5 realistic contenders that can put a stop to the Boston Celtics winning Banner 19
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are the only team to make the final four in the NBA playoffs and secure a lottery pick through a gutsy trade.
A contending team winning on draft night is unheard of, but it happened.
Anthony Edwards is undergoing a major maturation process playing with Team USA.
The draft picks of Rob Dillingham and Terrance Shannon Jr are going to get the pleasure of learning from the likes of Mike Conley Jr, Joe Ingles, and Jaden McDaniels.
The Wolves are becoming one of the deeper teams in the NBA and finessing the league. They have two All-NBA defenders in Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert, an All-Star big man in Karl Anthony-Towns, and a future face of the league in Anthony Edwards.
I still believe the Wolves may have given the Cs more of a fit in the Finals than the Dallas Mavericks.
The Boston Celtics are still by far the best team in the NBA
Overall barring injuries the Celtics should repeat as NBA champions next season. The Jays will manage to get better. They kept the same championship core which will only enhance the chemistry. Players like Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, and Neemias Queta seem poised to take the next step in their development.
Jaylen Brown was left off All-NBA and All-Defense and used it as motivation to win the ECF MVP and Finals MVP. They just left him off Team USA. And he's not happy about it.
He may turn around and become the best player on the Celtics.