10 reasons the 2015-16 NBA season will be a showstopper
Right then, D-day is here! The 2015-16 National Basketball Association (NBA) season will begin on October 27 (October 28 in India) and it promises to be one of the most exciting seasons in recent years. With players such as Kevin Durant returning from injury and the Golden State Warriors determined to build a dynasty following their first NBA title in 40 years, the season has several intriguing storylines. Here are ten reasons to tune into the league beginning Wednesday:
1. A number of key players, who were hobbled by injury last season are back. Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Love, Paul George, Kyrie Irving, Chris Bosh, Jabari Parker, Anderson Varejao will all return to play for their respective franchises. Injuries are never a good thing, but last season was particularly bad given the extent to which marquee names had gone down. Fans cannot wait to see these players back on the court, doing what they do best.
2. According to an NBA General Manager survey, the results of which were only recently announced, the Cleveland Cavaliers are supposed to win the 2015-16 NBA title. This would be great news for the Cleveland fans, whose fortunes have been on the upswing ever since the return of the prodigal LeBron James last season. An NBA title would be the Cavaliers' first championship ring, emulating the Golden State Warriors' achievement last season.
3. Speaking of the Golden State Warriors, the champs are upset. They are upset because there have been suggestions that Golden State was lucky not to be hit by the injury bug last season. This is a bit too much since the Golden State Warriors was, statistically, the best team to win the NBA championship since Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls. The Warriors don't need an invitation to get their competitive fire burning, but these comments may have just had that effect.
4. There will be a lot of focus on the Oklahoma City Thunder. Kevin Durant is back from injury and has already put on a couple of explosive displays in pre-season games. This is the last season of Durant's contract with the Thunder. Should Oklahoma City fail to go the distance for whatever reason, it will be a big ask to expect Durant to stay with the franchise. But with Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, Enes Kanter, a new coach and some other solid support players, this just could be the Thunder's big season.
5. The San Antonio Spurs. The one constant success story in the NBA. Last season, when the Spurs was beaten by the Los Angeles Clippers, it appeared that it would finally be curtains on the Spurs' successful playoff run over the last two decades what with Tim Duncan turning 40 in 2016. Instead, the Spurs went and pulled off the free agent signing of the summer by landing LaMarcus Aldridge. David West also signed up and the Spurs is once again ready to compete for championship glory.
6. We all remember Chris Paul make that beautiful clutch shot to send the Spurs packing in the 2015 playoffs. But then the Los Angeles Clippers, who seemed to be ready for a long post-season run, surrendered its 3-1 series lead to the Houston Rockets and lost 3-4. The second-round exit may have caused a lot of disappointment, but the Clippers' pursuit of DeAndre Jordan and its subsequent acquisition of Paul Pierce, Josh Smith and Lance Stephenson appears to have rejuvenated its fans into believing that the Clippers will finally break through to win the big prize next June.
7. The race to the "Most Valuable Player" award, the biggest individual accolade in the league is always keenly contested. But this season will have an extra competitive edge around the award since a few marquee names have already declared themselves the best in the game. James Harden felt that he should have won the award last year itself. Durant wants to reestablish his pre-eminence. LeBron James is the best player in the game right now. Stephen Curry is the current MVP. Anthony Davis wants to be counted in too. There is simply too much talent for one award.
8. The 2015-16 season may also be the last time we see Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Paul Pierce and Dirk Nowitzki on the NBA stage. These five veterans account for 12 of the last 17 NBA championships since 1999. They helped the league transition into the 21st century, building and strengthening its fan base in the post-Michael Jordan era. Every move these veterans make, every assist they dish out, every rebound they grab ought to be cheered.
9. Indian fans had much to cheer about last season when Sim Bhullar became the first player of Indian descent to play in the NBA. Bhullar had been signed up on a ten-day deal by the Sacramento Kings. But then Satnam Singh Bhamara made an even bigger splash as he became the first Indian to be drafted by the Dallas Mavericks. Indian fans will follow Bhamara's progress keenly and will hope to see him as part of the Mavericks' plans sooner rather than later.
10. Television coverage unlike ever before. For a nation that was introduced to the NBA through Star Sports' "Game of the Week" in the mid-1990s, the NBA has seriously upped its television presence by broadcasting as many as 14 games in a week through the season. But this season is even bigger and better. The league and the Sony SIX television channel have signed a new multi-year agreement, according to which not only will the channel continue to present two games everyday during the season, it will also create customised lifestyle-oriented, off-the-court programming from the NBA, Sony entertainment and Bollywood.
Let the games begin!