Basketball fans REJOICE! The 2019-2020 NBA Season has begun! After an offseason filled with drama and player movement, the best basketball league in the world is back in action!
Narratives that were set-up during free agency will now play themselves out in a span of a grueling 82 games!
How will the Warriors handle the departure of KD? Will the tandem of Harden and Westbrook work well? Are the Lakers still the true LA team or does Kawhi’s Clippers have something to say about that? These are some of the most blown over storylines over the last couple of months and most people’s eyes will be glued to these teams.
Whether you’re aware of these storylines or not, I’m sure that any NBA fan would want to know which teams are worthy of your attention throughout the season. Here are a couple of solid teams that may have slipped under the radar.
Philadelphia 76ers
Image from Hoops Habit
The Philadelphia 76ers are one of those teams who’s got all the talent they need to make the title run. As a matter of fact, they took the eventual Champion Toronto Raptors to 7 games during their match-up in the Eastern Conference Semis. They were 4 lucky (or unlucky if you’re a Sixers fan) bounces away from making it to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Can the Sixers handle the loss of J.J. Reddick and Jimmy Butler? Will the Joel Embiid be able to use the pain from that game 7 loss as motivation? Will Ben Simmons’ search for a jump shot this offseason finally pay off and end Brick City the memes? Whether you’re a Sixers fan or not, you can’t deny that the personalities on this team are entertaining.
New Orleans Pelicans
Image from Slam Online
The Pelicans’ rebuild has officially begun. After the blockbuster deal that sent Anthony Davis to the Lakers in exchange for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and Josh Hart, the 2020 season seemed to be another wash of a season for the team.
However, the basketball gods were not yet done with the Pelicans. The team was blessed with the No. 1 Overall pick where they drafted internet sensation Zion Williamson from Duke in the 2019 NBA Draft and now, things don’t look as bleak.
Sure, they’re the talk of the town right now, but that’s just because of Zion. The reason I think the Pelicans are flying under the radar is because nobody’s talking about how good the other players on this team is.
With Ball at the point, Hart and Ingram on the wing, and Zion running the floor, the Pelicans can definitely be competitive. Does that mean they’ll make the playoffs? Not really, especially with how stacked the West is, BUT they’ll be fun to watch for sure.
Milwaukee Bucks
Image from SnoTapWI
You can’t go wrong with watching the reigning NBA MVP in action. Giannis Antetokounmpo had an amazing 2018-2019 season and he led to the Milwaukee Bucks to the Eastern Conference Finals where they ultimately fell to the Raptors in six games.
The Greek Freak will definitely be on a mission for redemption this season so you can expect more of the euro-stepping, posterizing, mean-mugging action from him as they try to bring the city of Milwaukee a championship.
Are you excited for the NBA season to start? If you are, make sure you drop by the nearest Toby’s Sports store for all the hottest NBA gear.
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