NBA contender questions: What's at stake for Celtics, Cavs and more - ESPN

The first month of the 2024-25 NBA season is nearly done and we are getting early glimpses of which teams are built to make a deep run in the playoffs.

It was no surprise that the Boston Celtics were going to be near the top of the Eastern Conference standings, but did anyone predict the Cleveland Cavaliers remaining undefeated and inching toward history?

Meanwhile, teams like the Philadelphia 76ers and the Milwaukee Bucks are stumbling out the gates. All the preseason talk about winning titles has quickly turned into what could be done to salvage their seasons.

And the Western Conference? Take your pick at this point. The young Oklahoma City Thunder sit on top but don't count out the veteran-laden teams (Golden State Warriors, Phoenix Suns) or the superstar-led squads (Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets).

Our ESPN insiders answer one big question on the top NBA teams with title ambitions and what they need to do to stay among the contenders.

Jump to a team:
BOS | CLE | MIA | MIL | NYK | ORL | PHI
DAL | DEN | GS | LAL | MEM | MIN
OKC | PHX | SAC

What is the biggest hurdle the Boston Celtics face in their title defense?

Health. Just look around the league with stars going down left and right. During its title run last season, the Celtics saw Jimmy Butler, Donovan Mitchell and Tyrese Haliburton all miss time against them (and Kristaps Porzingis for them) with injuries en route to Banner 18. Boston is already dealing with Porzingis missing the start of the season, Jaylen Brown sitting out a few games and Al Horford being managed in his late 30s. But if this team can stay healthy, the Celtics should be the clear favorites to emerge from the East this spring, and they have a chance to become the first team to