Hoops Tonight - NBA title CONTENDER RANKINGS: How Thunder, Nuggets, Rockets, Spurs, Knicks, Lakers, Warriors rank

Hope you all had a great week. We’re doing monthly contender rankings, three tiers, some big shifts since last time, and yes, I wrestled with whether OKC deserved its own tier; mailbag returns next Friday, so drop questions under the full episodes on YouTube.

How many real threats are there? I see eleven with a pathway, seven with a strong shot; tier one are the true trophy hunters, tier two have title ceilings with real flaws, tier three are long shots with a narrow but non‑zero window.

Why the Warriors at eleven? Their clutch defense and turnovers have sunk them, but Curry plus continuity, Kerr in the playoffs, and a potential Kuminga trade keep them in the faint‑hope zone; the core trio still posts a healthy net rating together.

What’s holding the Lakers back at ten? They’re slow and light on shooting, and their star’s volume comes with too many misses and giveaways; there’s a sliver of upside if health, a trade, and internal jumps hit, but I’ve moved them out of tier two.

Why are the Cavs ninth? Injuries have limited their core four to a tiny sample that crushed in those minutes, yet recurring softness on the glass and physicality worries me; they can climb the East if healthy but remain upset‑prone.

What’s the Celtics’ eighth‑seed case? Their profile is excellent across offense, net rating, and the margins, but the frontcourt gets picked on; if they add size and get the full group right, they’re dangerous, and Jaylen Brown’s leap is a real bright spot.

Why are the Pistons in tier two at seven? They win with force, turnovers, transition, and the offensive glass, and Cade gives them a primary engine; half‑court offense can stall, so I expect a deadline move and, for fun, we kicked around a LeBron idea that would make them instant East favorites, though my practical favorite is still a Michael Porter Jr. swing.

How do I feel about Minnesota? The win over OKC flashed their ceiling, Ant’s patience has spiked his rim finishing, McDaniels’ shooting growth matters, and their blend of size, burst, and real shot creation travels; the focus wavers, but the playoff gear is there.

Why are the Knicks fifth? Brunson’s been on a month‑long heater at superstar efficiency with low turnovers, and their wings—McCale, OG, Josh Hart—are impacting both ends; the two‑way cap isn’t as high as the very top, but this is the most bullish I’ve been in the Brunson era.

What makes the Spurs fourth? They have OKC’s number, protect the rim for the full game, pressure the ball, and have multiple drivers, with Wemby looming as a playoff terror; schematic tweaks are needed when teams sag off their young guards, but the catch‑and‑shoot has stabilized.

Do the Rockets need a point guard at three? I don’t think so; their stars draw doubles just fine, the issue is turning four‑on‑threes into layups and clean threes, cutting turnovers, and locking in their fifth man—someone like Tari Eason or Dorian Finney‑Smith—while living with a defense that’s solid but not quick‑twitch and feasting on the offensive glass.

Why Denver sits second despite injuries? Jokic is still the best player alive, Murray showed up in shape and looks like an All‑Star, their roster moves boosted foot speed, and none of the current injuries are season‑ending; survive to April healthy and they have the mix to beat anyone.

Why OKC at one? I nearly put them in their own tier, but bigger, longer teams can still dent their rebounding, run them off catch‑and‑shoots, and stress their secondary handling; even so, Shai and Chet have leveled up, the shooting holds in the big sample, and their completeness over four rounds makes them the favorite.

That’s the board for now. Thanks for riding with us, happy New Year, and I’ll see you Monday for the power rankings.