Which Old NBA Teams Are Still Contenders?

The NBA is full of youthful teams who are seeking to take ownership of the league.  The Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, and Oklahoma City Thunder headline the next wave of ball clubs who will annually pursue the Larry O'Brien trophy.

In the past five years, the San Antonio Spurs, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, and Dallas Mavericks have each won a championship (Lakers have won two).  

These squads are now viewed as the league's elder statesmen.  They may be respected, but do they still have what it takes to win a title?

With young and talented teams rising, certain seasoned squads are inevitably falling off the map.  Do any of these old teams still possess the ability to be true contenders?

San Antonio Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs won 61 games last season, but were then shockingly ousted in the first round by the eighth seeded Memphis Grizzlies.  The Spurs wore down late last season and they paid for it in the playoffs.

With last season's early playoff exit, many found it fitting to bid farewell to any chance of the Spurs capturing another title before Tim Duncan hangs up the sneakers.

But let's slow down.

The Spurs have currently won eight in a row and boast the second best record in the Western Conference behind Oklahoma City.  

Furthermore, they've jetted to this respectable start with Manu Ginobili only appearing in seven games.  Ginobili has returned, and once he finds his usual form, the Spurs are all the more potent.

San Antonio's defense and playoff-tested core keep them in a position where they can contend.  Plus, the Western Conference is relatively wide open.  The Thunder are the favorites, but there are a handful of teams that could weasel their way into the NBA Finals.

The supreme key to any run, however, is their health.  If the Spurs stay healthy, they can make a deep playoff run and potentially even snag another championship.  But if Parker, Duncan or Ginobili go down, so go the Spurs' title hopes.

The Spurs remain contenders, but things need to fall in place perfectly for this old, injury-prone squad to raise a fifth championship banner.

San Antonio Spurs = CONTENDERS

Boston Celtics

As long as the "Big Three" remain in Boston, they believe they're contenders.  But their confident swagger is not enough to still label them as contenders.  It's decidedly apparent that their title window has closed.

There are a few reasons why the Celtics are no longer contenders.

The rise of the Heat and the Bulls is evident, and the aging Celtics don't have the firepower to keep pace with the young horses in Miami and Chicago.  

Boston could still give these surging squads a competitive playoff series, but the potential of them pulling off an upset is doubtful. 

Secondly, the loss of Kendrick Perkins still hurts.  Their starting five is missing that core big man who gets dirty and adds muscle to the front court.    

Lastly, this team doesn't have the depth it had in previous years.  A few years back, their bench possessed energy and production.  Now, they're laden with a bunch of youngsters who are not playoff tested.

The Celtics have been showing signs of life lately, but barring a blockbuster trade, they simply don't possess the championship-caliber group they've had in the past five or so seasons.  

And quite frankly, it wouldn't be surprising to see this Boston team get knocked out early in the playoffs by a young, hungry squad like Philadelphia or Indiana.

Boston Celtics = PRETENDERS

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers are a ho-hum 17-12.  That's not too impressive.

They are still getting acclimated to new coach Mike Brown and have some major roster voids—from the Lamar Odom fallout to the aging Metta World Peace and Derek Fisher, who are shells of the players they once were.

That said, it would be foolish to undermine Kobe Bryant's ability to put the team on his back.  Come playoffs, Bryant will be on a mission, especially after their bitter exit last season.

Plus, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum still give the Lakers a fearsome front court.  

The main question is if the Lakers can add a veteran player (or two) to fill in the gaps of their roster.  30-year-old guard Gilbert Arenas recently auditioned for the squad, and Kobe even signaled his approval of the interest.

Whether they sign Arenas or not, it's clear the Lakers are seeking to make some sort of move.  The Dwight Howard potential remains, but even if they don't land Superman, a minor move could bring them back into championship contention.

With such a move looking like it will occur, and with the man they call the "Black Mamba" always being present, it would be silly to deem the Lakers as pretenders.

Kobe's one ring away from equaling Michael Jordan.  Don't think he'll die easy come the playoffs.

Los Angeles Lakers = CONTENDERS 

Dallas Mavericks

Last season, the Mavs' championship run was incredible.  The 2011 playoffs were one of the most exciting in recent memory, and Dallas' improbable surge was truly wondrous. 

But there is such a thing as being a one year wonder.  

For Dallas fans, they should simply delight in the fact that they captured a title.  There's no need to get greedy and desperately want back-to-back titles because the chances of this happening are highly unlikely.

The Mavs are clearly getting older, as Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry and even newcomers Vince Carter and Lamar Odom are past their primes.  

Plus, the loss of Tyson Chandler hurts greatly.  Chandler gave them the defensive prowess they needed for years.  His departure leaves a hole that Brendan Haywood and Ian Mahinmi aren't capable of fulfilling.

This year's Mavericks team will be a tough out in the playoffs, but they don't have the talent to claw their way past the league's elite for a second straight season.

Dallas Mavericks = PRETENDERS

The senior citizens of the NBA will remain feared, but the Spurs and Lakers are the two who should still be considered contenders.  

The Celtics and Mavericks had their success, but the time to win a championship is short. New teams rise quickly, and barring a major trade that alters their rosters, these two squads are slowly falling off the map of true NBA contenders.