With the NBA regular season starting this week, fans will finally be able to start watching professional basketball again and experience all the excitement, controversy and debates it brings. One classic argument that comes along with every sports league is the talk of the title: who will win it all? There are a few teams I think have a great chance to win the NBA championship in 2015-2016.
Golden State Warriors: The defending champions look like a strong bet to go back-to-back. Stephen Curry is quickly becoming everyone’s favorite player, the best shooter in the NBA and arguably the best point guard in the league. In addition, you have Klay Thompson, the other guard in the best backcourt in the NBA, Draymond Green, one of the most versatile players in the NBA, and Andre Iguodala, who was last year’s Finals MVP. With one of the strongest rosters in every area, the Warriors are definitely a favorite to win the NBA championship this season.
Cleveland Cavaliers: This is the only team on this list from the Eastern Conference, and I don’t know whether that shows the dominance of the Cavs or the lack of competition in the Eastern Conference. There are a few other contenders in the East, like the Bulls, Wizards and Heat. However, at the end of the day, you’d need a miracle to stop the best player in the world. Lebron James is ready to lead the Cavs to their first championship in NBA history, and with Kevin Love and, hopefully, a healthy Kyrie Irving by his side, “King James” looks to prove the strength of his legacy by winning his third championship.
Los Angeles Clippers: There is a certain feeling of exasperation that comes with the Clippers: complaints about their depth, their toughness and their core becoming stale and resentful of each other make for a hefty amount of doubters. However, Chris Paul is still the overall best floor general in the NBA, and Blake Griffin and Deandre Jordan are freaks of nature that will continue taking the league by storm. With the addition of trusted veteran Paul Pierce and sparkplugs Josh Smith and Lance Stephenson, Doc Rivers and the Clippers look to give Chris Paul some significant playoff success this year.
Houston Rockets: The Rockets are the team everyone loves to hate: all James Harden does is draw fouls, Dwight Howard is soft and Chandler Parsons is gone. However, don’t sleep on this Texas team. While they share the state with the San Antonio Spurs, the addition of Ty Lawson and an array of underrated, quirky veterans give the Rockets the edge. Having an MVP candidate in Harden and one of the best centers in the league in Howard doesn’t hurt, either.
Oklahoma City Thunder: The Thunder were the victims of an injury-plagued season last year, and look to bounce back in a big way. With Kevin Durant, one of the best players in the NBA, coming back from injury and the meteoric streak of lightning that is Russell Westbrook continuing to earn his keep, OKC will be dangerous. Throw in a strong supporting cast with players like Serge Ibaka, Enes Kanter and Steven Adams, there’s no telling how far this team could go.
