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The reigning NBA champions Golden State Warriors, led by Steph Curry, are expected to repeat as champions as they look to continue their dynasty. The franchise has won four championships in the past eight years and will be keen to add another next year.
On ESPN's "First Take," sports media personality Stephen A. Smith spoke about how he believes the Warriors will defend their title in the upcoming season. Smith said that no team, as presently constructed, will beat Steph Curry and Co. in the upcoming season.
"They ain't beating the Warriors. Nobody is beating the Warriors. The Golden State Warriors are going to repeat as NBA champions. Back-to-back! Steph Curry is gonna capture Title Number 5, so is Klay Thompson, that’ll give them one more than LeBron. And they probably going to beat Kawhi Leonard and Ty Lue's crew, with John Wall, Paul George, they probably going to beat them," Stephen A. Smith said.
The Warriors haven't necessarily improved over the summer, but the return of James Wiseman from a knee injury is massive for the franchise. Wiseman will provide more rim protection while also giving them six fouls a night.
There have been rumors of the Warriors potentially adding Carmelo Anthony to their ranks. The 10-time All-Star would add even more firepower to their bench, and more depth in shooting.
The Warriors also have a great young core of players such as Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and Wiseman in their ranks. The young players, along with Andrew Wiggins, add athleticism to the roster, which has its three core veterans past the 30-year mark.
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Who could dethrone Steph Curry and company?
The Golden State Warriors are one of the favorites to win the championship next season, but there are teams in the East as well as the West that could challenge Steph Curry and the Warriors.
In the West, the likes of the LA Clippers and the Denver Nuggets pose arguably the biggest challenge. The Clippers have two of the best two-way players returning to the fold in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. They also have a master tactician in Ty Lue who has a history of beating the Warriors. The Denver Nuggets, like the LA Clippers, also have two important players in Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. returning from injuries next season.
The Brooklyn Nets are expected to challenge for the title from the East, especially after adding Ben Simmons in last season's trade deadline. While healthy and on the court, he is arguably one of the best defenders in the game. With general manager Sean Marks confirming Tuesday that Kevin Durant is staying with the team, the Nets just increased their chances of making a deep playoffs run.
The Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics also pose a legitimate threat to Steph Curry and the Warriors. The Bucks were without Khris Middleton in the Eastern Conference semifinals last season, and his absence showed as the 2020-21 champions lost 4-3 to the Celtics.
Either way, it is not a foregone conclusion that the Golden State Warriors will defend their crown. The LA Clippers are well placed to pose one of the biggest threats to Curry and the Warriors, as the Dubs need to get past the Clippers to come out of the Western Conference.
