With all the big free agent signings and player movement that took place this offseason, there's bound to be a ton of teams that are re-tooled and determined for a turnaround season during the 2021-22 NBA campaign. Now that training camp is officially under way and another exciting season of professional basketball is fast approaching, there are a ton of newly assembled teams that are set to make their mark from the get-go.
Having said that, there will also be a few teams flying under the radar that will take us by surprise all throughout the year. So be on the lookout for some new teams to sneak their way into the playoff picture in 2022. Looking ahead to the start of this season, let's now take a look at three dark-horse NBA title contenders that no one seems to be talking about.
Sneaky NBA Title Contenders
Just a season removed from their impressive run to the Eastern Conference Finals, the Boston Celtics have undergone a slew of changes with Brad Stevens now moving to the front office and Ime Udoka coming on as the new head coach. They did lose Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier in free agency, but they've fully committed to Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart long-term and will look to build around this young and talented trio moving forward.
Plus with the additions of Dennis Schroder and Enes Kanter and the continual improvement of Robert Williams and Payton Pritchard, the Celtics have put together a solid roster and will continue to add quality depth as the season progresses. With a clean slate and a new regime under way in Boston, the Celtics have definitely been overlooked as NBA title contenders this season.
Led by 2021 NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, the Denver Nuggets will be back with a vengeance this season as they look to bring an NBA championship to the Mile High City. With Jamal Murray set to be back at full strength, Michael Porter Jr. continually progressing each season, and Aaron Gordon having a strong impact with his size and athleticism on both ends of the floor, this Nuggets squad will make for a tough out in the Western Conference playoffs and have great upset potential.
After all, it was only a few seasons ago that they overcame back-to-back 3-1 deficits and made a surprise run to the conference finals. Despite playing undermanned last season, they were still able to nab the three seed in the Western Conference and power through to the West semis. So with a fully healthy squad and a deep roster at their disposal, this Nuggets team should not be taken lightly.
Now that they have a revamped roster and there is an exciting new chapter in the works for the Toronto Raptors, it won't be long before they're back in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. With Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam, and OG Anunoby leading the way for this young and athletic Raptors squad, Toronto looks poised for another productive season.
Especially with Gary Trent Jr., Chris Boucher, and Malachi Flynn ready to have a major impact on their success this season. The additions of Goran Dragic, Precious Achiuwa, and Sam Dekker will also give them a well-rounded roster with quality depth and sound veteran leadership that can make this team a legitimate playoff threat in 2022.
Under the direction of championship head coach Nick Nurse, this deep and dynamic Raptors squad will form a lethal two-way style of play that'll create all sorts of mismatches for their opponents throughout the season. With all this going for the Raptors, they definitely have the potential and talent to be a top-5 team in the Eastern Conference once again.
As three teams that underperformed in the postseason and missed the playoffs last season, they've all done a ton of work this offseason to remedy their issues so they can come back even stronger this season. With an evolving and constantly changing NBA landscape, the competition will be as stiff as ever and these three squads will have a ton of work to do if they want to get back into the thick of NBA elite. However, they've also got all the skills, experience, and fundamentals to keep pace with the league's best teams.
Considering how much time it will take some of these newer teams to get acclimated and develop any type of cohesion early into the season, there's no doubt that the Celtics, Nuggets, and Raptors will be able to strike first and re-establish their footing as well established teams that can knock off some of the NBA's most powerful teams with their self-less team play and high IQ playmaking on both ends of the floor. So watch out for these three under-the-radar teams to make a big splash during the 2021-22 NBA season.
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