Golden State Warriors: LeBron James
Maybe its a bit of a jump to say that Golden State’s X-factor plays on a team they won’t see until the Finals. But if you see any reason to think the Warriors won’t be playing in June, then you’re more creative than this scribe.
The fact of the matter is that LeBron James has been the biggest obstacle for the entire league since 2011. Every move the Warriors make, every strategy they break out and every lineup they trot onto the floor is with James in mind — rightly so.
Golden State didn’t have an answer for James last season. Andre Iguodala is 33 years old and probably can’t be a LeBron-stopper for an entire series. And the consequence of bringing in Kevin Durant last summer was a hit to the Warriors’ depth. Durant will undoubtedly see minutes guarding James in a potential Finals matchup, and the Warriors will probably survive those minutes just fine.
But there are few options beyond Iguodala and Durant. If James is comfortable against either of them, it will spell trouble for Golden State.