It’s that time of the year again – we’re about to hit the NBA All-Star Game. Comprised of the best players, the All-Star Game is representative of those who have made the biggest impacts in scoring, playmaking, or their abilities on the defensive side of the ball. Headlined by LeBron James and Giannis Antetounkumpo once again, the East and West look towards fierce competition in two weeks’ time. But, before that, let’s take a look all around the NBA. 

Sitting near the top of the Eastern Conference, the Milwaukee Bucks have met expectations through the first 50 games of the season. Barring a mid-season coaching change, no external factors have affected the Bucks, and the scoring tandem of Giannis and Damian Lillard has continued to put on a show night in and night out. 

And sitting right above them: the Boston Celtics. Having demonstrated consistency over the past decade, the Celtics are a shoo-in at the top of the Eastern Conference. Led by the balanced attack of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis, the Celtics have one of the deepest rosters in the league, possessing a seventy-six win percentage at the time of publication. Barring any major injuries or external implications, the Celtics should continue their dominance as they assert themselves as the best team in the NBA. 

And rounding out the 3rd and 4th spots – the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks. Searching for relevancy after the departure of LeBron James, the Cavs have an established trio of Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, and Evan Mobley, all reliable and efficient scorers. Farther east, the New York Knicks are finally finding their stride after years of mediocrity. Sitting at 32-18, and even with major injuries, Jalen Brunson is marching this team right toward the playoffs.  

With all 4 aforementioned teams featuring more than thirty wins, the race for an Eastern Conference Championship Title will continue to heat up as we get closer to April. 

And on the other side of the country, the Western Conference is also highly competitive with some new faces at the top. The era of LeBron James and Stephen Curry may be reaching its final years, but new stars are taking the NBA by storm. (The Lakers and Warriors are both sitting outside of the top 8 of the conference).

Sitting at the very top of the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder. Led by young stars such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams, the Thunder are looking to capitalize upon their immense draft capital. Even without the seasoned veterans we are used to seeing, the Thunder sit atop the conference by a narrow margin.

And right behind the Thunder, we have the Minnesota Timberwolves. After years of mediocrity and struggling, the duo of Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns have finally hit their stride, and young guard Anthony Edwards continues to rack up high-scoring games. With seasoned veterans and a young superstar, expect this team to make a deep run into the playoffs.  

With all this young talent at the top, it’s hard to imagine where the rest of the veterans have gone. Well, they sit in the 3rd and 4th seeds, respectively. Led by Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden, the Clippers’ experience continues to win them games as they make their playoff push. But, we can’t forget about the reigning NBA Champs. Led by Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray, the Denver Nuggets are the reigning world champions and hope to keep it that way. 

Without any superteams, fans can anticipate an exhilarating end to this season and an underdog world champion. An exciting season thus far provides promise, and the Fourth Estate can’t wait to cover the playoffs.