by EDWARD PINTO Section editor
As the NBA season tips off, many fans across the country will put down whatever they are doing to gape at a Lebron James’ tomahawk dunk, or Kobe Bryant’s fade-away jump shots at the buzzer. Basketball is a sport everyone can enjoy, no matter what team they support.
Last year’s NBA finals champion Miami Heat have a good future ahead of them as they made a couple of key signings like Michael Beasley and Greg Oden, but also lost a couple, too.
This season, they will most likely want a repeat of what happened last year, which would make them champions three years in a row. Miami Heat has a pretty impressive stat and team, which includes superstars James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. The only thing that could stop them this year is the long awaited return of Derrick Rose.
“I love the Heat, they’ve been my favorite basketball team since I was a little kid. With Lebron and Chris Bosh in the mix now, everything is amazing,” says an anonymous student.
Two seasons ago, Rose came down hard on his knee and tore his ACL, which caused him to miss the Summer Olympics in 2012 and all of last season. However, this season, things have changed, and arguably the best point guard in the NBA has returned.
The Bulls did play the Heat on Tuesday, October 29 (opening night) and ended up losing by 12 points. Although this is only the beginning of the season, this game could be a glimpse of the future.
Sophomore Sagar Patel says, “I think that Derrick Rose will be a key addition to the Bulls because he’s been their primary leader before and this year nothing will stop them.”
Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder look prolific, and are a team to beat. Many people make comparisons between the two “best” players in the NBA – James and Durant – because everyone likes a little extra rivalry between the two.
Bryant, the world’s best player up until a little over four seasons ago, will not be playing in the Lakers season opener due to an injury that could have put him away for a long time. Luckily, trainers and rehab centers worked it out during the off season, and he will hopefully be back in a month or so.
Having said that, Dwight Howard, the Lakers’ start center last year, moved onto the Houston Rockets where he will be partnering up with the slashing shooting guard James Harden.
Like every season, the race to the finals will be close, and only a couple of teams will survive. One of those teams could be the New York Knicks.
All-stars Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire will hopefully bring a good name to New York basketball once again. Last year, Anthony won the league’s scoring title, averaging almost 29 points per game.
Overall, the NBA season will contain drama, ups and downs for some players, and most of all, heart-pumping games. The two teams that look like they are going to battle it out for the finals are the Los Angeles Clippers and the Miami Heat.
What are your predictions for the season? Do you think the defending champions, Miami Heat, will make a three peat, or will another team upset them in the finals?
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