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#2 Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors head into the 2021-22 NBA season as one of the title favorites. They are the fourth-most likely team to win the title, as per oddsmakers. The Warriors are without key players like Klay Thompson and James Wiseman right now. So many believe it could be an uphill task for Stephen Curry and Draymond Green to help the team stay afloat till Thompson returns.
The Warriors went 5-0 in the 2021-22 preseason, with all their main players and reserves shining. That helped the Dubs dispel all doubts regarding their ability to succeed without Thompson. Their offseason recruitment of players like Otto Porter Jr., Andre Iguodala and Nemanja Bjelica has turned out to be successful too.
Moreover, young players like Jordan Poole and Damian Lee have also delivered strong performances. The Dubs' most impressive win was against the LA Lakers when the two teams locked horns with each other for the second time this preseason on October 12th.
Golden State played without Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, but still won 111-99 against a Lakers team that had LeBron James, Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis. That performance showed that the Warriors have the depth and the talent to win the Western Conference, unlike in the last campaign.
#1 Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are looking to end their 15-year playoff drought this season. Given how they have constructed their roster, it won't be surprising to see them end their long postseason drought.
The Kings have a decent blend of youth and experience this time. Rookies Davion Mitchell and Terence Davis have boosted their chances of having an impressive season. Meanwhile, Tristan Thompson and De'Aaron Fox's leadership could prove to be key to their success as well.
Sacramento faced some of the strongest teams in the West. like LA Clippers, Phoenix Suns and LA Lakers, this preseason. They managed to score well over 100 points in all these fixtures. Luke Walton's side have improved massively in defense too. They should be a team to look out for once the NBA regular season begins.
