The NBA has started back up again and it once again looks like its going to be a very interesting season. After a lot of offseason trades and negotiations, legends hanging up their jersey and the epic collapse from the Warriors in the Finals, we knew we were going to be in for a fantastic season of professional basketball. I sat on the couch and watch some of the really big games and there were definitely a few things that caught my eye. Let me lay them out for you.
1. The Cavs are going to breeze through the East.
I don't think this is much of a shocker for anyone, but the Cavaliers should have absolutely no trouble this season and playoffs in the East. LeBron is playing like he usually does (dunks like he's back in his prime, dishes out assists and gets a triple-double or close to one every game), Kyrie Irving is making shots and putting people on skates and Kevin Love looks like he can get 18-10 a game which is huge for this team. This team is scary with the amount of fire power they have at their disposal, and they can truly give a team like the Warriors some trouble.
2. It's gonna be a slow start for the Warriors.
When Kevin Durant announced that he was going to sign with the Warriors, it seemed like the regular season should even be a problem for them this year, let alone a championship. Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green AND Steph Curry?! Almost an unfair advantage. At least that's what we thought. After they got absolutely destroyed by a very good Spurs team, it looked like this team was going to be in trouble. Losing by 30 on your home floor with that lineup is simply unacceptable. Yes, this team is not going to play like that all year, but it could definitely take a while for them to find chemistry. Everyone wants their shots and prime time, that's a given, so with this much star power on this roster it could be a while before we see this Warriors team look like the super team we all thought they would be.
3. Russell Westbrook is going to win the MVP.
Yep, you heard it here first. With the absence of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook is going to be a player that can quite possibly average 30-10-8 a game. Numbers that we have not seen in a very long time. This guy has already shown what he can do with basically just him out on the floor and it is quite impressive, especially when Durant got hurt two years ago and he had a triple double almost every game. After watching him against Philadelphia and Phoenix, I knew that this guy could do this day in and day out and that is exactly what I expect out of him for the remainder of the season. I can't wait to see how his season finishes up.
4. Anthony Davis when healthy is one of the best players in the league.
One big question mark that I had about Anthony Davis was certainly not his talent and his game, but his overall health. After having a variety of injuries over the last couple of years, I was coming to think that this guys career could be cut short due to his somewhat skinny frame combined with the physicality of the NBA. So, when he came out against the Denver Nuggets in his first game of the year and had 50 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, five steals and four blocks, I began to feel hope. His mobility and agility for a forward is impeccable and very rare. He can dribble the ball down the floor on a fast break, get past any forward in league and can spot up and shoot from the 3-point line. If he can stay healthy for the rest of his career, we are looking at an eventual MVP and maybe one of the best forwards of all time.
5. Minnesota will be VERY good in the next 3 years or so.
They might have lost in a nail-biter to the Memphis Grizzles but after watching them on both sides of the ball, I can tell that this team is going to be an elite team in the near future. With a future MVP in Karl Anthony-Towns, possible All-Star Andrew Wiggins, very talented Kris Dunn and great rim protector and rising player in Gorgui Dieng, this team could make some noise. This team is so young so with maturity and maybe an added veteran, we could witness is future contender in the West. Yeah, that might be a stretch but there is so much young talent that it wouldn't surprise me in the least if they became a team that ends up being a top 5 seed in the stacked Western conference.
