In the Right Corner...

Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to meet your Contenders. The NBA regular season's now somehow two thirds over. Teams league-wide are making final tweakings for a playoff push, some for a deep run into May and June. These are the League's elite, the ones who can hope to be raising the Larry O in June. With the postseason picture starting to take shape, here's a look at the Top 10 teams who could be last ones standing:

10. Houston Rockets
This is kind of a stretch. They're seriously deficient in the size, depth and (most notably) durability they'll need for a deep playoff run, but the balance the T-Mac's absence will bring to this roster will benefit them. When they don't have their best swingman playing like a mutant and ruining offensive flow, the Rockets are a coheisve team. They have the conference's best center, a maniac who can lock down anyone he faces, and an energetic supporting cast that although young and naive in the ways of the postseason, could take some teams by surprise.

9. New Orleans Hornets
Although they improved their roster and are (somehow) getting a better season out of Chris Paul, New Orleans hasn't made the bold claim for West supremacy everyone had anticipated. Instead they've swayed back and forth between brilliance and mediocrity, the recent Tyson Chandler trade fiasco certain to only add confusion to an already blurry season. That being said, counting Chris Paul out is never a good idea. His playoff debut was one of the most impressive ever, and after an epic bout with the Spurs, his team's had a taste of playoff battle and added Champion Journeyman James Posey; they should be better prepared this time around.

8. Portland Trailblazers
Another longshot, but I've gotta start this list with somebody. The Blazers are simply just ahead of their time; they've got all the right pieces for a title run, they'll need a few years before they ripen though. The fact that they're even in this conversation as one of the league's rawest teams should be enough satisfaction, and things are only bound to get better as Brandon Roy emerges as one of the league's best young players, Travis Outlaw's game continues to catch up with his freakish athleticism, Lamarcus Aldridge becomes more comfortable on the low block and Greg Oden (possibly) morphs into Patrick Ewing. This postseason will be a test of how ready they really are, but they've made a habit of exceeding expectations.

7. Orlando Magic
Just when they were looking like dangerous threat, riding the momentum of 4 straight W's over division leaders, Jameer Nelson goes down and brings Orlando back down to Earth. Getting Rafer Alston should help clot the bleeding but Nelson was vital to this team and their hopes of winning the East might hinge on healthy return, which looks shaky at this point. Oralndo's problem has always been peaking too early; bolting out of the gate them losing steam as the season winds down. They're plenty talented but against the likes of Boston or Cleveland in the second round, what's left of the Magic will have to dig real deep to stay alive.

6. Denver Nuggets
Maybe the most unlikely team on this list, the Nugs have held down a top-3 seed in the West through the absence of their most talented player. Now that Melo's returned, he fortifies a team that's now quarterbacked by a proven playoff vet (and former Finals MVP), who's instilled a winning attitude in Denver. They've improved defensively and play a game much more suited to the playoff grind; though still longshots to capture the title, they'll be a feared opponent that will probably win at least one series and begin building upon the foundations of mediocrity that have been long entrenched in the Mile High City.

5. Utah Jazz
Currently seeded 8th out West, the Jazz's talent belies their current record. They've stayed in the playoff hunt through extended absences of their two best players and 6th man; a testament to their talent and toughness. Their stars fell but their role players rose up to fill the void; Paul Millsap was almost an All-Star, CJ Miles became and athletic scoring threat and Ronnie Brewer continues to operate as one of the league's most underrated players. Now that Carlos Boozer is finally healthy again, Utah will have some time to gel before the playoffs begin and really assert themselves for the first time all season. We don't know what to expect yet, but trust that Jerry Sloan has some high expectations for this squad and should get them to perform as such.

4. San Antonio Spurs
Father Time seems to be catching up to the Spurs, who've looked more weathered this past year than ever. They lost several key veterans and have seen two of their big three on the chilling list for longer than they'd like. But as the Spurs usually do, they've found ways to win. Tim Duncan has been fundamentally brilliant and new additions like Roger Mason, Matt Bonner and rookie George Hill have filled gaps left in the rotation by departures and injuries. The Spurs are thus, not surprisingly, 2nd in the West and have been knocking off top contenders with the same cold, calculated efficiency of their glory days. They perenially peak for the postseason run after their February Rodeo Road Trip, which is bad news for Spurs Haters who can expect the best is yet to come from San Antonio. Their bench may be younger and shallower than in the past, but they've proven effective and are led by three of the most experienced playoff performers in the league. Nobody wants to play them, nobody should bet against them...unless they're playing one of these three teams:

3. Boston Celtics
KG's lingering kneww problem that's forced him to the sideline is a dark cloud hanging over the defending champs. While they've continued winning in his absence, without a healthy Garnett this team can book cruises and tee times for June. But once KG returns, they'll still have a month to work him back in before the playoffs begin and not many flaws to work out. The Celtics' defensive chokehold has looked as potent as last year and Rajon Rondo's emergence as a 4th gun on offense will give them a much needed boost in the postseason if Allen and Pierce have cold spells like they did against Atlanta and Cleveland last spring. They look set for another charge to the Finals, but I can't help but feel like it won't happen. For one, there was that spell back in January where they played like the bastard offspring of the Charlotte Bobcats and Washington Generals. Then there was that 18-point ass-whupping Cleveland put on them without Big Z, in what the Celts knew was a statement game. Then there's the intangible factor; the knowledge that yeah, they're the defending champs and have the winning experience they all lacked last year, but KG Ray and Paul got their rings after an endless odyssey and the rest of the team knows that consequently Garnett's much less likely to physically assault them. Complacent? No that's not these guys, but they'll be hard pressed to be as hungry this postseason.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers
Not only will KG's injury worry the Celts but will probably lose them the homecourt race to the Cavs, who are now back at full strength for the first time since the New Year and have seldom slipped all season. They seem destined for another playoff battle with Boston (this time for the East crown), and one has to think they'll have the edge. Cleveland took a newly fashioned roster into the playoffs last year, played some of their worst basketball possible and still took Boston to the 4th quarter of Game 7 before bowing out. This year their players are more familiar with each other and the addition of Mo Williams has worked wonders for their offensive potency. When you factor in #23's annual playoff retardedness, the aforementioned homecourt edge and the Cavs' (read: Lebron James') hunger for revenge, it's hard not to be optimistic about their chances for a return to the Finals, where they'd almost certainly play the only team to beat them at home this season:

1. Los Angeles Lakers
So Andrew Bynum's injured again. So what. That didn't stop Los Angeles from completely ruining the Western Conference before being swept up in a tidal wave of Celtic Pride last June. This season, the Lakers have looked even better, running away with the West and winning their big games. Kobe's adopted a more methodical form of brilliance and Pau Gasol has played his second fiddle brilliantly while Lamar Odom's adapted well to his supporting role. Their Bench Mob has continued its brilliance and even after shedding Vlad Rad and Chris Mihm to cut costs, they're probably still the League's deepest team. Bynum's absence wil hurt them most in the slow, physical grind of the playoffs but by the time LA faces a team that's really fucking with them, he'll likely be back close to 100%, and if he is, then it might be too late for anyone to stop them.