It's the story that won't go away, thanks to the vocal critics of the Golden State Warriors, particularly Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers and his shooting guard, J.J. Redick. Some four months after the conclusion of the NBA Finals, the Warriors are still shouting down those arguing they were fortunate in the playoffs because of the players and teams they didn't have to face along the way to the title. Do those criticisms hold merit? Only a little. It would be more accurate to say that the Warriors would have been very unlucky to have faced the gauntlet their critics wanted them to see. Let's take a look at how the Warriors' playoff opposition compared to what they might have faced -- as well as the paths past champions have taken. Yes, Golden State got lucky To some extent, the notion that the Warriors got some lucky breaks along the way shouldn't really be a controversial one. Of course they did! All four...