The start of the 2008-2009 NBA season came upon us on Oct. 28 and with it came the hopes and aspirations of 30 different cities and teams. Come mid-April, as the playoffs start, those 30 teams will be widdled down to 16, and by the end of June, one team will stand on top of the rest as NBA champions.
Last year, as all New England fans know, the Boston Celtics were that team that stood on top. The Celts didn’t win with one just superstar like a Kobe Bryant or a LeBron James, but rather with a core group of very talented players (“The Big Three”) that had never previously won an NBA title. Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen proved that they wanted it more than anyone else. They knew that they had gotten so close that they may never return, and they capitalized on last year’s opportunity by wanting it more than any other team.
The Boston Celtics came into this year as the favorites to win the NBA Championship and look to repeat as NBA champs for the first time since the 1967-68 and 1968-69 seasons.
Though this year, Boston has more competition. The Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic will all look to get their revenge on the Celtics in the East while out West, the Lakers, Spurs and Hornets all seem viable foes for the C’s.
Many say that the outcome of last year’s NBA finals may have been different if the Los Angeles Lakers had their starting center, Andrew Bynum, healthy. Bynum showed great
progress and promise in the early stages last year until he suffered a season ending dislocated knee injury in January. The Lakers then obtained forward Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies in a trade in which many people believe the Lakers got a bargain. Gasol added energy and a new sense of hope to the Lakers and helped spark them to the Finals. The Lakers look to take it one step further this season with the Kobe, Gasol and Bynum tandem.
The Detroit Pistons recently traded point guard Chauncey Billups and forward Antonio McDyess to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for guard Allen Iverson. Iverson will add a new dimension to the Pistons offense that has lacked the last couple of years. He adds a “go to threat” for an offense that has not had a go to guy in the late stages of games. If Iverson can spark a little more offense for the Pistons, watch out this year. Detroit’s defense year in and year out is consistantly at the top of the ranks in the NBA. If you add a guy that can light up the scoreboard on the offensive end like Iverson can, then you can expect good things in Motown this year.
The Orlando Magic figure to be a sleeper team this year in the Eastern Conference. Yes, they made it to the Eastern Conference semi-finals last year, and probably do not necessarily count as a “sleeper,” but how many people actually expected them to be a serious threat in the East this year? Dwight Howard looks to improve upon his averages of 20 points per game and 14 rebounds per game as he has elevated himself as one of the most dominant big men in the league. 3-point sharpshooters Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis complement Howard’s inside game with the outside touch needed to keep teams from doubling and sometimes tripling down on Howard in the low post. If Orlando can avoid injuries this year, watch for them to possibly make a surprise run at overthrowing the Celtics in the East.
There is no doubt the league has as many superstars today as they have ever had. One can only watch and find out if someone like LeBron can single handily lead his team to a title or if the Celtics will once again win a second consecutive title in the hands of the Big Three. All we can do is watch and find out as another NBA season is upon us.