NBA dark horses? Timberwolves, Pistons, Celtics and Pacers can make case

Everybody can identify the NBA’s championship favorites in August. Figuring out the team nobody sees coming is a little more interesting.

Just ask the Spurs.

San Antonio wasn’t exactly penciled into the 2026 NBA Finals when last season began, yet there the Spurs were, eventually pushing the Knicks before falling short of a championship.

So who’s capable of being this season’s San Antonio?

The Timberwolves belong near the top of the list after acquiring LaMelo Ball to pair with Anthony Edwards. Minnesota gave up Julius Randle and Naz Reid in the process, but Edwards and Ball could form one of the league’s most explosive backcourts.

Then there’s Detroit, if a 60-win team can actually qualify as a dark horse. Cade Cunningham emerged as an MVP candidate last season, and the Pistons pushed Cleveland to seven games in the conference semifinals. The rebuilding portion of the program is officially over.

Don’t dismiss the Celtics, either. Yes, Jaylen Brown is gone. Jayson Tatum and Derrick White aren’t, and Boston added Mitchell Robinson after finishing second in the East before its stunning first-round collapse against Philadelphia.

Finally, remember the Pacers?

Indiana essentially spent last season waiting for Tyrese Haliburton to recover from a torn Achilles. He’s back now, joining a roster that still bears plenty of resemblance to the group that reached Game 7 of the 2025 Finals.

Maybe none of these teams gets there. Then again, that’s sort of the point. Nobody had San Antonio playing in June last year, either.