NBA TipOff
The highly anticipated NBA season will tip off this Tuesday. The games headlining it are the New York Knicks vs. the defending champs, the Boston Celtics, and the Lakers vs the Minnesota T-Wolves. Here are some of my thoughts about the upcoming season, and what I am expecting from certain teams and players.
For starters, we need to talk about the Knicks, a team that I think will be the best team in the East behind the Boston Celtics this season. At first, I was weary of the Knick's addition of Karl Anthony Towns. To be honest I was mainly upset about losing Dante. And while I am still upset about no longer having the Big Ragu, I do think the Knicks are better off without Randle and Dante. The Knicks were smooth and confident in preseason. Brunson is the leader, the captain of New York, and the guy that other teams need to pay attention to at all times. Up next is Mikal Bridges, the 2nd best addition from the Knicks’s offseason and one of, if not their best defender. His size as an SG for the Knicks will give them advantages when they play teams like the Cavilers and Celtics. At the 3 you have OG Anunoby. A powerful forward for the Knicks who can score with ease and with a knockdown jumper. His forward counterpart Josh Hart is another thing that makes this Knicks team so dangerous. Hart plays with his heart on his sleeve, he’s tough and a great defender and rebounder. In my opinion, he is the New York Knicks' most valuable player behind Jalen Brunson. Finally at center, Bodega Kat, Karl Antony Towns. KAT may be the Knicks' most crucial piece, yes because of his talent, but also because he is Karl Anthony Towns. He is a man who usually plays soft, doesn’t always show up in games, someone who will be amazing in one game, and then fail to rise to the occasion in another. He will make or break the Knick season. I think if he can buy into the New York Knick mentality, and stay healthy, there is no reason why this team can’t win it all.
Well, there is one problem. Two to be honest. They are the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets. The Boston Celtics are the best team in the East, easily. Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Kristaps Porzingus. Give me a break. Yes I know I wrote about how good I think the Knicks are, but the problem is the Celtics are just better. Their defense is better. Their offense is also so much better. Even if the Knicks were to make it past the Celtics (which i think they could it would just be really challenging), they would still have to most likely meet the Denver Nuggets in the finals. Yes, the Denver Nuggets are my pick to win the West. Yes, I don’t care that Anthony Edwards is the next man up. I said that the Knicks can go toe to toe with anyone in the East, except maybe the Celtics. But I think they will struggle with some of the teams out West. Nikola Jokic is the best player in the world right now. The Nuggets have one of the deepest teams in the league, something the Knicks can’t compete with. Even if the Knicks make it past the Celtics in the East, they will struggle with their opponent from the West. Their opponent I think will most likely be the Denver Nuggets.
One final thought before I end this post. The MVP discussion this year. It is something that I am incredibly uncertain of what to expect. If Nikola Jokic wins his 4th MVP in 5 years we need to start talking about him as one of the greatest centers to ever live. If Luka Doncic wins the MVP, he will finally have reached the standards that we have unfairly put on him in every year of his career. If Shai Gilgeous Alexander wins then we will start having the discussion about who the best PG in the league is. There are, of course, many more players that will be in this discussion. Some who have already won it, some who have never won it. I think we should expect 3 things. The usual suspects will be Jokic, Doncic, Shai, Embiid, Jayson Tatum and Giannis. The players that will have their names tossed in the ring as the year goes on will be Steph Curry, Jalen Brunson, and Ja Morant. The dark horse candidates will be players like Zion, Paolo Banchero, Donovan Mitchell, and Devin Booker. However, I fully believe that the big man from Serbia will get his 4th. And if he does, we need to put him in the most skilled player of all time discussion.
