The NFL playoffs are March Madness style one-gamers, so even if you are the defending champs and incoming favorites to repeat — like the Patriots are right now — you’re never thaaaaat big of favorites. Anything can happen.



Same with the MLB, where a hot pitcher can carry a team, or the NHL, where a hot goalie can do the same. But in the star-driven, star-dominated NBA, with four rounds and two months of marathon series, there’s a greater path for the favorite to realllllly be an overwhelming favorite (The Cavaliers can hit 24 3-pointers once, but try to do that three more times).



Entering this upcoming season — having already proven they can smoothly integrate Kevin Durant, having regathered 12 players from last year’s title team and having upgraded the three other spots — the Warriors may be the largest preseason title favorites in decades.



So until there’s a stumble, there will be very...