NBA Tier List: Golden State Warriors enter upper stratosphere

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 15: Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors greets teammates during a time out in the third quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Chase Center on February 15, 2021 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 15: Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors greets teammates during a time out in the third quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Chase Center on February 15, 2021 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
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Golden State Warriors (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Golden State Warriors (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

The Golden State Warriors might have missed the NBA Playoffs in back-to-back seasons but we have every reason to believe they have catapulted themselves straight into the league’s upper stratosphere.

If we were to create an NBA Tier List, where would the Golden State Warriors rank among the lottery teams, playoff locks, dark horse contenders and favorites?

Tier lists have taken the internet by storm over the last year and a half so why not translate that format to the NBA world? We will break the league down into four separate levels.

  • Lottery Teams
  • Playoff Locks
  • Dark Horse Contenders
  • Title Favorites

To avoid talking extensively about all 30 teams, we will jump straight into the playoff locks rather than focusing on the bottom-dweller squads. This means that if you don’t see your favorite team in any of the next few slides — it is probably because they are destined to either fall into the lottery or battle for one of the fringe Play-In spots.

While many teams have made drastic roster changes over the summer, the Warriors might just be the most improved. Let’s break down each tier and explain our rankings.