Top 3 Championship Contender Teams In NBA 2012-2013 Season

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By Aaron Masangkay

          These teams were selected for their championship potential, team depth and the ability of their coaches to put them at the top.

1.       1. Miami Heat – This may sound a bit one-sided because I’m a Heat fan, but let me defend them. They are the defending champions.  They’ve managed to retain the core of the team, added dead-shot shooters in Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis and above all, LeBron James is still improving. Last year’s playoffs showed how dominant LeBron James can be on the low-post, he can drive it with force, or kick-out to his shooters outside, plus don’t forget how deadly a healthy Dwyane Wade and with Chris Bosh embracing the Center position.

2.       2. Los Angeles Lakers – The Lake Show is back and made a BIG noise during the offseason by adding 2-time MVP Steve Nash and Multiple Defensive Player of the Year Awardee Dwight Howard, all-star Antawn Jamison and shooter Jodi Meeks. The Lakers are now the threat to the Western Conference Champs Thunder but the question is, do they have what it takes to win? The superstars are there but can they co-exist? Just like Doc Rivers said “They’ve just added players, they haven’t won anything yet.” Well let’s leave it up to Coach Mike Brown how he will handle his team and try to bring them to the Finals in June. This maybe another chance for the fans to watch the potential Kobe-LeBron duel in the Finals. We just have to wait and see folks.

3    3.  Oklahoma City Thunder - The Western Conference Champs did not make major changes during the offseason but drafted rookie Perry Jones who has a lot of potential but is slowed by injuries. Scoring Champ Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden may have lost in the Finals but they gained valuable experience on it. They are also included in the USA Men’s Basketball Team who won the Gold Medal in the last Olympics in London. I’m sure we can expect an improved Thunder team this season and we’ll see which of them with the Lakers can go up in the Finals.