The 2021 NBA title race is one of the most open in the league’s history, and a huge number of teams have rosters capable of competing. As we near the beginning of the NBA Playoffs, let’s take a look at the rosters of what are likely to be the most dangerous NBA Playoff teams.
Los Angeles Lakers
PG: Dennis Schröder
SG: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
SF: LeBron James
PF: Anthony Davis
C: Andre Drummond
Assuming they’re fully healthy come Playoff-time, this is some team. LeBron and Davis are obviously the headliners, and any team boasting two of the top handful of players in the game is inevitably going to be tough to beat. The mid-season addition of Andre Drummond at the centre position makes them even more dangerous, while Schröder and Caldwell-Pope in the backcourt are more than capable of holding their own. Schröder was coming off the bench earlier in the season, but the quality of his play in Davis and LeBron’s absence means he will be a likely starter when they both return, while Caldwell-Pope proved himself on the biggest stage last season. Of course, ultimately it will be LeBron and Davis running the show, and their ability to return to full health may be the biggest determinant of the Lakers’ chances.
Brooklyn Nets
PG: Kyrie Irving
SG: James Harden
SF: Joe Harris
PF: Kevin Durant
C: DeAndre Jordan
If you thought the Lakers looked good, how about this for a starting five. Irving, Harden and Durant are three of the best in the business and form a formidable starting trio, while Joe Harris is a perfect complement to the team’s stars and they’ve got plenty of talent coming off the bench. The centre position is a clear weakness and teams with capable scoring big men might be the Nets’ biggest threat, but with Irving, Harden and Durant all sharing the floor, Brooklyn will be extremely difficult to outscore.
Los Angeles Clippers
PG: Patrick Beverley
SG: Nicholas Batum
SF: Kawhi Leonard
PF: Paul George
C: Serge Ibaka
The Clippers have a few options as a starting backcourt while Ivica Zubac and DeMarcus Cousins could also start at the five, but regardless of how they choose to line up in those positions, it’s Leonard and George who make this team such a threat. They are two of the most talented two-way wings in the game and Leonard is already a 2x NBA Champion and 2x Finals MVP, so if these two are in full health and at their best, it would surprise no one to see the Clippers improve on their Conference Semi-Finals appearance from last season.
Utah Jazz
PG: Mike Conley
SG: Donovan Mitchell
SF: Royce O’Neale
PF: Bojan Bogdanovic
C: Rudy Gobert
The Jazz have surprised everyone with just how dominant they have been this year, and while they lack the stars of the other teams on this list, their biggest strength is the fact that everyone on their roster is very good, and they are also led by one of the best coaches in the NBA in Quin Snyder. Gobert is the most important player to what they do, arguably the most impactful defender in the league and more important on offence than many realise, but the rest of the starting roster and the likes of Joe Ingles and Jordan Clarkson coming off the bench make them perhaps the most well-rounded team in the league.
A number of other sides could also lay claim to being title contenders, with the likes of Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Phoenix all extremely dangerous on their day. The above four, however, are the NBA Playoffs favourites, and even just from a cursory glance at their rosters, it’s easy to see why.