Top 3 challengers to the Warriors crown

1. Boston Celtics

What could be called the Boston Nets, the Celtics have created a budding juggernaut of their own in the East, one that is certainly worthy of taking LeBron’s place at the top of the overall weak conference.

We saw the Celtics challenge the King without their $128 million-dollar man, Gordon Hayward, and their Cavs defector Kyrie Irving, along the way witnessing the emergence of young superstars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

Without a real challenger in the East – the only potential ones being Kawhi’s Raptors and the Sixers, who are still processing their own talent – the Celtics will likely find themselves playing into June, and their mostly untested core provides easily the biggest challenge to the Warriors.

2. Houston Rockets

Last year the Rockets were one Chris Paul achilles and 27 straight missed threes away from a trip to the Finals, where they probably would have at the very least contended with the Cavs for the Larry O’Brien. Trophy. The Warriors gave them an opening, and they weren’t able to close the deal. But the Clutch City crew is all back, with Melo – sans hoodie – in tow. Paul and Harden found a symbiosis in the backcourt, and although they lost key pieces Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute, the Rockets are still the most equipped team in the West to take down the Warriors, even if only for one more year, and will be hungry for a second chance.

3. Lakers

The Lakers might not even finish in the top 5 in the West, and may not even make it out of the second round of the playoffs.

LeBron has never had to face a gauntlet like this in the regular season, much less the opening rounds of the postseason, and the young Lakers team will see growing pains, especially with an accelerated timeline and high pressure that comes with LBJ.

But if there’s one thing I’ve learned watching the NBA for the last 15 years, it’s to never doubt LeBron, and he’s brought greater piles of trash to the NBA Finals. This will at the very least be the Warriors greatest rival this season and beyond, and the series that I most want to see in the playoffs.