New Look NBA: The East, The West, And The Warriors

New look NBA: The East, The West,  & The Warriors

With a whirlwind of players changing teams in the offseason, whether by trade or free agency, the 2018-2019 NBA season is set to look very different. Although the title favorites may not have changed, the contenders have.

Power Shift:

Over the summer LeBron James made the decision to move on from the Cleveland Cavaliers and take his talents to the West. After four years of dominance with the Cavs and one championship, LeBron is now a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. Some people including LeBron himself believe they have a long way to go before being among the best teams in the league. Others believe with young stars Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, and Lonzo Ball; veterans like Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson, and Beasley; and the best player in the league LeBron James, that the Lakers could be a title contender sooner than later.

The East:

With LeBron’s move to the West the East is now more open than ever. The Boston Celtics are the favorites to win the East, but there are a few other teams to look out for. The Toronto Raptors acquired former finals MVP Kawhi Leonard in a trade with the San Antonio Spurs. People have forgotten what a full-strength Kawhi Leonard can do. Last time we saw Kawhi at full strength was in game one of the 2016-2017  Western Conference Finals. At half Kawhi and the Spurs had rallied the Warriors and were leading them by 20 points. Kawhi was injured early in the third quarter, and after he left the Warriors proceeded to go on a 18-0 run against the dispirited Spurs squad.

Another contender in the East coming into the 2018-19 season are the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers have two of the most talented young players in the league in Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. With Ben Simmons coming off an impressive rookie year claiming the ROTY award, and Embiid coming off an All-Star season, the Philadelphia 76ers are poised for another deep playoff run.

The West:

The West is absolutely stacked with talent. The Warriors are still the outright favorites to win the conference and the finals. Their roster is absolutely stacked with talent, and their starting five looks like a group that would start for Team USA. Over the summer they solidified their already high odds to win the title by acquiring star big man Demarcus Cousins during free agency.

The main threat to the Warriors in the West are the Houston Rockets. With strong veteran leadership, roster depth, and the 2017-18 league MVP,  the Rockets look to dethrone the Warriors. Over free agency, the Rockets claimed Carmelo Anthony after he was traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Atlanta Hawks and cleared on waivers. Some think the acquisition of Melo may disrupt the offensive flow of the Rockets, while others think he will make their offense more lethal than ever. Either way, the Rockets are a favorite to face off with the Warriors in the conference finals.

Another contender in the West, and a team considered a danger to the Warriors, are the Oklahoma City Thunder. With the dual threat of former league MVP Russel Westbrook and All-Star Paul George, and add in arguably the best rebounder in the league in Steven Adams, the Thunder can not be counted out of the conversation.

Even with all the changes in the NBA the question still stands, can anyone beat the juggernaut that is the Golden State Warriors? What do you think? Who will win the East? Will the Lakers make the playoffs? Can anyone dethrone the Warriors? Drop a comment below!