NBA Roundtable: Jimmy Butler, the Warriors and the Beasts of the East
Who will be the biggest threat to the Warriors in the West?
Schmahl: The Houston Rockets. As wrong as it feels to not put LeBron’s team in this spot, the Rockets are too talented to not be considered the biggest threat to a Warrior three-peat. If Chris Paul doesn’t go down in Game 5 of the West Finals last year and Houston doesn’t miss 27 straight 3’s in Game 7, we’re likely talking about the Rockets as defending NBA champs right now.
They lost a few perimeter defenders (Ariza, Mbah a Moute), but will bring back pretty much the same core that just won 65 games, posted the ninth highest offensive rating ever (114.7), and pushed the Warriors to the brink. They still have the league MVP, one of the game’s greatest point guards, an elite head coach/system, a brilliant GM, and Carmelo Anthony should fit in like a glove. They’re the biggest threat to Golden State, West or East.
Osborne: The Houston Rockets. The Rockets took the Warriors to 7 games last season and could’ve possibly pulled the upset had Chris Paul not had the hamstring injury that cost him games 6 and 7. The Rockets appear to be less of a threat this season but Houston still should be the biggest threat to Warriors. Carmelo Anthony seems to fit better in Houston than he did in OKC which could help offset some of the loss from the Rockets losing Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute.
Doole: The Utah Jazz. Once they had their whole squad healthy in the second half of last year the Jazz were an elite team, going 28-14 to finish the season. They handily beat the Thunder and Russell Westbrook in the first round, before crashing out to Houston. The Rockets got weaker this offseason, though, and the Jazz should be much improved after last year’s taste of the playoffs. Donovan Mitchell was amazing in his rookie campaign, and he will remain the focal point of an offense filled out by perfect complementary role players.
Rudy Gobert is the best defensive center in the NBA, and flanked by Mitchell, Ricky Rubio, Derrick Favors and Joe Ingles, the Jazz will challenge for the title of best defensive team in the league. The question is still whether their offense can support that elite defense; last season showed that it can to a degree, and it should improve again this year. With questions surrounding most other contenders in the West, Utah’s continuity and strong finish to last season makes them the frontrunner to challenge the Warriors.
Butler: I don’t know if anyone in the league is a legitimate threat to the Warriors. They were unstoppable before they added DeMarcus Cousins. I feel like NBA teams are going to have to merge in order to compete if the Warriors keep this up. But if I had to pick, the Rockets have the best chance at dethroning the reigning champs. I know LeBron has made the Lakers a contender, but it’s going to take time.
The Heat didn’t win a title until his second year in Miami. The Cavs trio of Bron, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving took home the trophy in their second year as well. To expect LeBron to exceed that timetable with such a young core isn’t reasonable. Let’s not forget that the Rockets could have very well been Western Conference champions last season, if it weren’t for a playoff injury that sidelined Chris Paul for the final two games of the series against the Warriors. The Rockets are going to breeze through the regular season, and enter the postseason with that chip on their shoulder.