The 75th edition of the NBA gets underway, with the controversy surrounding the COVID 19 vaccination roll out across America central to the pre-season conjecture.
Big name players such as Kyrie Irving have refused to get on board with the vaccine and have consequently been dropped from their playing squads, adding to the speculation and intrigue surrounding the campaign.
Current champions Milwaukee Bucks broke their 40 year duck to lift the coveted NBA trophy last season – inspired by Greek giant Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has been tasked with turning the Bucks into a dynasty franchise, rather than a flash in the pan.
The Brooklyn Nets look to have a team worth shouting about but the aforementioned drama with Kyrie Irving, certainly isn’t the ideal distraction in the build up to their season opener, which happens to be against the Bucks.
For LeBron James and the LA Lakers, each season is an opportunity but also a culmination of pressure and expectation with the whole world watching, whilst another team sure to be in the mix is the Golden State Warriors.
With 82 regular season games to be played, there is plenty of NBA action on the horizon this season and here is a rundown of 4 of the sides vying to clinch the NBA Championship title:
Golden State Warriors
From 2015 until 2018 no side could touch the Golden State Warriors, who blew away all before them to clinch four successive NBA Championship titles.
Since 2019, the Warriors have struggled somewhat but they still have a quality side packed with talent and with fans back in the stadia, they will be very difficult to stop.
Key men Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are two of the very best in the business and if they start firing, the Golden State Warriors could be very difficult to stop.
Brooklyn Nets
Filling any given team with superstars is a tried and tested method of winning NBA titles and the Brooklyn Nets have assembled a real dream team.
Kyrie Irving may not be starting the season but will play a huge part if/when he returns, alongside the talismanic Kevin Durant and the all-action James Harden – two of the most proven performers in the NBA. You can place bets on the upcoming NBA games in many US bookies, offering free bets and other deals.
Remarkably, the Brooklyn Nets have never won the NBA Championship title, but this feels like it could be their year.
LA Lakers
Few teams in world sport have the global appeal enjoyed by the LA Lakers and how they would love to clinch their first NBA title since 2020 – where they ended their decade long hiatus from the top table of American basketball.
LeBron James grabs the headlines but he along with the likes of Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook will be out to get the NBA title back to California once more this season.
Milwaukee Bucks
Defending champions Milwaukee Bucks have been in imperious form over the past few seasons and last year’s NBA title win felt like a culmination of all their efforts.
The ‘Greek Freak’ Giannis Antetokounmpo will once again be central to any success they may enjoy this season, but they are a dangerous side and could fly under the radar somewhat.
Season 2020/2021 is the 75th season of the National Basketball Association. The regular season was supposed to start on October 21, 2020, but due to the coronavirus infection pandemic in North America, the start of the season was initially postponed to January 18, 2021 [1]. The NBA All-Star Game was to take place on February 14, 2021, in Indianapolis, Indiana, at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
ESPN US experts have published their annual player rating ahead of the start of the 2021/2022 NBA season.
As a result, Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant was named the best. The second place in the poll was taken by the Milwaukee Bucks forward Yannis Adetokunbo. The leader of the Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James closed the top three.
Top 10 NBA Players in the 2021/2022 season according to ESPN US:
1. Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets)
2. Giannis Adetokumbo (Milwaukee Bucks)
3. LeBron James (Las Angeles Lakers)
4. Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks)
5. Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)
6. Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)
7. Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers)
8. Damien Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers)
9. Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers)
10. James Harden (Brooklyn Nets).
The NBA began life as the Basketball Association of America in 1946. Then there were 11 teams, and today the league has 30, including teams known not only to basketball fans: Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and other eminent clubs. The association is the leading men’s professional basketball league and one of the four major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada. NBA players are some of the highest paid athletes in the world.