As the Golden State Warriors look to put together a deep playoff run next season on the backs of their new veteran trio, an increasingly loaded Western Conference makes such a proposition exceedingly difficult.
Moreover, the ascension of the Houston Rockets, and their blockbuster acquisition of Kevin Durant this offseason, could spell continued trouble for the Warriors as yet another serious threat rises within their conference.
With an aging core and several question marks surrounding the rest of their rotation, it will already be a tall task for Golden State to contend for another title. Yet, if the Rockets prove to be as good as analysts think they will be with the addition of Durant, it could become a frankly impossible task.
The Rockets could be one of the Warriors' biggest playoff threats
Last season, after falling into the play-in as a result of two brutal losses in the last week of the regular season, the Warriors wound up with what seemed like a favorable matchup in the first-round: the Rockets.
As a defensive-heavy team that had serious question marks offensively, it seemed as though Golden State had a solid shot against their young and unexperienced opponents. Yet, after jumping out to a 3-1 lead off the back of strong performances from Steph Curry, Houston's physicality and tenacity began to wear on the Warriors.
Ultimately, Golden State hung on in seven games, but the wear that series put on the team's bodies ultimately led to Curry's untimely injury in the second round and the team's playoff demise.
Now, with the addition of Durant, the Rockets have become even more dangerous. According to Jason Timpf of the Hoops Tonight podcast, recent statistics back up the fact that Durant is still possibly the best shooter in the NBA: "Kevin Durant [was] the best jump shooter in the NBA last year, end of story. [He shot] 48% off the catch, 51% when unguarded, 52% on off-the-dribble jump shots... when he got inside 17 feet, he hit 58%. That's one of the most reliable shots in the NBA right now."
In the deal for Durant, the Rockets gave up both Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks. While they were both valuable pieces for that iteration of Houston, the team has still maintained its hard-nosed defensive identity, now primarily propagated through players like Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams, while adding an incredibly efficient scorer to their starting lineup.
If Houston had a player of Durant's offensive caliber in that first-round matchup, it is incredibly likely that the Warriors would not have survived a Game 7.
Moreover, as teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves continue to take steps to improve, a troubling picture of the gauntlet that the Western Conference will present for Golden State becomes clearer and clearer.
Therefore, while it is still unclear what this new era of the Rockets will look like or how long it will last, yet another serious competitor in the Warriors' conference should be a concerning development for all fans of the team.