After two seasons, the goal of NBA this season is to return to the normal 82 games. The NBA has released the upcoming regular season timetable. Here are the five highlights of the new season.
1. The new look of the Lakers
In a disappointing game in the 2020-21 season, the Lakers lost in the first round to the eventual Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns team. In this game, the Los Angeles Lakers made significant adjustments during the offseason by trading Washington Wizards star guard Russell Westbrook . Even at the age of 32, Westbrook is still arguably the most explosive and energetic guard. He and LeBron James are both former MVPs, and playing together in Los Angeles will be very attractive.
Westbrook is not the only new member of the Lakers. The team also added Carmelo Anthony, an old friend of James and the only active player in the 2003 draft. NBA fans have been hoping to see James and Anthony wearing the same jersey for years. In addition to Anthony, the Lakers also brought back Dwight Howard and Trevor Ariza, and added Wayne Ellington, Malik Munch and Kendrick. Nunn and other high-quality shooters.
The Los Angeles roster now has five future Hall of Fame members (James, Davis , Westbrook, Anthony, Howard).The Lakers will have the most national television rights in the entire NBA next season, and this is for good reason.
2. The health of the Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in seven games in the Eastern Conference semifinals last season and failed to realize their potential . On paper, the Nets can be said to be the most talented team in the entire NBA, but they are also plagued by injuries. Their star trio Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden played a total of less than 10 games during the regular season. Harden and Irving both missed the match against Milwaukee The playoff series. As a result, the Nets could not advance to the Finals.
The Nets will have another excellent chance to win the first championship in team history in the upcoming 2021-22 season, as long as they can stay healthy. Therefore, their collective health is the core story of the upcoming NBA season, and James Harden has not forgotten this. "Go all out, no one can beat us." Harden said earlier this month. He may be right, but Brooklyn needs to stay healthy in order to realize the great potential of the team.
3. Portland no time
Damian Lillard did not even ask for the Portland Trail Blazers to be traded during the offseason, but he publicly expressed Because of his dissatisfaction with the only team in his NBA career, this undoubtedly put the Blazers in a difficult position. Lillard made it clear that he is very dissatisfied with the current state of the Trail Blazers, and he hopes to see some major improvements so that they can truly compete in the ongoing Western Deep League.Without these improvements, a transaction request may be forthcoming.
Given these Lillard's comments, it is safe to say that Portland will make changes this season, and every loss is considered a potential turning point. If the Blazers start slowly, Lillard's future will become louder and louder. Lillard has been very loyal to Portland throughout his career, and he has made it clear that he is willing to spend his entire career in the Trail Blazers. However, he also wants to compete for the championship. At the age of 31, he has only so many years to be at his peak. Therefore, his urgency is understandable.
If the Blazers can't build a lineup around him, it makes sense for Lillard to try his luck elsewhere. At this point, the question of how long he is willing to wait will continue to focus on Portland for the foreseeable future.
4. Ben Simmons's future in Philadelphia
Ben Simmons played in the Eastern Conference semifinals against Atlanta Hawks since his poor performance in that game Since then, his trading rumors have intensified. However, despite people's interest in their star guard, no agreement has been reached in this offseason, and at this point, it seems that the 76ers are ready to enter this season and Simmons is still on the roster. However, this does not mean that the deal cannot be finalized, because it is easy to reach a deal at some point in the season before the deal deadline.
Considering Simmons' age (25 years) and overall ability, the 76ers hope to exchange the defender with a star player, but they have not done this in the summer. However, once the season begins, players who cannot play during the offseason may be on the court for various reasons-players may be dissatisfied with their situation, or the team may not perform well.At that point, the 76ers can take action. Maybe Simmons will make significant progress on the offensive end next season, and the 76ers will decide they want to keep him. In any case, the future of Simmons in Philadelphia will be a very hot topic.
5. Milwaukee Bucks defending champion
The Milwaukee Bucks will enter the NBA season as the defending champion for the first time in 50 years. People will be concerned about how they continue their championship. Interested in the trip. Considering that they rank third in the league and are not the most popular team in the East, their championship trip last season is somewhat unlikely. They will not become the most popular champions favorite team in the upcoming season, because this honor belongs to the Nets. However, the Bucks now have the experience and skills they lacked in the past, which will help propel them into another successful season.
Whether fair or not, the performance of the Bucks this season will affect the gold content of their championship last season . If they really make persistent efforts, this will consolidate the championship title in the eyes of many people. However, if they have a poor record this season, some people will say that their ring is a fluke or caused by Brooklyn's injury. The pressure to repeat the past is real, so the Bucks must be a team that needs attention throughout the season.
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