The NBA season tips off on October 29, and all eyes are on the Miami Heat.  They are the clear favorite to win their third straight title, but their are several other teams who are contending, and beating them won’t be easy.  Here’s a look the best teams, and the ones who will fall short of expectations.

Contenders

As always, the Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder are the two strongest teams in the league.  The world’s most talented player, the Heat’s four time MVP LeBron James has the closest thing to an equal in Thunder star Kevin Durant.  The two have faced off in the finals once previously, a victory for the Heat.  This time around, Durant has become a better shooter and passer, and is ready to take on the best team, and best player, in basketball.

This season, the Chicago Bulls will have a chance to dethrone the Heat in the Eastern Conference.  Last season, the Bulls lost Derrick Rose to a torn ACL.  The Bulls were a surprise, proving they can win without Rose.  Now that he’s healthy, the Bulls will be a top-tier team.

The Los Angeles Clippers have always been the second best team in L.A., considered the “younger brother” since their formation.  Last season, they showed the world that is about to change.  With a new coach, Doc Rivers, and point guard Chris Paul and power forward Blake Griffin pushing the tempo, the younger brother in L.A. may very well be the best in the West.

Last year the Indiana Pacers shocked everyone by giving the Miami Heat trouble in a seven game series in the Conference finals.  It should be more of the same from one of the best defensive teams in the NBA.  The offense should be much better as well, with budding star Paul George’s improved scoring ability.  This team has possibly the most potential of any young team in the NBA, and this is the season they will prove it.

Pretenders

The San Antonio Spurs, who lost in the NBA Finals last season, are trying to combat their age with teamwork and smart decision making.  Unfortunately, the run they made last season may be their last.  Their three stars, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobli, and Tim Duncan are an average age of 35.  After a marathon 82-game season, the Spurs will fade in the playoffs.

The Houston Rockets have showed they are ready to get back in the mix again in the Western Conference, after acquiring center Dwight Howard.  The Rockets already have shooting guard James Harden looking like the next great scorer, and many think Howard is the missing piece of the puzzle.  Think again.  Howard brings off the court problems wherever he goes, and although he is the best center in the league at times, he often struggles when he isn’t the focal point of the team.  Houston will win games, but the bottom line is, they won’t win enough to get to the next level.

After a somewhat successful season last year, the New York Knicks are hoping to get even better.  It probably won’t happen.  They have no strong option at any position except small forward, and their franchise player, Carmelo Anthony, takes more shots than he should.  They’ll coast relatively easily through the regular season, but it will still end with a disappointment.

Even with these predictions of the top teams and the biggest disappointments in the NBA, there are still going to be some surprises who sneak into the playoffs and shake things up.  There are teams like the Cavaliers, Pistons and even the Washington Wizards who have a chance to make some noise and affect the outcome of the season.  Because despite projections and expert predictions, in the NBA, anything can happen.