NBA Contenders and Pretenders: Which Teams in Playoff Position Will Keep It Up?

Even the industry's top basketball analysts don't know much about the 2011-12 NBA teams. Not yet, at least.

The season is young and it's far too early to predict championship favorites, but we have already seen enough to separate the contenders from the pretenders.

Which of the 16 franchises currently in playoff position have a decent shot at sticking around until June? And who won't be able to keep up?

The cream has begun to rise above the rest of the crop.

New York Knicks: Pretenders

Thus far, the New York Knicks have been arguably the NBA's most inconsistent team.

The acquisition of defensive-minded center Tyson Chandler via free agency was a wise move. His contributions, however, have been offset by an inexplicably bad shooting percentage from Amar'e Stoudemire and the Knicks' lack of bench depth.

Carmelo Anthony and friends will eventually get into a rhythm and probably finish the regular season with a winning record.

I would be shocked to see them move beyond the first round of the playoffs, though.

Memphis Grizzlies: Contenders

Rudy Gay is back for the Memphis Grizzlies after being absent for their 2011 playoff run. He'll be scoring 20 points per night once he fixes his free-throw percentage.

Unfortunately, he cannot cover for Zach Randolph forever.

A Z-Bo return by the 2012 All-Star Game might be enough to fend off the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets and set Memphis up for some eighth-seed magic again.

Mike Conley and Marc Gasol continue to improve, so I'm not counting out the Grizz just yet.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Pretenders

The Cleveland Cavaliers need more than Kyrie Irving's playmaking and Anderson Varejao's work on the offensive glass to claim legitimacy.

I'll be keeping my eye on Tristan Thompson. If he gets more minutes and does something worthwhile with them, then the Cavs just might give that city some hope.

Honestly, though, I don't think they are ready to contend. The Boston Celtics are likely to push them out of a playoff spot before season's end.

Portland Trail Blazers: Contenders

Solid point guard play is a prerequisite for winning in the NBA, and the Portland Trail Blazers finally have that in Raymond Felton.

This team will pull off more close victories once he and Jamal Crawford find their three-point shots.

Portland can make some noise in the West if all its key pieces stay healthy.

Indiana Pacers: Contenders

Sure, the Indiana Pacers are a young team, but I cannot disqualify them from contention on those grounds alone.

Although neither Darren Collison nor George Hill have the ability to take over games, both make it a priority to take care of the basketball.

Danny Granger may need to be a bit less selfish and utilize his bigs more often.

Better shot selection from the Pacers will get them to the next level.

Denver Nuggets: Contenders

Nothing is more important than depth in this condensed season and the Denver Nuggets have 10 solid players.

Ty Lawson and Danilo Gallinari are rising stars in this relentless offense.

Aggressiveness on the defensive end could further frustrate the opposition.

With more weapons always available on the bench, the Nuggets shouldn't be hesitant to foul.

Miami Heat: Contenders

Udonis Haslem is getting rebounds. Mike Miller just returned. Shane Battier and Norris Cole have been brought into the fold.

The Miami Heat can be much better than last season because of these additions. What a scary thought!

They will be tough to score against and impossible to stop once Dwyane Wade's foot heals.

Los Angeles Lakers: Contenders

If Kobe Bryant isn't averaging 30 points per game by season's end, he'll surely be in that neighborhood. That killer instinct of his is as evident as ever.

Unfortunately, the Los Angeles Lakers are looking like a three-player team—Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol and the Black Mamba.

Whether it will be Matt Barnes, Steve Blake or Metta World Peace, a fourth scoring threat needs to emerge.

Orlando Magic: Pretenders

Dwight Howard is playing like a man possessed...except at the foul line. However, it's not like his free-throw shooting will prevent the Orlando Magic from winning.

The elephant in the room is his impending trade.

The season is progressing quickly and although an individual's value typically decreases as midseason approaches, Howard is putting together an extraordinary audition for other teams by dominating the competition. The front office won't simply let him walk away as a free agent, not with what they could get in return.

I doubt the Magic can contend without him and I expect them to be sans Howard in the coming weeks.

Los Angeles Clippers: Contenders

This organization is at last pushing all the right buttons.

Chris Paul has been terrific for the Los Angeles Clippers, as have newly acquired graybeards like Chauncey Billups, Caron Butler and Reggie Evans.

Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan are finding high-percentage shots in this efficient offense, which turns the ball over less often than any other Western Conference team.

Philadelphia 76ers: Contenders

The Philadelphia 76ers have surely been an unlikely contender.

Few people foresaw them as a first-place team in the Atlantic Division, yet their lead over second-place New York is the biggest in the NBA!

Despite being at a size disadvantage, they play suffocating, team-oriented defense.

Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner among others have dramatically improved.

San Antonio Spurs: Contenders

As Tim Duncan plays reduced minutes and Manu Ginobili sits dressed in street clothes, young talent on the San Antonio Spurs is allowing the team to stay consistent.

DeJuan Blair and Kawhi Leonard have looked great in 2011-12. Meanwhile, Danny Green has emerged as a three-point specialist on par with Richard Jefferson.

Tony Parker is indispensable, though. This edition of the Spurs won't do any better than last season's crew if he goes down.

Atlanta Hawks: Pretenders

Jeff Teague is looking like a future franchise player for the Atlanta Hawks and their current No. 1—Joe Johnson—has been his usual self.

Although Josh Smith has elevated his game, I can't imagine the Hawks overcoming the loss of Al Horford for an extended period of time.

There's pressure on Tracy McGrady to provide more offense than he has of late.

Utah Jazz: Pretenders

The Utah Jazz have an intriguing tandem at point guard with Devin Harris and Earl Watson. Intriguing, but simply not competitive with the Los Angeles Clippers' Chris Paul, the San Antonio Spurs' Tony Parker or the Oklahoma City Thunder's Russell Westbrook.

Al Jefferson is the only player on the roster averaging more than 30 minutes per game, which makes it clear that the Jazz have depth.

Despite their recent hot streak, their record won't stand with the West's elite once they play on the road more regularly.

Chicago Bulls: Contenders

Derrick Rose won't repeat as NBA MVP, but that's solely because the Chicago Bulls' cast has been bolstered.

Shooting guard Richard Hamilton helps with the offensive workload and Carlos Boozer is clearly more comfortable in Chi-Town than he was last season.

Nobody rebounds on both ends of the floor like the Bulls do and you know what they say—defense wins championships.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Contenders

Oklahoma City might have three of the league's 15 most unstoppable scorers in Kevin Durant, James Harden and Russell Westbrook.

They have defensive-minded players, too, in Serge Ibaka, Kendrick Perkins and Thabo Sefolosha.

All their players are good and all of them are young.

They weren't far from the NBA Finals in 2010-11 and they can definitely get there this season.