The NBA is now officially halfway through the regular season. Along with your usual suspects, there are some teams that have have knocked off the giants to claim the #1 spots. The Denver Nuggets have claimed the top seed in the west while knocking off the reigning champions to do so. It’s no longer the Warrior’s league, other teams are hungrier. Here are the top contenders this season:

Raptors (EAST)

In recent years, the Toronto Raptors have been consistently making the playoffs. The Demar Derozan and Kyle Lowry duet was a relationship that helped the team compete among the best in the league. However, with LeBron at Cleveland, they never could beat the Cavs. Now with LeBron in L.A. and Leonard in place of Demar, this team is not to be messed with.

Bucks (EAST)

This team has evolved so much in the past five years. One man took this squad to the next level, Giannis Antetokounmpo. It may be hard to pronounce his name, but it’s even harder to beat him. Giannis is no question the most improved player in recent years, arguably, ever. Now in MVP contention and leading his team to the best record in the east, they are strong contenders for a championship.

Warriors (WEST)

The Warriors now have Demarcus Cousins. That is all.

Nuggets (WEST)

You can’t hate the Nuggets. After the Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson era, this team definitely had their struggles. Years of building up draft picks and making  smart trades, this team is at the top tier, the #1 spot in fact. This young squad is learning quickly and showing it on the court. Personally, I don’t think they will win this year, they’re still too inexperienced to beat the seasoned vets, but their time is coming soon.