After winning three of the last four championships, most experts would have predicted that the Warriors would return to the NBA Finals.
The big conundrum was figuring out which team would make it out of the Eastern Conference. The Celtics were healthy and had solidified their roster. The Sixers were poised to build on their tanking years and take the next step. The Bucks, behind likely MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, stormed through the regular season with the best record and a veteran roster.