Any NBA basketball fans here? What team(s) do you root for? Any season predictions?
The NBA regular season starts up tomorrow night in Oakland, CA. I'm from the SF Bay Area, and for most of my life have lived about 15 minutes South of the Oakland Coliseum/Arena. For years, this was a pitiable fact as it meant I'd grown up a Golden State Warriors fan. The Warriors, along with the LA Clippers, were longtime doormats. Bad. Mostly irrelevant. Occasional bursts entertainment with some of the Don Nelson teams. A few years ago, things clicked in a major way and they won the NBA Championship. Last year, they followed that up with a record 73-9 regular season, a Western Conference title, and then, of course, the Finals were called off with the Warriors up three games to one. That's how I remember it, anyway. This year, they've added Kevin Durant, either the best, 2nd best, or 3rd best player in the NBA depending on your rankings, and look to have another great year.
Aside from the Warriors, the NBA as a whole is in a great place. The league is loaded with exceptional, charismatic talents. Attendance and business is through the roof. The league continues to attract international talent and attention. As far as predictions go, I'll say:
Western Conference Champs: Warriors
Eastern Conference Champs: Celtics
NBA Champs: Warriors
MVP: Anthony Davis, Pelicans
DPOY: Draymond Green, Warriors
ROY: Brandon Ingram, Lakers