NBA: The only 6 teams that can win the 2022 championship

NBA Philadelphia 76ers (Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports)
NBA Philadelphia 76ers (Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports)
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Draymond Green
Draymond Green (Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)

Golden State Warriors

Through nearly the first half of the season, there was arguably not a better team in the league than the Golden State Warriors. However, since then, the Warriors have fallen back down to reality a bit. They’ve taken steps forward and then steps back.

The Warriors saw Klay Thompson return from injury and then lost Draymond Green. Since that injury, the Warriors have never been the same. Without Draymond in the lineup, the Warriors have struggled and, on most nights, don’t look like dangerous contenders.

Their status as contenders largely relies on Draymond’s health. When he’s healthy, the Warriors are a different team. When he’s not, they’re still a good team but not one that would be considered as a serious contender in the Western Conference.