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Who are the Warriors’ biggest threats in West?

By Carlos Murillo

May 26, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) is defended by Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) in the fourth quarter in game five of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Warriors won 120-111. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
May 26, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) is defended by Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) in the fourth quarter in game five of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Warriors won 120-111. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports /
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3. Portland Trailblazers

Golden State Warriors
May 7, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) dribbles past Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) in game three of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports /

The Golden State Warriors will have to deal with a hungry Trailblazers team.

Projected starting lineup: Damian Lillard/C.J. McCollum/Evan Turner/Al-Farouq Aminu/Mason Plumlee

It’s nearly impossible to succeed in the modern NBA without a top tier guard.

Lucky for the Blazers, they have a fantastic backcourt in both Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. The Oakland native Lilard is the star with a bonafide case for being top-five at his position while McCollum is a very good scorer.

The Blazers’ starting backcourt is their strongest asset, but their depth in the frontcourt is what will win them a lot of games. If Mason Plumlee can learn to not get his shot blocked every time he takes an attempt, then his combination of athleticism and passing can really open up Portland’s offense. The addition of Festus Ezeli, who, despite his Finals failings, can be a starting center, is a great one. Ed Davis and Al-Farouq Aminu are also quality complementary players.

They also signed Evan Turner, one of the league’s biggest question marks. He seems to have some of the tools to be a solid NBA player, but he hasn’t really been able to figure it out. If he can buy into what Terry Stotts is selling, then he can be a useful asset for Portland.

The Warriors beat the Blazers in five very tough games. It took a spectacular Steph Curry return to action and record-breaking overtime performance in Game 4 to prevent the series from going six or seven games.

Their backcourt can put points up in a hurry. Few teams are willing to enter into a shootout with Golden State, but Lillard and McCollum welcome the challenge. They are shifty with the ability to get into the midrange and paint. If you defend against that, they can snipe you from long range.

Portland could be ready to take the next step after what can be considered a successful playoff run. They’ll surely be a tough opponent for the Warriors next season.

Next: Seasoned vets

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