The Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks have established a rich history over the past decade, but these two rivals are both bringing in new-look rosters into the 2012-13 season. The season opener in Los Angeles is going to be a showcase of the two new rotations, and it will be broadcast for the national audience to see on the first night of the new season.
The 2011-12 NBA season was Tyrone Corbin’s first full season as the head coach of the Utah Jazz. Expectations were low, but they were able to sneak into the playoffs as an eighth seed. The Jazz play in one of the tougher divisions in all of basketball, and with virtually all five teams having improved this summer, all of them will be vying for a spot in the postseason.
The Dallas Mavericks were on top of the world following their 2011 NBA Championship, but they came crashing back down to earth last season when they lost in the first round of the playoffs for the fifth time in the last seven years. In the lockout-shortened season, Dirk Nowitzki came in and put up unexpectedly low numbers.
The Philadelphia 76ers made headlines this summer when they jumped into the blockbuster deal that sent Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers. The team was able to compete with most squads last season, but with the acquisition of big man Andrew Bynum, they could move a step closer to the next level in 2013.
The Portland Trail Blazers are coming off a disappointing season. In what began with such promise, a 7-2 start in a lockout-shortened year quickly turned into a depressing scene for fans in Rip City, as the team seemingly stopped trying to win when faced with adversity.
The Chicago Bulls have become known as of late as perennial championship contenders, but heading into the 2012-13 season, health could cause a serious setback when it comes to challenging the Miami Heat for supremacy out East. NBA megastar Derrick Rose is expected to miss most of the year following his torn ACL in last season’s playoffs, and consensus No. 2 option Luol Deng is dealing with a wrist injury, himself.
No team in the NBA likes to fly under the radar as much as the San Antonio Spurs, and that’s exactly what they did throughout the 2012 offseason. The Spurs quietly re-signed Tim Duncan, Tony Parker avoided too much publicity following an eye injury (that took place at a rap concert) and the team should enter the new year with hopes of returning to the Western Conference Finals.
The defending Western Conference champion Oklahoma City Thunder haven’t made any drastic changes to their lineup, but if the old adage sticks true, why would they fix what simply isn’t broken? Heading into the 2012-13 season, OKC will be the favorites in the eyes of many to come out of the West, but they must get past a number of tough teams that have gotten tougher throughout the summer.
The Los Angeles Lakers had one of the busiest offseasons of any team in the NBA, and as a result, they’re going to be ready to contend for a title in 2013. The 2011-12 season was a major disappointment, and when a shakeup was needed in L.A., GM Mitch Kupchak did what needed to be done to get this team back on track.
When the Denver Nuggets traded away Carmelo Anthony half way through the 2010-11 NBA season, their future was up in the air without their true superstar. Either the young talent they acquired would develop, or it would show just how desperate the team was to move on from the “Melo Drama” that plagued their organization.
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Two times Oklahoma City has had a very realistic shot of winning a game in Miami and two straight times they have come up empty.
Oklahoma City had a double digit lead in the third quarter of Game Three, but they gave it away and lost control of the series.
The NBA Finals have an interesting format change from the rest of the playoffs. The first two games were played in Oklahoma City, but the next three are played in Miami.
Miami controlled the first half of Game One, but Oklahoma City controlled the second half.
Game One of the NBA Finals tips off Tuesday night in Oklahoma City. The matchup so many people wanted has come true.
