5 TEAMS THAT POSE THE BIGGEST THREAT TO A WARRIORS 3-PEAT

Here are five teams that have the best shot of dismantling the defending champs in a seven-game series:

5. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (51-31, 1-1 VS. WARRIORS)

The 76ers currently have four All-Star-caliber players on the roster after acquiring Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris to tag along with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.

If they manage to fight through the hellfire of their own conference and reach the Finals, the Sixers have the star power to really put a dent in Golden State's armor. Their playoff run starts and ends with Embiid, whose claim that he's the most unstoppable player in the NBA has some merit after averaging 27.5 points and 13.6 rebounds per game.

Surrounding Simmons with elite shooting in Harris and J.J. Redick also gives the 6-foot-10 point guard space to work, while Butler is more than capable of creating his own offense and putting the team on his back when called on.

4. BOSTON CELTICS (49-33, 1-1 VS. WARRIORS)

It's difficult to gauge the Celtics' chances after the team fell one game shy of an NBA Finals appearance without the services of Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward a year ago.

This season - with a relatively healthy roster - the Celtics underachieved and failed to crack the 50-win plateau as they went from an Eastern Conference favorite to an afterthought behind the Raptors and Bucks.

Regardless, the roster is built for championship contention with the depth to compete with anyone in the league. They'll certainly need Irving to be among the best players in basketball with Jayson Tatum supplementing him as a legitimate second scorer.

Meanwhile, if Al Horford once again looks like the most underappreciated defensive star in basketball, they'll have a shot at being crowned NBA champions.

3. HOUSTON ROCKETS (53-29, 3-1 VS. WARRIORS)

A year removed from nearly knocking off the Warriors, the Rockets have found their stride at the perfect time.

Houston fought through injuries and inconsistency like no other, starting 11-14 before winning 42 of their final 57 games. Of course, reigning MVP James Harden is at the center of the Rockets' success, averaging the most points per game in a season since Michael Jordan in 1986-87.

The Rockets were up 3-2 in the 2018 Western Conference finals before Chris Paul's hamstring injury helped the Warriors come back and make their fourth straight Finals appearance. In that series, Harden averaged 28.7 points on 41.5 percent from the field and 24.4 percent from behind the arc - a far cry from his usual dominant numbers.

If the 6-foot-5 superstar can overcome his playoff inefficiency, count Houston as the lone team in the West with an opportunity to put an end to Golden State's dynasty.

2. TORONTO RAPTORS (58-24, 2-0 VS. WARRIORS)

These aren't your typical Raptors. This franchise has never had Marc Gasol protecting the rim, or Danny Green connecting on 45.5 percent from deep, or Kawhi Leonard leading the way as a genuine two-way stud.

The aforementioned trio is surrounded by Raptors regulars who succumbed to the pressure of facing LeBron James' Cavaliers. However, this time, the Raptors are a legitimate threat to not just reach the Finals, but potentially take home the title.

From Pascal Siakam developing into an offensively adept Draymond Green to Kyle Lowry infuriating Stephen Curry as the pesky presence, no challenger has ever matched up this well. As for Durant, he's going against arguably the best perimeter defender in the Association in Leonard. It shouldn't surprise anyone if this team can pull through.

1. MILWAUKEE BUCKS (60-22, 1-1 VS. WARRIORS)

The Bucks have proven they're the most dangerous team in the NBA when healthy. And so far, with the postseason beginning on Saturday, that isn't the case with Malcolm Brogdon, Pau Gasol, and Nikola Mirotic all set to miss the start of their Round 1 matchup against the Detroit Pistons.

Regardless, the Bucks have still been consistent all season. They finished the year with the NBA's best net rating at 8.6 points per 100 possessions; they ranked as the best defensive team in the league and fifth offensively.

Thanks to Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee is the second-most efficient scoring team in the NBA and runs a blistering pace with an average of 103.6 possessions per contest.

The organization has enjoyed its most impressive season since the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar days and the numbers back it up. If they get healthy in time for Round 2, there's a strong chance Milwaukee will hoist its first championship since 1971.