With the National Basketball Association (NBA) season returning very soon, fans of all 30 organizations are hopeful for a great season, filled with victory and triumph, with one goal in mind: to win a championship. 82 regular season games, and at least 16 playoff games stand between them. There are the obvious favorites to win, being the teams with the best roster combinations, continuity, and recent playoff experience, including the Nuggets, Knicks, Timberwolves, Mavericks, Cavaliers, and the returning champs, the Thunder. But as many fans know, anything can happen, so who will be crowned kings?
How about California’s very own teams? The Lakers, Clippers, Warriors, and Kings? The Lakers are now about five years removed from their title run and have made the playoffs multiple times since then, getting as far as the Western Conference Finals. The Clippers have also made it to the postseason multiple times, having also gone to the conference finals. The Warriors have had scattered postseason successes, winning a championship and also missing the playoffs. The Kings have made the playoffs, but haven’t made it past the first round, and have been in the play-in tournament.
In terms of major roster and coaching changes, a few teams look different from last year. The Lakers lost Dorian Finney-Smith and are without Lebron James for the first month of the season. The Warriors lost Kevon Looney, but gained Al Horford and Seth Curry. The Kings lost Jonas Valančiūnas, but acquired Dennis Schröder and Russell Westbrook. The Clippers made many offseason moves, losing Norman Powell, Kevin Porter Jr., and Ben Simmons. However, they gained Bradley Beal, Chris Paul, Brook Lopez, and John Collins.
Out of the four California based teams, the best teams to make a run for a championship are the Lakers, followed by the Clippers and Warriors depending on availability. The Warriors are a dangerous team to face in a seven game series because as an opposing team, you do not want to see Stephen Curry dribbling down the court. But the Clippers can also give any team a run for their money; although old, they have many veterans with playoff experience, and the true test for them will be health. Kawhi Leonard is arguably one of the best players in basketball, but hasn’t been able to stay fully healthy during the season for a very long time. He will be their X-factor, so to speak, and if he can remain on the court when the postseason comes, opposing offenses will struggle to defend the one-two combo of him and James Harden. Between the two teams, the Clippers probably have better chances, simply because of their depth, while the Warriors have the greatest point guard of all time. Without him, they are an average team. Last year, they lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Although they won the first game, Curry sustained a hamstring injury, and the Warriors had to essentially win one game to buy him some time to possibly play again and were unable to.
The Lakers are title contenders at this moment in time, with James and Luka Dončić at the helm a championship appearance at the least is of expectation. Losing in the first round of the playoffs to the Timberwolves last year was extremely unexpected. But this year, an entire offseason with Dončić, seasoned time with their coach JJ Reddick, and an aging Lebron, it seems the pressure in Los Angeles is at an all time high. The Lakers have all the tools to be successful, it is just a matter of execution, and figuring out team dynamics. They have three players all capable of handling the ball and being the first option, so based on how the team navigates that, it may be the difference between ring one for Dončić and five for James or another year of heartbreak.
Last season, the western conference games were filled with nail biting finishes, roster drama, and an intense race to get into the playoffs coming down to the finals games. This season looks to be just as competitive as the last, and as a Californian, hopefully you are rooting for one of our very own to bring it home. NBA opening day is Tuesday, October 21, and there are two games, Thunder versus Rockets, and California’s own Lakers versus Warriors.
