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#3 Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors dominated the NBA from 2015-2019, winning three of the five titles available in that period. But it was a combined effort from Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala.
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With Durant's departure and Thompson's injury in 2019, Curry was solely responsible for steering the ship. Although the 3-time NBA champion has continued to deliver stellar performances, his efforts have not been enough to lead the team to another playoff run.
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The Golden State Warriors were close to qualifying for the 2021 NBA playoffs, but they were no match for the LA Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies in the play-in tournament. With Curry playing only five games in the 2019-20 season, the Warriors finished with the worst record in the league - 15-50.
Thompson's return from a two-year injury is imminent, which might lessen the scoring load on Curry. The Warriors have also made some summer signings that could boost their chances of making another championship run.
Curry finished the 2020-21 NBA season as the league's scoring leader, with an average of 32 points. To put into perspective how dependent the Warriors were on their veteran guard, the next highest scoring player was Andrew Wiggins, with a point average of 18.6.
#2 Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers have failed to make a deep run in the NBA playoffs for eight consecutive seasons because they have not surrounded Damian Lillard with the right supporting cast. Their deepest run in over 20 years was reaching the 2019 NBA Western Conference finals, where they were swept by the Golden State Warriors.
Lillard has stayed loyal to the franchise, but has expressed his displeasure with the front office's recruitment. He has put it all on the court time and time again, but has not got the same intensity from his teammates.
Trade rumors surrounded Lillard following the Trail Blazers' exit from the 2021 NBA playoffs. However, it looks less likely that the veteran guard will leave as the days go by.
CJ McCollum did a decent job helping Dame Dollar secure the No. 6 seed in the West, averaging 23.1 points behind Lillard's 28.8. However, he was not as effective during the playoffs.
Lillard exploded in the 2021 NBA playoffs as he was determined to carry his team all the way. Unfortunately, they fell to Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets in the first round despite Lillard's record-breaking performance in Game 5 of the series.
It was a record-breaking night for Dame, as he registered 55 points and made 12 three-pointers. But the Trail Blazers lost the game after double overtime, and eventually lost the series.
#1 Dallas Mavericks
Luka Doncic will arguably be the face of the NBA after LeBron James' departure. He has been an inspiration for the Dallas Mavericks since his rookie season, leading them to back-to-back postseason action.
An injury late in the season knocked Porzingis off his rhythm, as he struggled to get on the score sheet in the playoffs. As a result, most of the team's scoring was left to Doncic.
The Slovenian averaged a double-double in the 2021 NBA playoffs, registering 35.7 points and 10.3 assists per outing. The second-best scorer for the Dallas Mavericks was Tim Hardaway Jr. If other players step up, the Dallas Mavericks could be genuine contenders for an NBA championship.
Trail Blazers Nation! You can check out the latest Portland Trail Blazers Schedule and dive into the Trail Blazers Depth Chart for NBA Season 2024-25.
