Game of Expectations: Which NBA Title Contenders Have Most to Lose in Playoffs?

Perhaps we’ll look back at Thursday’s loss in Game 3 of the first round against the Houston Rockets as the Golden State Warriors’ lone playoff blemish.

After all, the Warriors posted the best regular-season record in history and lost Thursday by just one point while playing without a sidelined Stephen Curry. So, the Warriors matching the 2001-02 Los Angeles Lakers’ NBA-best 15-1 playoff record would not be a shocker.

The Warriors actually losing this series to the Rockets? Or falling in the next round, likely against the Los Angeles Clippers? That would be far more surprising.

When you look at the NBA playoffs from the perspective of which teams have the most to lose, what is truly at risk right now becomes clear.

Every one of these five contenders that doesn’t win the championship will have some regrouping to do. But if any bow out in the early going, some will be left with a lot more explaining to do than others.

Who has the most to lose?

1. Warriors 

Just imagine the gloating tweets that would be popping from the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls if the Warriors couldn’t even get out of the second round.

Something such as “Regular-season lather. Second-round rinse. No repeat!” from Phil Jackson. Or “Sorry, @SteveKerr!” from Scottie Pippen. Definitely “Don’t mean a thing without the ring!” from Ron Harper.

All the politically correct congeniality that the former Bulls showed after Golden State’s 73rd regular-season victory would be overturned by honest not-so-goodness. And you just know all the old-time NBA players who’ve scoffed at the Warriors’ small ball and lack of muscle would hashtag like crazy: #toldyouso.

Indeed, no team has as much to lose as the Warriors, because this team has positioned itself to have more than any previous team ever achieved.

The Warriors have a way of stepping up to pressure situations and making the most of them, though. It’d be quite a switch for them to struggle with the great expectations now.

After finally winning No. 73, the Warriors expressed the notion that they looked forward to the playoffs because other teams—unaccustomed to suffering major ramifications for losing—would now get a taste of the intense atmospheric pressure the Warriors weathered for months.

2. Clippers

It’s not so much that losing in the next round to the Warriors would be unexpected in any way. It’s how demoralizing it would be for the Clippers franchise—after all the hope driven up by Steve Ballmer’s fist pumps upon buying the star-studded team—again to show no progress, to still be stuck, unable to get past the second round.

And that staleness is about to come with an expiration date.

Chris Paul and Blake Griffin can opt out of their contracts after next season. That means the Clippers, if they fail to break out this season, have no choice but to contemplate …

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