The NBA season has a handful of games left and the Golden State Warriors are closing in on the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls record of 72 wins and Steph Curry is closing in on his second straight MVP. Which might be unanimous. But is it really that simple as the Warriors are going to win the NBA title and no one else has a chance? Perhaps, but I'd like to think that a few other teams have a chance. Here are some teams that might have a chance to knock of Curry and the Warriors.
**All of this is predicated on the Warriors and said teams making the Western Finals or NBA Finals**
WESTERN CONFERENCE:
San Antonio Spurs: The Spurs are like fine wine, the older they get the better they get. You can never count them out even when you really want to. They probably should've been the ones to try and knock of the Warriors last season in the playoffs but they ran into the Los Angeles Clippers in an emotional series. There are always two constants with the Spurs and two reasons why you can never count them out; they play the best team basketball you've ever seen and their defense is the best in the league. This season they're allowing a staggering 92 PPG. Tim Duncan ("aka Father Time") has played a limited role this season but that's usually been part of the plan. Granted the time missed has been injury related, it doesn't hurt to be out when you have a younger version of yourself on the floor in LaMarcus Aldridge. I haven't even mentioned the reigning Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard; Leonard will have to be the guy in the post season if the Spurs want to potentially knock off the Warriors. It's another 50 win season for Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs.
Oklahoma City Thunder: For the Thunder it's simple, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have to play like MVP's. What exactly does that mean? It means they have to score close to 60 points between them, and that's not an exaggeration. Who are they going to rely on to be that third option, Serge Ibaka? Dion Waiters? Steven Adams? None of the above. It's going to take a combination of the three and everyone else to play the best and most complete basketball of their life. If anyone watched their game against Golden State you saw exactly what you need to do, get out to an early lead. You also saw exactly what you cannot do, give up that lead with sloppy defense and mindless turnovers. Russell Westbrook could draw the straw and be assigned to Stephen Curry on the defensive end, a task I believe he could rise up to and accomplish.
Los Angeles Clippers: The Clippers are a mystery and one that could be solved by the return of Blake Griffin. Griffin will have missed significant time recovering from a quadriceps injury suffered Christmas Day and broken hand suffered after he punched the team equipment manager. The Clippers are a conference finals team without Griffin but a Finals team with him. And they know that. “We can’t win a championship without Blake,” Paul said recently. “We’re playing for a championship, and there’s no championship without Blake Griffin.” The Clippers are one of the few teams that can hang with the Warriors in terms of scoring. The only questions, as it is with every other team, can you stop get a defensive stop when you need it? When Chris Paul is on Steph Curry, I think Paul's defensive ability and the emotional with which he plays basketball can shut down Curry.
EASTERN CONFERENCE:
Cleveland Cavaliers: This is the team who can knock the Warriors off in the NBA Finals should they meet. Last year it was LeBron James who won 2 games in the Finals averaging 35.8 PPG, 13.8 RPG, and 8.8 APG. Not to mention he shot 31%. This year if the Cavaliers have a healthy Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving I'm positive they will beat the Warriors. In order for them to capture the Larry O'Brien Trophy they obviously need LeBron to average similar numbers but also they'll need Kyrie and Love to play at an All Star level. They'll also need players like JR Smith, Iman Shumpert and Tristian Thompson to have consistent all-around games.
Miami Heat: I have no idea why I'm putting the Heat on this list. I really don't think they can win an NBA Championship, let alone beat the Cavaliers in a 7-game series. But yet, I still find myself scratching my head with this team. I have a feel deep, deep in the pit of my stomach that Dwyane Wade will wake up from his winter nap and come alive in the spring. The addition of Joe Johnson could do wonders for this team if Chris Bosh is out. And let's pray Bosh can play basketball again. Johnson is a pure scorer who can get you an easy 22-25 points a game. The evolution of Hassan Whiteside is amazing and he could be an x-factor for this team going into the playoffs. My confidence level is around a 2 for this team, but I won't be surprised if they upset the Cavs on their way to the Finals.
Prediction: The Warriors survive all of the above teams from the West and meet the Cavaliers again in the Finals but this time the Cavs come out on top and LeBron captures his 3rd title in 6 seasons and is named Finals MVP. You're welcome.
Stephen Springer, Follow him on Twitter @Stephen_Springs
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