NBA Finals 2018: Examining Odds of Warriors Repeating in 2019

The three greatest dynasties in NBA history belong to the Bill Russell-led Boston Celtics, the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls and the Shaquille O'Neal-Kobe Bryant- led Los Angeles Lakers.

Russell's Celtics won a remarkable 11 titles in 13 seasons, Jordan's Bulls won six championships in eight years and the O'Neal-Bryant Lakers won three straight titles.

The Magic Johnson-led Lakers spread their five championships over nine seasons, while the Tim Duncan-led San Antonio Spurs and the Bryant post-Shaq Lakers also spread their title runs out over a longer span.

But the Golden State Warriors have joined the league's great dynasties with three titles in four years. Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson appear to have a wonderful opportunity to make it four titles in five years.

Curry will not make any dynastic declarations for his team, other than it feels good to have won three championships. "Not for me to answer that question," Curry said about the dynasty issue, per Reid Forgrave of CBS Sports. "I just know what we've been able to accomplish is really meaningful and something that not many players have been able to experience."

The oddsmakers certainly think the Warriors are the favorites to earn a fourth title. Right after they swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals, OddsShark listed the Warriors as +125 favorites (bet $100 to win $125) to win the league's championship in 2018-19. The Houston Rockets are the second choice at +400, the Philadelphia 76ers are +450 and the Boston Celtics are +600.

There is not likely to be a lot of movement among the key players on the Warriors roster. Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green are all under contract in 2018-19. Durant is scheduled to be a free agent this summer, but he told Sam Amick of USA Today that he plans on being with the Warriors again next year.

While that's not a guarantee and the two sides still have to come to an agreement, we will operate under the belief that Golden State's management and Durant will find a way to work it out.

Supporting players include Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston, and Jordan Bell has a chance to be a solid contributor in his second season.

So, the Warriors figure to be as strong as ever in 2018-19, and the question is which team is likely to come up and give them the biggest challenge.

The Rockets pushed the Warriors to seven games in the playoffs, and they are loaded with individual talent. However, that may be their undoing when it comes to competing against the Warriors. As explosive as the Rockets can be with James Harden, Chris Paul and Eric Gordon, they broke down into a one-on-one team at crucial moments against the Warriors, and it likely cost them in the Western Conference Finals.

The Sixers appear to be coming into their own, and they should be a formidable team in the next few years with Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Dario Saric and JJ Redick. However, they still may need more than a season before they get by the Celtics and the Warriors.

Jim Mone/Associated Press

The Celtics had the Cavaliers on the ropes but they could not finish LeBron James once the King decided that he was not going to lose the series. However, the Celtics pushed Cleveland to the limit even though they did not have Kyrie Irving or Gordon Hayward. Both players are likely to be healthy next season, and the development of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown could make the Celtics worthy challengers to Golden State.

Then there's the Cavaliers, who have now fallen to 1-3 in NBA Finals confrontations with the Warriors. if there was any doubt about the possibility of James leaving and going elsewhere as a free agent, JR Smith's boneheaded error in Game 1 when he failed to know the score in a tie game after coming up with an offensive rebound in the final seconds may push James out the door.

If and when James leaves, the Cavs will no longer be serious contenders.

Whomever James signs with would likely move into top-contender status, but that team would still have to mesh over the course of a season and be at its best in the playoffs.

The belief here is that a healthy Celtics team may have the best chance of keeping the Warriors from making it four titles in five years. The Green would not be favorites, but they would be good enough to push the Warriors hard and make a championship series competitive.