Ranking the NBA playoff teams by tiers

There are 16 teams still standing after the completion of the play-in tournament, but the expectations surrounding each team vary. Here, theScore's NBA editors separate the contenders from the pretenders.

Tier 1: Title favorites 🏆

Cleveland has the weapons to reach their first NBA Finals since LeBron James' last year with the club. Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland's shooting and playmaking pace the NBA's top-ranked offense, while Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley anchor the backline. Ty Jerome's been one of the league's top reserves, with career highs in both points (12.5 per game) and 3-point shooting (43.9%). The acquisition of De'Andre Hunter at the trade deadline gives the Cavs a 3-and-D wing to counter Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown should they meet in the Eastern Conference finals.

The defending champions remain a potent threat to repeat after finishing their second straight 60-win season. Tatum and Brown put together commendable individual campaigns, while Payton Pritchard took a step forward as a scorer and Sixth Man of the Year candidate. There are concerns about the painkilling injections Brown is undergoing for his knee, but Boston has enough to challenge for another title.

The Thunder will have home-court advantage throughout the playoffs after reaching 68 wins for the first time in franchise history and posting the second-best net rating (12.8) in NBA history. Offensively, the Thunder can't survive this postseason without a brilliant performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The league leader in points scored 50-plus four times this season; no other player eclipsed 50 more than once.

Tier 2: Flawed contenders 🤔

Any team featuring LeBron James and Luka Doncic has a great chance to win a championship. However, its the roster surrounding those two that raises concern. The Lakers' biggest weak spot is at center, especially after the trade for Mark Williams was rescinded. L.A. has been starting Jaxson Hayes at the five, and his 6.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game leave much to be desired.

Tom Thibodeau expressed concern for the Knicks after they squandered a 23-point lead at home to the Cavs, who were missing Donovan Mitchell and key reserves Hunter and Jerome. The defeat dropped New York to 0-8 this season against Cleveland and Boston. The Knicks will likely need to go through both teams to reach the NBA Finals, and the Detroit Pistons won't be an easy out, either, after they won three of their four regular-season meetings.

While they needed to go through the play-in tournament, the Warriors have the pieces to go on a deep playoff run. The two-headed offensive attack of Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler will be tough for any opposing team to deal with. Golden State also has the best defensive rating of any team since the All-Star break (109.3) and the third-highest net rating (9.1) behind the Thunder and Celtics.

The Nuggets' porous defense is why they aren't considered title favorites. Since the All-Star break, Denver has posted the worst defensive rating of any playoff team at 117.8. Still, having one of modern history's most dominant offensive players gives you a chance at a title, even if his defense is suboptimal. If the Nuggets can survive the non-Nikola Jokic minutes, they'll be dangerous.

Tier 3: Dark horses 🐴

The T-Wolves can either look like the best or worst team in the league on any given night. But when they're on, they look unstoppable. Anthony Edwards averages 28.3 points while shooting 42.6% from three in victories, and defensive anchor Rudy Gobert blocks 1.6 shots per contest in winning efforts. Minnesota also enjoyed convincing victories over the Nuggets, Lakers, Warriors, and Thunder this season.

Kawhi Leonard is healthy and looking very much like the two-way force that led the Toronto Raptors to a title in 2019. The two-time Finals MVP is averaging 26.5 points on 55.2% shooting - including a 49.4% clip from deep - to go along with 7.3 boards, 3.6 assists, and 2.1 steals over his last 15 outings. Leonard's re-emergence, combined with the strong play of James Harden and Ivica Zubac, makes the Clippers a threat in the West.

The Pacers followed up last season's surprise run to the Eastern Conference finals with their first 50-win campaign since 2013-14. While Pascal Siakam carried the scoring load for the majority of the season, Tyrese Haliburton finished strong, averaging 19.2 points and 10.1 assists in Indiana's final 28 games. The Pacers' balanced offensive attack will make them a dangerous postseason opponent.

Ja Morant's availability was once again an issue for the Grizzlies as he missed a third of the season due to various ailments. But when healthy, the 25-year-old is an electric focal point of a team that could cause issues for others in the postseason. Since March 1, Morant has averaged 29.8 points and 6.9 assists per game while shooting 50% from the field. The only problem is that he played in just 13 games during that span.

Tier 4: Party spoilers 🥳

The Pistons are back in the postseason for the first time since 2019 and have their highest win total in nine years. With breakout stars Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson alongside veterans Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr., this team could break a lot of hearts. Detroit holds its best offensive rating in franchise history (114.6) while Cunningham is averaging career highs in points (26.1) and assists (9.1).

Houston's defense was a major factor in the club's return to the playoffs. The Rockets have the NBA's fourth-best half-court defense, allowing just 94.9 points per play, per Cleaning the Glass. Second-year forward Amen Thompson has been terrific in a starting role, averaging 16 points, 9.2 boards, 4.9 assists, and 3.3 stocks over 42 games in the first five. His stifling perimeter defense could be a difference-maker in the opening round.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has a sizeable task in front of him. With Damian Lillard out for the start of the playoffs due to blood clots in his leg, the Greek Freak will shoulder the offensive load in the Bucks' first-round series against the Pacers. Milwaukee will need contributions from everyone to deal with Indiana and give Lillard time to heal.

Tier 5: Happy to be here 🤷‍♂️

Orlando took a step back one year after a promising 47-win campaign. Injuries to Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs played a role, but the Magic never really got on track offensively, finishing 27th in offensive efficiency and last in 3-point shooting (31.8%). Their elite defense is probably the best route to upsetting the Celtics. Orlando averaged 24 points off turnovers in their two victories over the champs this season.

Despite a drama-filled season, the Heat return to the playoffs for the sixth straight campaign. Even with the departure of Jimmy Butler, Miami still has a veteran lineup that includes Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and Andrew Wiggins, the latter of whom is averaging 19 points per game since joining the team. With Erik Spoelstra on the bench, the Heat can never be counted out from a surprising postseason run.