The scene is completely revamped this season in the NBA, where a seismic shift in superstar movement has opened the doors wide for a host of 2020 title contenders, including the Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers.
The North American league, whose sudden crisis with China is predicted to last, hopes that the excitement on the court as a result of numerous and unexpected changes will overshadow the controversy and ease tensions as of Tuesday, when the regular season kicks off.
With forward Kevin Durant now in Brooklyn and knocked out and guard Klay Thompson ruled out for the first half of the season after knee surgery, the Golden State Warriors’ presence in the final, common in the past five seasons, seems unlikely.
Point guard Stephen Curry says the championship “remains the goal” for him, power forward Draymond Green and the rest of the squad, after losing to the Toronto Raptors in the title series last season.
But just as the Warriors open their dazzling new arena in San Francisco, the center of gravity in the still-powerful Western Conference has shifted south.
The Clippers are the favorites, according to a survey of general managers, thanks to the arrival of Kawhi Leonard from Toronto and Paul George from Oklahoma City. The revamped Californian roster hopes to dethrone the Lakers as the best team in Los Angeles, although the historic franchise led by LeBron James will put up resistance.
A “highly motivated” LeBron, whose first season in Los Angeles ended unrated for the Playoffs for the first time since 2005, warns that the team is ready to compete with the addition of former New Orleans Pelicans star power forward. Anthony Davis, plus post Dwight Howard, forward Kyle Kuzma and guard Danny Green.
The Clippers and Lakers kick off the season on Tuesday when the Raptors kick off their title defense by raising their first championship flag in the opening game against the Pelicans. The Clippers-Lakers is the first of four neighborhood duels of the season, including the holiday season.
The league, which has painstakingly cultivated foreign markets and embraced a growing number of international players, has sided with concern the controversy with China, which threatens its lucrative sponsorship deals and television broadcasts since Houston Rockets executive Daryl Morey, will tweet his support for pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.
– Durant’s debut with Nets, frozen –
Not all market movements will generate immediate dividends.
Durant will not debut with Brooklyn this season, pending recovery from his torn Achilles tendon. But with point guard Kyrie Irving from the Boston Celtics and post DeAndre Jordan, the Nets hope to compete. “The league is open in both conferences, East and West, so we want to take our opportunity,” warns Jordan.
The Clippers also won’t have newcomer George until he recovers from a shoulder injury. The forward wasn’t the only superstar to leave Oklahoma City, who traded 2017 MVP (Most Valuable Player) Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets for veteran point guard Chris Paul.
In Houston, Westbrook will join 2018 MVP James Harden, a former teammate on the 2012 Thunder. “It’ll be easy,” Harden said when asked about the fit.
Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo will be somewhat alone in Milwaukee, which lost in the Eastern Conference final to Toronto. The ‘Greek Freak’, who is barely 24 years old, enters his seventh season as an established superstar.
The hope for the NBA is that 19-year-old Zion Williamson will soon reach a similar level. The dynamic forward, who excelled in college before being chosen by the Pelicans with the first draft pick, shone during the preseason, averaging 23.3 points in 27.3 minutes per game; although he will not be able to start the regular season due to physical problems either. AFP