 NBA Finals on June 9th; this made them just one win shy from capturing a rare three-peat. However with Kevin Durant’s Achilles tendon tear during Game 5 that sidelined him for over a year, costed Klay Thompson suffering from torn ACL ligament during Game 6 which he missed all of next season as well for rehabilitation purposes, resultant of which they ultimately fell short from achieving this feat as they were unable capture back-to-back titles for a third straight time after being defeated 106–105 by Raptors during Game 6 on June 13th; Kawhi Leonard would go on score 27 points along with capturing his second NBA Finals MVP award.

The Cavaliers

With the regular season wrapping up, only 16 teams remain in the running for the NBA Championship. Among those still in contention are the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are seeking their second consecutive title.

The Cavaliers are currently the third seed in the Eastern Conference, but they have looked like a different team since acquiring All-Star forward Kevin Love from the Minnesota Timberwolves. Love has meshed well with Cavaliers’ superstars LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, and the team has gone 18-7 since making the trade.

The Cavaliers will likely have to go through the Chicago Bulls or the Toronto Raptors if they want to make it back to the NBA Finals, but they will be a tough out for any team in the playoffs.

The Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its home games at the AT&T Center in San Antonio.

The Spurs are one of four former American Basketball Association (ABA) teams to remain intact in the NBA after the 1976 ABA–NBA merger and are the only former ABA team to have won an NBA championship. The franchise has won five NBA championships, four conference titles, and 23 division titles. As of 2019, the Spurs have the seventh-highest winning percentage among all active NBA franchises.

The players

As the NBA championship comes to an end, some people are wondering who’s left in the league. We’ve seen many talented players come and go, but there are still a few left that are worth mentioning. These are the players that are still in the NBA.

LeBron James

LeBron James is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players in NBA history. James has won four NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards, four NBA Finals MVP Awards, and two Olympic gold medals. He has also been selected to 15 NBA All-Star teams, 17 All-NBA teams, and six All-Defensive teams.

Stephen Curry

Stephen Curry is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A six-time NBA All-Star, he has been named the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) twice and won three NBA championships with the Warriors. Many players and analysts have called him the greatest shooter in NBA history.

Kawhi Leonard

Kawhi Anthony Leonard (/kəˈwaɪ/ kə-WY; born June 29, 1991) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played two seasons of college basketball for the San Diego State Aztecs and was named a consensus second-team All-American as a sophomore. He was selected by the Indiana Pacers with the 15th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft, but was traded to the San Antonio Spurs on draft night.

In 2014, Leonard was named to the NBA All-Star Game and was named Defensive Player of the Year. He helped lead the Spurs to their first NBA Championship since 2007 and was named Finals MVP. After seven seasons with the Spurs, Leonard played one season in Toronto before being traded to his hometown Clippers in 2019.

A two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and two-time All-Star, Leonard has been voted onto both All-NBA and All-Defensive teams three times each. He has also won two gold medals as a member of USA Basketball: one at the 2014 FIBA World Cup and another at 2016 Summer Olympics.

The fans

It’s the off-season, and most fans’ attentions have turned away from the hardwood. die-hard followers of the game remain, waiting patiently for their teams to make a move that puts them in a position to compete for a championship. The fans are the ones who hold the NBA together.

Who’s left to root for?

With the possible exception of the Los Angeles Lakers, there are really no sure things in the NBA this season. That parity has led to fans of many teams picking new favorites in the hopes that their team can make a run at a title. So, who’s left to root for? Here are some of the most popular NBA teams this season:

The Los Angeles Clippers have been one of the best teams in the league all season, led by stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. They’re still looking for their first ever NBA championship, and they seem to have as good a chance as any team in the league right now.

The Milwaukee Bucks have been the best team in the NBA over the last two seasons, but they haven’t been able to get over the hump and win a championship. That could change this year, as they have one of the best players in the world in Giannis Antetokounmpo. They’re also one of the most fun teams to watch, thanks to their high-scoring offense.

The Houston Rockets were one of the worst teams in the league just a few years ago, but they’ve completely turned things around thanks to stars James Harden and Russell Westbrook. They’re always one of the most entertaining teams to watch, and they have a real chance at winning a championship this year.

The Toronto Raptors won an NBA championship just two years ago, led by Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard. He’s since gone on to join the Clippers, but that doesn’t mean that Raptors fans have stopped rooting for their team. They’re still one of the best teams in the league and they always seem to find a way to win.

How the NBA Finals will be different this year

This year’s NBA Finals will be different for a number of reasons. First and foremost, there is no undisputed favorite. The Golden State Warriors have been to five straight Finals, winning three of them, but they lost Kevin Durant in free agency and Klay Thompson to a torn ACL. The Toronto Raptors won last year’s championship, but they lost Kawhi Leonard in free agency. So neither team is at full strength.

Secondly, this year’s Finals will be the first ever in which neither team has a player who has won a Finals MVP award. That’s because LeBron James, who has won four MVP awards, is no longer in the league. He left the Warriors to join the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency.

Thirdly, this year’s Finals will be the first since 2010 in which neither the Warriors nor the Cleveland Cavaliers are playing. The Cavaliers were in the Finals from 2015 to 2018, but they haven’t been back since James left.

Finally, this year’s Finals will be played entirely on one court: Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. In previous years, the Finals have alternated between two courts: one in the Eastern Conference and one in the Western Conference. But this year, there is no Eastern Conference team involved, so all games will be played at Oracle Arena.

The future

The 2020 NBA Draft is just a month away, and it’s looking like one of the most loaded drafts in recent memory. With so much talent available, it’s hard to keep track of who’s left in the NBA and who might be on their way out. Here’s a look at some of the biggest names who are still in the league and who might be on their way out.

What’s next for the NBA?

The NBA has seen a lot of changes over the past few years, with some big names leaving the league. With so many stars gone, what’s next for the NBA?

There are still some great players in the NBA, but many of them are getting older. Some of the young players who have come into the league recently have shown promise, but it remains to be seen whether they can reach the same level as the stars of the past.

The future of the NBA will be interesting to watch. It will be fascinating to see how the league adjusts to all of the changes that have taken place and how the new players perform. It should be an exciting time for basketball fans.

What’s next for the Warriors?

The Warriors are currently in a bit of a rebuild. They are missing some key pieces from their championship teams and are trying to find their way back to the top. The question is, who is left in the NBA that can stop them?

The short answer is no one. There are a few teams that have a chance, but the Warriors are still the favorites. They have the best player in the world in Stephen Curry, and they also have one of the best coaches in Steve Kerr. The Warriors are still the team to beat until someone proves otherwise.

What’s next for the Cavaliers?

After an embarrassing Finals loss to the Golden State Warriors, the Cavaliers will have to answer a number of tough questions. The biggest one is, of course, what to do with LeBron James. James is eligible to opt out of his contract and become a free agent, and there’s been no indication that he plans on staying in Cleveland. If James leaves, the Cavaliers will be left with a gaping hole in their roster.

The other big question facing the team is what to do about head coach Tyronn Lue. Lue’s contract is up at the end of the season, and it’s unclear if the Cavaliers will bring him back. There have been reports that Lue is on the hot seat, and if the team doesn’t make some significant changes this offseason, it’s possible that he could be out of a job.

The Cavaliers have a lot of decisions to make this offseason, and it will be interesting to see how they navigate these waters.