data-mm-id=”_xlgmaxdad”>The 2020 NBA Playoffs are approaching and it's become clear who the legitimate contenders are who will will most certainly come up short in the postseason. Only one team can win the title, but how many teams have a legitimate shot? Below are three real championship contenders and four pretenders who are going to learn that it just isn't their year.NBA CONTENDERSLos Angeles LakersThe last eight seasons that LeBron James was healthy, he took his team to the NBA Finals. His team won three of those titles. He usually has a second superstar with him and that role is played by Anthony Davis who has a whopping 13 games worth of playoff experience. Luckily guys like Danny Green and… Dwight Howard… fill out the roster. At 35-years old, LeBron is still near the top of his powers and that could be enough.Los Angeles ClippersThe Clippers, for all their issues with health and fit and otherwise, will end up one of the top seeds in the Western Conference. If Paul George and Kawhi Leonard were able to load manage themselves properly during the regular season, they have a shot. History generally says that you need to be together for a few seasons to win a title, but Kawhi proved that you can just show up, win, and leave. Talent could win again.Milwaukee BucksThe Milwaukee Bucks are finally ready to win a title. This is the dream of how the league works. They drafted Giannis Antetonkounmpo and built a team around him as he became a superstar. They got playoff experience and advanced to the conference finals last year and lost to the eventual champions. This year they're the best team in the league and ready to blow through the Eastern Conference and win a championship. NBA PRETENDERS Miami HeatMiami has won just one playoff series since LeBron James left in 2014. They're a another tough, deep team that should be a difficult out in the playoffs, but this current Heat roster has more questions than answers. Will Jimmy Butler finally be the best player on a team that wins multiple playoff series? Will Pat Riley's inability to land Danilo Gallinari come back to bite the Heat in the playoffs? How effective will Bam Adebayo be in the playoffs? Does Andre Iguodala have anything left in the tank for a deep playoff run? The answers to most of these questions will probably upset people in Miami. Boston CelticsThe Celtics have three 20-point per game scorers in Jason Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Kemba Walker. They have Olympians. They have a good coach in Brad Stevens. They have balance and a deep rotation and they have playoff experience. Boston, a superstar short and a seed or two too low, will fall short. This time with a new point guard at the helm.Toronto RaptorsThe defending champions are the feel-good story of the season. With Kawhi Leonard gone, they haven't missed a beat and will enter the playoffs with one of the top seeds in the Eastern Conference and maybe the best record in team history. Eventually, they will miss Leonard. Pascal Siakam has been great and replaced Kawhi's production, but at some point, they will miss Kawhi and that's when they will come up short. Denver NuggetsDenver has won just one playoff series with Mike Malone and Nikola Jokic. They're going to have the toughest road to the Finals with the Lakers and Clippers and a really pesky lower seed in the first round. The Nuggets are still a year and another player away from serious contention.
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Following a successful loan spell at Southampton, Ryan Bertrand believes he has found the perfect match after agreeing a four-and-a-half-year contract with the high-flying Premier League club.
Bertrand, who completed a permanent move from Chelsea on transfer deadline day, did not have any hesitation in making the switch.
His loan stint at Southampton was the ninth of his career, and he is now looking forward to spending a lengthy period at St Mary s Stadium.
I wanted to sign and commit somewhere instead of carrying on doing loans, Bertrand told Southampton s official YouTube channel. When I had the chance to sign here, it was the perfect match.
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West Ham United will hope their recovery on the road can continue against Swansea City on Sunday.
Sam Allardyce saw his side pick up a stunning 3-0 win at Tottenham in their last away game, but that triumph was their first as a visiting side since a 1-0 success at Stoke City on March 2.
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Swansea grabbed their first Premier League win at the Liberty Stadium last week, crushing beleaguered Sunderland 4-0.
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While his exit has long appeared almost certain, Caparros insists Sevilla will not negotiate with the Catalan giants.
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Looking to make it 20 wins on the bounce this weekend, Manchester City will welcome a high-flying West Ham to the Etihad on Saturday lunchtime.
Manchester City
Starting with the hosts, putting in another professional display earlier in the week, Manchester City have only continued on a remarkable run of form. Landing themselves a 2-0 victory away at German outfit Borussia Mönchengladbach while on Champions League duties in midweek, Pep Guardiola s side have a famous treble-winning season on their agenda. Making a string of changes since that 2-0 defeat away at Tottenham back in November, the former Bayern Munich boss now finds his side already holding a double-digit lead at the top of the Premier League table. Comfortably sat in pole…
Crisis-hit AC Milan head into a perilous pair of matches in the coming week that could make or break their season, but Brazilian forward Ronaldinho believes that could inspire his team.
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They have won only two of their first seven Serie A encounters and in the Champions League they lost 1-0 at home to Swiss minnows FC Zurich.
It is not the type of form to inspire confidence ahead of their clash against Roma at the San Siro on Sunday and then a trip to Spain to tackle Real Madrid and former star Kaka at the Bernabeu.
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Lyon striker Jimmy Briand has revealed that Premier League side West Brom have enquired about his availability.
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In 15 games last season I scored only one goal. That is not the kind of return I was expecting. There is some disappointment in that, he said.
Lyon are a great club, though, and I want to continue here unless I am deemed surplus to requirements.
I know West Brom have asked about me, but nothing has been done as yet. Let s wait and see what happens.
Briand has been capped on …
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Giovinco s agent Andrea D Amico on Tuesday claimed that the 2015 MLS MVP had a huge offer from China.
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When I was back in Italy my friends ask me about MLS, Giovinco said on Tuesday.
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The Russians were not discouraged by the rejected approach and are expected to return with an improved offer for a player who has once more demonstrated his importance for the Eredivisie side by scoring the winning goal in a 2-1 triumph at Heracles on Saturday.
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Mikel Arteta insists his Arsenal side will continue to dig for Premier League glory as the season enters its final fortnight.
The Gunners headed into the weekend just one point behind leaders Manchester City, but having played a game more.
Brighton are the visitors to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, with Arsenal hoping for the chance to move back to the summit, a position they held for the majority of the season.
Who are you backing? |
— Premier League (@premierleague)
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Pep Guardiola says a week in which Manchester City can reach the Champions League final and win the Premier League again is a “dream come true”.
Arsenal’s 3-0 defeat at home to Brighton following City’s victory by the same scoreline at Everton means Guardiola’s side can clinch a fifth title in six seasons next weekend.
But before that City will have to get past holders Real Madrid in a home semi-final second leg to maintain their quest for a first Champions League triumph, with the tie level at 1-1.
We keep pushing
— Phil Foden (@PhilFoden)
“It is a dream come true being here, honestly,” said Guardiola, whose side also have an FA Cup final against Manchester United to look forward to next month.
“I know at the end we ma…