Who are the biggest threats to the Golden State Warriors this season?

The 2018-19 NBA season is about to get underway and it seems we all know what is about to happen. Looks like everyone is already crowning the Golden State Warriors 2018-19 NBA champs and uttering phrases like “ the NBA is ruined”, “Let’s skip this season and begin the next one”, and many more.

With the addition of DeMarcus Cousins to an already stacked roster of Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala, along with young guns like Jordan Bell and Damian Jones, coach Steve Kerr is pretty much set to taste champagne again.

But with all this hype, there are always underdogs and contenders who can knock the reigning champs down, and bring them back on Earth.

Here are few teams in my opinion, who can achieve this seemingly impossible feat:

Honorable mentions: Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets

The Philadelphia 76ers are a powerhouse filled with young talent like Embid, Simmons, but still, a lack of experience and consistency may cut their run sort, as seen in their last playoff run. If the boys have learned from their past mistake, this team can make an impact.

The Toronto Raptors, with Kawhi, are a force to be reckoned with, but we are still uncertain of how well is Leonard going to perform after a season’s absence. The team lost their star player DeRozan and their coach, so team chemistry might be an issue.

Finally, the Denver Nuggets are another team that is being slept upon. They have a strong roster with both veterans and rookies to look forward to. If Isaiah Thomas returns to his peak form and Jokic dishes out those crazy no look passes, they surely going to be an entertaining team to watch.

All these teams in the end are in the Eastern Conference, so their threat level was not high enough to put them any higher in the list.

#5. Utah Jazz

The star rookie can make some headlines this season.

The Jazz are known to be a defensive juggernaut, with Rudy Gobert protecting the paint, Crowder, Rubio, Exum, Ingles doing their part, forming a cohesive unit, getting the job done as a team.

Plus, they have the added benefit of having the most magnetizing rookie in the name of Donovan Mitchell, who can score in a hurry.

Playing a physical game with the Warriors tends to slow them down, something which can be exploited. Overall the Jazz are a good match up for the Warriors, especially in the early rounds of playoffs.

#4. Oklahoma City Thunder

The resigning of Paul George was a huge relief for the Thunder, as was the release of Carmelo, because somehow the formula did not work out. With new recruits in the form of Nerlens Noel and Dennis Schroder, the Thunders pack a punch, especially when you have a triple double machine called Westbrook.

With Russell, Thunder will look forward to breaking through the early rounds of the playoffs, hoping for an exciting series between the two. It’s always fun to watch Westbrook and Durant go against each other.

#3. Los Angeles Lakers

Can the King push the Lakers beyond the Warriors?

Two words: LeBron James. Lakers have the best player in the world now, and with that in mind, no one can overlook them. Reaching the Finals has become a habit for the King, and he won’t let the streak end that easily.

The Western Conference is a completely different mountain, but the best player, along with Ingram, Kuzma, Rondo, Ball, McGee, Beasley, Caldwell-Pope can reach the peak, where they’ll find the Warriors waiting.

Magic Johnson pulled off the best move in the off-season, it's time to show that his decision was worthwhile. You cannot go wrong with LeBron James. Having faced the Warriors for 4 years in a row in the NBA Finals, the LeBron knows a thing or two about how to tackle the Warriors, and hopefully they'll meet again in the Conference Finals.

The ratings will sky rocket if the Lakers manage to pull that off.

#2. Houston Rockets

The Rockets are looking forward to meeting the Warriors.

Did you see the new behind the back step-back move for a three Harden pulled off in the preseason? The Rockets are sure to bring a brand new flair to the game, with Carmelo added to the roster, James Harden doing skills which spark up debates in the basketball community, and Chris Paul governing the whole pace of the game.

Some say if Chris Paul hadn’t gone down in the Western Conference Finals, the Warriors would not have won. Some say the story would not have changed if Andre was healthy. We might never know.

But one thing we can be certain of is that the MVP, with the Rockets, is out for blood and they’ll try their best to beat the reigning champs. In the West they are the biggest threats to the Warriors barring any injury. A Conference Finals rematch looks promising.

#1. Boston Celtics

The only Eastern Conference team in the list is at number one. The Celtics proved last season that they are a force. Despite Kyrie and Hayward being out, they proved the level of talent they had in their team in the playoffs last season, falling short only to the King.

Now with Kyrie and Hayward back, the Celtics probably has the best starting five next to the Warriors with Horford, Tatum, Rozier, Brown, and under Coach Brad Stevens, they are only going to get better.

A final showdown with the Warriors for the NBA Championship is the popular prediction. The Warriors better be ready, because Uncle Drew and his squad are coming.

Note – Most of the teams are in the Western Conference, as the Warriors be facing the Eastern teams until the finals. The list was made with that in mind. The above mentioned teams are potential threats, it does not necessarily mean that they will win a 7 game series against Golden State. We all know that the only rival the Warriors have are themselves. Enjoy the NBA season, even if you know what is going to happen.

Edited by Gabby Duran