USA TODAY International Edition
Celtics, Rockets, Raptors aim at Warriors
The 2018-19 NBA season is underway. The Warriors, again, enter the season as massive favorites to take home the title. But a handful of teams a notch below could give the NBA’s golden boys a run for their money. 1. Warriors: Surprised? The back-toback champs were already historically good, and they added arguably the best big man in the league for next to nothing. Yes, DeMarcus Cousins is coming off a season-ending Achilles injury, but there’s no need for the Warriors to try to speed up his recovery. When he does return, this might be the most talented starting five in NBA history. 2. Celtics: Finally, it’s Boston’s time. Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving are healthy. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have another summer under their belts. LeBron James is out of the Eastern Conference. 3. Rockets: The Rockets, who were oh-so-close to taking down the Warriors in the Western Conference finals, got worse, losing Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute. That said, Houston enters as the second-best team in the West and as a legitimate title contender. 4. Raptors: So long, DeMar DeRozan. Hello, Kawhi Leonard. If Leonard can become the top-5 talent he once was, though, the Raptors will be a force. 5. Jazz: The Jazz, who remained relatively quiet this summer, are poised to take another step forward. 6. 76ers: Years of rebuilding paid off last season If Markelle Fultz regains the jumper, and the confidence, that made him the 2017 No. 1 overall pick, watch out. The Sixers have the talent to fight for a spot in the Finals. 7. Thunder: Paul George pledged his loyalty in the form of a four-year contract and, all of a sudden, the Thunder look like contenders again. 8. Pacers: This is essentially the same team that nearly knocked LeBron James out in the first round of the playoffs, but maybe even better. 9. Nuggets: What do you get when you combine Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Gary Harris, Paul Millsap, Will Barton and two high-upside additions such as Isaiah Thomas and Michael Porter Jr.? One of the best teams in the West with 50-win potential. 10. Spurs: They don’t fit the bill of what the league covets nowadays, what with DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge being mid-range marvels. Still, we’re not about to count out the Spurs. 11. Bucks: Is this the year it all comes together for the Bucks, who have underperformed the past few seasons despite the meteoric rise of Giannis Antetokounmpo? It sure looks like it. 12. Pelicans: Anthony Davis says he’s “the best player in the game,” and we don’t blame him. He’s not, but he’s inching closer, and he alone makes the Pelicans playoff contenders. 13. Trail Blazers: Bleh. The Blazers will be good, but that’s it. They’ll miss Ed Davis, who left for Brooklyn. 14. Lakers: The best basketball player on the planet is in town, and though it won’t be all sunshine and rainbows and championships in Laker Land, everything is trending in the right direction. The addition of LeBron James, Lance Stephenson, Rajon Rondo, JaVale McGee and Michael Beasley combined with the expected ascension of Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Kyle Kuzma, makes this team as intriguing as any. 15. Timberwolves: With the Jimmy Butler drama yet to reach a conclusion, it’s tough to truly gauge this team. This is an unfortunate situation for a team that ended a 13-season playoff drought. 16. Wizards: Washington needs to get it together. This is year No. 7 for John Wall and Bradley Beal as a duo, and while they’ve both become individual stars, they haven’t done much else. 17. Heat: It’s a star-driven league, and the Heat have no stars. Their ceiling? A first-round playoff exit. 18. Pistons: Aside from Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond beginning their first full season together and the addition of reigning Coach of the Year Dwane Casey, there’s not a lot to be excited about in Detroit. 19. Clippers: Their sights are set on next summer. They might become a Western Conference power again sooner rather than later. 20. Hornets: The Hornets are stuck in no man’s land, with limited young players to build around. 21. Mavericks: A lineup with No. 3 overall pick Luka Doncic, Dennis Smith Jr., Harrison Barnes and DeAndre Jordan should be enough to get the Mavs well past last season’s 24-win total. 22. Grizzlies: The Grizzlies won’t be good, but they won’t be the train wreck they were last season. Mike Conley is back after playing just 12 games before season-ending heel surgery. 23. Cavaliers: Sure, Tristan Thompson, the Cavs are technically the reigning “four-time Eastern Conference champions.” Without LeBron, they’re nothing more than lottery-bound. 24. Bulls: They have to take a collective step forward this season, and that begins with individual steps forward for Zach LaVine and Kris Dunn. 25. Nets: This is the year for D’Angelo Russell to become a star. The 2015 draft’s No. 2 overall pick is 22 and showed a lot of promise during his injury-plagued first season in Brooklyn. 26. Knicks: Can new coach David Fizdale end the decades of disgust for Knicks fans? Not this season, at least. 27. Magic: They have a handful of young players to build around, but are still deep in the rebuilding phase. 28. Suns: Sure, they’re destined for the lottery again. But this Suns team has a nice mixture of young talent and seasoned veterans. 29. Kings: It’s 12 seasons and counting since the Kings last made the postseason (longest active streak in the league), and you can bet it’ll be 13 by the time April rolls around. 30. Hawks: This season is about internal development and internal development only. It starts with No. 5 overall pick Trae Young, but don’t forget about young forwards John Collins and Taurean Prince.