After we spent all season feeling confident in a three-horse NBA title race between the Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers, the two iconic franchises out west have entered the conversation.

A breakdown of some of the players, teams and trends around the league that are drawing the ire of yours truly. If you're not a fellow pessimist, proceed with caution.  Look, the Lakers have won five straight with Luka in the lineup,

The Warriors were playing without six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler for the first time since trading for him, and the team clearly felt his absence. The Warriors are 7-1 when Butler plays, and Golden State desperately needs him back on the court moving forward.