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Following the Golden State Warriors' title win last season, several contenders have worked the entire season to improve their roster with the hopes of dethroning the back-to-back champs.
The Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder are considered as the biggest threats to Golden State, and team owner Joe Lacob knew that things will be more difficult for them this year.
In a recent interview with The Athletic's Tim Kawakami, Lacob admitted that although he's confident with the team's chances of going for a third straight title, he is also a bit worried because of how teams are starting to catch up to Golden State.
“I knew it would be a tougher year,” Joe Lacob said. “Bob (Myers) has said this over and over again. It gets harder every year. And, frankly, the league’s a lot better. That’s the truth. And they’re catching up to us. I don’t think we’re getting older, per se. I don’t think it’s us slowing down. It’s that the league is getting better.”
“I knew it’d be a tough year. There are, honestly, at least five or six legitimate title contenders this year. That’s the truth. I’m not going to sit here and tell you that I think this is a slam dunk. I actually am worried about it than maybe the average fan. Because I know how hard this is and a little injury can happen that can screw it all up.”
The Warriors managed to nab the top seed in the East, but they are only three games above the second-seeded Nuggets and the third-seeded Rockets. In the East, the Bucks and the Raptors have a better record than them, so if they manage to come out of the West and face one of those two, they won't have homecourt advantage.
Despite all that, the Warriors are still the overwhelming favorites to win the championship, and unless someone officially takes them out, that narrative will never change.
