Photo from Logos Wikia
By Kenneth Kim
Staff Writer
This week, from Oct. 27 to Nov. 1, the National Basketball Association kicks off a new season. The Golden State Warriors return as defending champions while the other 29 teams made off-season moves to compete for the NBA title.
Here are five storylines to look forward for this upcoming season:
1. Are the Warriors the new Spurs?
The Warriors won the finals last year. This team is comprised of young core of players, including Stephen Curry, the reigning Most Valuable Player. It will be interesting to see if this team can become a dynasty.
The San Antonio Spurs are the current dynasty. The team has won five NBA titles since 1999, and for a long time, it has been a model of consistency in terms of winning.
Will the Warriors continue their success and become the new Spurs?
2. Is Lamarcus Aldridge a bridge for the Spurs?
In 1997, the San Antonio Spurs selected Tim Duncan, leading the team to an unbelievable run of success. Over the years, they have averaged at least 50 wins in a season, went to six NBA finals, won five of them and went to the playoffs every single year.
Duncan is now 39-years-old, and the Spurs, seeing that his end might be near, signed Lamarcus Aldridge during the off season.
Aldridge plays the same position as Duncan, but is nine years his junior. He has been a solid player for the last nine years with the Portland Trail Blazers, garnering four all star teams.
It will be interesting to see if Aldridge will show signs of being a bridge for the Spurs for future success of the franchise.
3. Can LeBron James finally lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a NBA title?
Cleveland sports fans are starving for their professional teams to win a title. None of them have won since 1964. Cleveland’s basketball team, the Cavaliers, were in the NBA finals last year but fell to the Warriors. The last time the Cavaliers were in the finals was in 2007.
The common factor in both teams was LeBron James. Love him or hate him, LeBron is arguably the best player in the league.
He started his career with the Cavaliers in 2003 and rose to become one of the best players in the league. In 2007, Lebron carried his team to an improbable playoff run that ended in the finals, where they lost to the Spurs.
In 2o1o, Lebron left the Cavaliers to join the Miami Heat. While with the Heat, he won two championships in four years.
Last year, he rejoined his former team, hoping now to guide Cleveland to win their first NBA title.Will LeBron be able do it? Can he end the title drought in Cleveland?
4. Can Kobe Bryant continue his legacy?
Kobe Bryant is arguably the second best shooting guard in the history of the NBA, only behind Michael Jordan. He is entering his 20th season.
He won five NBA championships, one MVP and was selected to 17 all star teams . The last two years, he played 41 games out of a possible 164.
It will be interesting to see how he adds to his legacy this year. We know he is an aging player, but if Bryant can stay healthy, can he give us one more great years in his Hall of Fame career?
5. Can Anthony Davis get better?
Last year, Anthony Davis put up about 21 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks per game. These numbers along with his potential had analysts comparing him to Hakeem Olajuwon, an NBA hall of fame player.
All of these accolades are coming to Davis at the young age of 22. Can take his game to another level? As he continues to get better in the near future, he will become the best player in the league.
* * *
These are just five of the many storylines we are looking forward to this season. Are you excited? We are! So let the games begin.