Applying Phil Jackson's '40-20 rule'—winning 40 games before 20 losses—the Oklahoma City Thunder and Detroit Pistons are currently the only true contenders. While the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, and New York Knicks failed this standard, the Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs remain on the outside looking in as the season progresses.
NBA Power Rankings: Who qualifies as a contender?
As the NBA season enters the second half, Yahoo Sports analyzes teams using Phil Jackson's '40-20 rule' to determine true championship contenders.