The summer of 2020 is not exactly the most comforting moment in recent memory, with the NBA returning in the shadow of a global pandemic. But despite the wave of concerns outside the bubble, basketball on the NBA campus will take center stage sooner rather than later. And there’s no shortage of quality stories as we get closer to the resumption of the regular season. Two Los Angeles superstars compete for their third ring, while a group of young men is poised to conquer the league. The Western Conference is full of quality equipment. The East has an interesting harvest behind Milwaukee. The next three months should feature many nice hoops.
So what should fans expect with less than two weeks to go before regular season games resume? We in The crossover ranked the top 20 reasons to be excited about the NBA restart.
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1. The battle for Los Angeles
All due respect to the other contenders in the West, but we will be fooled to some extent if we do not have a Western Lakers vs. Western Conference final. Clippers. Both LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard are looking for another Finals MVP with a third team, and both squads have a deep cast of interesting characters. James is not getting younger. Let’s hope he has another classic playoff series in store.
2. Zion and Ja
The top two picks for the 2019 NBA Draft have lived up to expectations in their rookie seasons. Williamson has been completely dominant in a small sample, while Morant established himself as a true building block within his first week in Memphis. We could very well see the future pair of All-Stars with seed number 8 on the line in Western Conference games.
3. Jayson Tatum on the big stage
Jayson Tatum burst onto the scene as a striking protagonist in the 2018 playoffs, but enters the 2020 postseason with real expectations. A race to the Finals will place Tatum as perhaps the NBA’s top asset. But if the Duke product struggles, a first-round outing against Philadelphia, Miami or even Indiana is at stake.
4. Power Ahead Ben Simmons
Brett Brown is rolling the dice with a new position for Ben Simmons in the 2020 playoffs, although the power forward position is not entirely foreign to the old No. 1 pick. Simmons has recorded 33 possessions as the role player in situations. pick-and-roll this season, generating an impressive 1.06 points per possession. Perhaps resisting conventional wisdom can change the Sixers’ season.
5. Harden and Westbrook watch the finals
Houston has two legitimate superstars on its roster, raising the ceiling for a team that was in a Finals game in 2018. But both James Harden and Russell Westbrook have legitimate playoff warts on their respective resumes. Add the Rockets’ unique devotion to small ball, and there is no team with more variation in performance in Orlando.
6. Nick Nurse’s schemes
The Raptors head coach was arguably as shocking as Leonard last year, unleashing a roster of great defensive schemes in the 2019 postseason. Toronto plays more zone than any other team in the league, even occasionally exploiting box-and-play. 1, and perhaps no coach deploys his defensive weapons as effectively as Nurse. His genius keeps consecutive championships within reach in Toronto.
7. Doncic’s first playoffs
No player of this century has become a sophomore season like Luka Doncic. The Slovenian sensation was the most successful teenager in European history when he entered the NBA, and Doncic can now add to his already impressive resume in Orlando. Dallas stands as a dangerous first-round opponent for any squad in the Western Conference, including the Los Angeles monsters.
8. Pacemaker at full power
Indiana is constantly debated despite a strong past decade, and the Pacers could pull off a first-round surprise in Orlando. The twin tower duo of Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner continues to be effective despite a questionable fit, and both Malcolm Brogdon and TJ Warren have turned into quality seasons. Victor Oladipo is still a wild card. He reportedly looked impressive in summer camp training, though his state of play in Orlando is still unclear. A healthy and effective Oladipo could spell trouble for Miami, Boston or Toronto in the first round.
9. Bam’s breakup
Bam Adebayo is no longer off the radar in NBA circles, receiving much praise for his defensive engine and offensive play. But favorable reviews are not useless. Adebayo is a true franchise building block, and the backbone of Miami’s strong defense. The Kentucky product can win the Most Improved Player this season, and the 2020 playoffs could be a springboard to true stardom.
10. Chris Paul Revenge Tour
Chris Paul was decommissioned as a contract albatross a year ago after being transferred from Houston to Oklahoma City. But Point God has found skepticism with a resurgence in his 2019-20 career, leading the NBA in grab points for a Thunder team that feels good. There has been no lack of motivation for Paul for the past year. A confrontation against the Rockets would provide an additional dose. Don’t rule out the Thunder in the first round, regardless of your opponent with Paul at the helm.
