The Golden State Warriors entered the last four seasons as overwhelming favorites to emerge from the Western Conference and play in the NBA Finals.
That is no longer the case this year. But it doesn’t mean the Warriors won’t thrive as underdogs, and represent the West in June. They’re far from favorites, but it’s still a plausible outcome.
As is the team not coming even remotely close.
Unforeseen disastrous injuries notwithstanding, no team has a range of potential outcomes that matches the Warriors. No team is particularly close, either.