• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • News
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Archives
    • Volume 16: 2014/2015
    • Volume 15: 2013/2014
    • Volume 14: 2012/2013
    • Volume 13: 2011/2012

Student Independent News

NUI Galway Student Newspaper

  • Home
  • About
  • Get Involved
  • Contact Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy

NBA season preview: all roads lead to Golden State

October 11, 2018 By SIN Admin Leave a Comment

By Darragh Nolan 

Another NBA off season has brought with it the usual whirlwind of change we’ve come to expect. Stars continue to move around the league in pursuit of an elusive championship ring. LeBron James’ decision to don the purple and gold of the Los Angeles Lakers has injected intrigue back into a season where the defending champions looked certain to retain their crown. 

This league has become defined by the race to dethrone Golden State, and every year the Warriors just find another way to make it nigh – on impossible. Already boasting perhaps the greatest line – up ever assembled, they added All – NBA big man DeMarcus Cousins for the mid – level exception. Anyone else think this just doesn’t seem fair anymore? 

It’s likely that the toughest opposition to Golden State will once again come from the Western Conference. The depth of talent out west is so great that any one of six or seven teams could challenge for a Finals berth, if not for the fact that five bonafide stars play together in the Bay Area. 

The Rockets are primed for another standout regular season after signing Carmelo Anthony, Paul George is back in Oklahoma City for another run alongside Westbrook and Portland’s dynamic backcourt should have them near the top of the standings. Despite all the competition in their way, it’s hard to see anyone stopping GSW’s free flowing offense. 

There is one wildcard in the mix here and that’s LeBron’s Lakers. Their young core of Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma has been matched up with streaky vets including former All – Star guard Rajon Rondo. The King could well lead the ragtag group to the promised land on the way to another MVP award. LA could just as easily miss out on the postseason altogether.  

Just as interesting as what LeBron has brought to Los Angeles is what he’s left behind in the east. We’re about to see a power struggle in the conference now that LBJ isn’t around to spoil everyone else’s fun. Between a defensive stalwart in Boston, “The Process” in Philadelphia and the Kawhi Leonard – led Raptors, it’s hard to pick a winner here. How great would it be for Toronto to finally make the Finals, only to be meet the Lakers and get swept by LeBron again? 

Outside of that three – horse race at the top, the Eastern Conference offers little in the way of a contender. The Pacers are capable of springing a surprise if wing Victor Oladipo can build on his breakout 2018 season. The Milwaukee Bucks will live and die by superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. Should his numbers continue to rise, the Greek Freak can single – handedly take on all comers in the east. 

Elsewhere around the association fans are bracing themselves for another year of tanking. Draft lottery reform kicks in from 2019, but expect teams like Sacramento and Atlanta to lose on purpose. Commissioner Adam Silver is moving too slow on this issue. The 82 game season also continues to be an issue. I’m as excited for basketball to come back as anyone, but 1,230 games is too much for anyone to stomach. 

It all boils down to another regular season of weeding out pretenders from contenders. Golden State will win the west. That much is certain. How the chasing pack shakes out is anyone’s guess. Houston and Boston look to be the best of the rest. Others with lofty goals may crash down to earth. Look for the Minnesota Timberwolves to regress into a dumpster fire thanks to the Jimmy Butler debacle. 

The quest to topple the Golden State Warriors begins 16 October. Assuming everyone stays healthy, I think it will culminate with the Warriors completing a historic three – peat by taking out the Boston Celtics 4-2.

Photo by Joakim Honkasalo on Unsplash

Follow Us
Facebook Follow
Twitter Follow

Related

Filed Under: International Sport, Sports Tagged With: BASKETBALL, Darragh Nolan, NBA

Reader Interactions

Drop us a comment! Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Tweets by NuigSin

More News

How to dress for spring when it still feels like winter

How to dress for spring when it still feels like winter

By Michelle McClair  As brands unveil to us their spring collections, and … [Read More...] about How to dress for spring when it still feels like winter

Opinion: Are mothers people too?

Opinion: Are mothers people too?

By Laura Varley  On a recent appearance on the Ellen Show, Anne Hathaway … [Read More...] about Opinion: Are mothers people too?

‘History can illuminate and be illuminated by so many other disciplines’: NUIG’s Dr Padraig Lenihan welcomes talk of history being made core subject

‘History can illuminate and be illuminated by so many other disciplines’: NUIG’s Dr Padraig Lenihan welcomes talk of history being made core subject

By Aaron Deering Historians and history students welcomed recent comments … [Read More...] about ‘History can illuminate and be illuminated by so many other disciplines’: NUIG’s Dr Padraig Lenihan welcomes talk of history being made core subject

Disney’s live action reboots

Disney’s live action reboots

  By Amy Blaney Disney remakes are popular nowadays, from Alice … [Read More...] about Disney’s live action reboots

Sports opinion: GAA ticket price hike is unacceptable

Sports opinion: GAA ticket price hike is unacceptable

  By Danny Keown The GAA have confirmed a number of ticket price … [Read More...] about Sports opinion: GAA ticket price hike is unacceptable

Footer

RSS Latest SU News

  • SU Weekly Email 21 – 14th February 2019 February 14, 2019
  • SU Weekly Email 20 – 7th February 2019 February 7, 2019
  • NUI Galway Students’ Union condemns unprecedented rent increases in Student Accommodation February 5, 2019
  • “Not Consent” Exhibition to open NUI Galway Students’ Union SHAG Week February 5, 2019
  • NUIG SHAG Week February 2019 February 1, 2019

Recent Posts

  • How to dress for spring when it still feels like winter
  • Opinion: Are mothers people too?
  • ‘History can illuminate and be illuminated by so many other disciplines’: NUIG’s Dr Padraig Lenihan welcomes talk of history being made core subject
  • Disney’s live action reboots
  • Sports opinion: GAA ticket price hike is unacceptable

Recent Comments

  • Vegan Restaurants Galway – Hostel Dublin & Galway on The Temple Café: A Social Enterprise making a difference in Galway
  • Mom Jeans on the rise: What next, Grandma crop tops? – Fox in Thought on Mom jeans on the rise
  • “Young Sheldon” — Student Independent News (SIN) – The Bigger Picture on Young Sheldon promises to entertain and fill in The Big Bang Theory’s gaps

Copyright © 2019 SIN Student Newspaper. All rights reserved.