John W. McDonough / Sports Illustrated
11. Skinny Jokic
Nikola Jokic showed impressive endurance in the 2019 playoffs, setting both Blazers and Spurs on fire when Denver won their first playoff series since 2009. The dynamic center has lost considerable weight since then, entering the NBA restart. in third place in the West. Conference. Jokic has already demonstrated his playoff skills. But the Nuggets are not guaranteed a place in the second round by any stretch of the imagination. They’ll need a repeat of the Jokic 2019 playoffs to stay in Orlando until August.
12. minutes of MPJ
Let’s stick with the Nuggets briefly, who don’t have a really reliable second choice alongside Jokic. Perhaps rookie Michael Porter Jr. could play the role. The Missouri product sports a silky sweater with a 6’10 “frame, showing slight hints from Kevin Durant if he squints enough. Not disrespectful to Jamal Murray, who has the talent to be a quality No. 2 on the right night. But don’t be surprised if Porter Jr. takes on that role of Murray sooner rather than later.
13. Mitchell and Gobert
The relationship between Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell was not perfect even before the COVID-19 fiasco, and it seems that things are not exactly rosy when entering Orlando. Gobert’s offensive limitations have been a source of some frustration, and Mitchell is not at the superstar level of Harden and the other NBA talents in the Western Conference. A second consecutive first-round outing could create some anxiety in Utah entering 2020-21.
14. Los Angeles Twin Towers
The Lakers were mocked for their list of off-season additions outside of Anthony Davis, especially for their decision to bring in two additional centers. Los Angeles not only made a strange stylistic decision by bringing Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee, but they also brought the potential for significant drama and distraction. Veteran centers have been productive and largely on their best behavior in 2019-20. Will they be ready to play in the bubble? The Lakers are putting a lot of action on two former layoffs.
15. Porzingis on the prowl
Kristaps Porzingis has been plagued with injuries and imperfect 2019-20, but don’t discount the offensive potential of the young center. Porzingis is a unicorn in every sense of the word, capable of punishing defenses both above the edge and beyond the arch. Porzingis and Doncic’s two-man dance was getting better before the COVID-19 hiatus. Further growth in Orlando will only add to the Dallas case as a dangerous first-round opponent.
16. Popovich’s plan
There has been little to celebrate this season in San Antonio, and the Spurs aren’t exactly Orlando’s most exciting team. But it would be downright rude to tell Gregg Popovich. The San Antonio coach is likely to pull off a surprise surprise or two in all eight games in Orlando, and the Spurs aren’t entirely out of the game hunt. If Popovich makes the most of his young backcourt, San Antonio is not over yet.
John W. McDonough / Sports Illustrated
17. Houston’s Little Ball Game
We noted earlier Houston’s commitment to the small ball, but we should underline just how radical D’Antoni’s rotation really is. 6’5 “forward PJ Tucker starts at the Rockets ‘center, and there isn’t a single traditional big man in the Houston rotation. But the Rockets’ bold move really can be worth it. Tucker and Robert Covington create a Dynamic duo on the front court, and Russell Westbrook has thrived since the Clint Capela trade, Daryl Morey’s midseason moves could be the catalyst for a surprising Finals career.
18. Markelle Fultz test
Milwaukee will likely wipe out the Magic if it advances beyond the play-in, but that doesn’t mean there are no internal goals to meet in the NBA bubble. What’s Above Orlando’s Wish List? Probably Markelle Fultz quality performance. The former No. 1 pick still has notable flaws in his game, but showed flashes of starting base potential in 2019-20. Further growth in the NBA restart will help instill faith in the Magic’s plans for the next decade.
19. Portland gets healthy
The Blazers have been beaten throughout 2019-20, battling injuries while falling among the top eight in the Western Conference. But Portland could go out the door in Portland. Both Zach Collins and Jusuf Nurkic appear to be healthy, bringing great depth to the frontcourt. An effective Nurkic could impersonate Hassan Whiteside and make a real difference in Orlando. The Lakers don’t want to see the Blazers fully operational in the first round.
20. The return of Jamal Crawford
The Nets are not exactly coming to Orlando, preparing to play after a series of injuries and casualties. But we should still be having fun watching Brooklyn hold on to their playoff hopes. Jamal Crawford is back in the NBA and ready to light up the scoreboard, or at least make a striking appearance off the bench. The NBA bubble is not just a showcase for the stars of the league. It could also serve as a final tribute to one of the mildest players of the 21st century.
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