The NBA season begins with the San Antonio Spurs vs the Dallas Mavericks. The Spurs are coming off an unbelievable run against the Miami Heat last season, and won the NBA Championship. As the new season begins, many story lines arise around the league. Starting with the Spurs, their keys to success for another run is for the "Big 3" to remain healthy under coach Greg Popovich. Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili are no doubt near the end of their careers, but still have some gas left in the tank. This is partially due to the system set in place in San Antonio, that other teams are starting to implement, which undoubtedly plays a role in the playoffs. By subbing out older players, especially if they are a franchise player, and make them sit for longer periods of time. The Lakers could use this method this season on Kobe Bryant, since they aren't in any position to contend, and hopefully try to preserve him for one more year.
Another story line is the Cleveland Cavaliers. With Lebron leaving South Beach in the off season, the Cavs put themselves in a great position to contend for an NBA Championship. Not to mention an arsenal of weapons that were not available to him in Miami. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love will also contribute mightily around Lebron, but both are injury prone and could go down at any time. Lebron also has 2 teammates that he played with once before. James Jones and Mike Miller signed 1 year contracts and provide outside range, that could no doubt determine games. New coach David Blatt, former overseas coach for Maccabi Tel Aviv, will have a tough season building a connection with Lebron James, which could determine his future in the NBA.
The Cavs are not the only team to make major offseason acquisitions. The Chicago Bulls have developed into one of the most intriguing up and coming teams in the NBA. With the addition of Pau Gasol, the culture of the Chicago Bulls play-style will most likely change from a defensive team to one of the most lethal offenses in the league. The triangle offense could be effective with 2 of the best big men in the league, and the shooting of Doug McDermott could easily pull defenders away from the paint. The Bulls could easily make a major post season playoff run, but they can only do this if the team stays healthy and develops strong chemistry. Each player must respect the roles on the court and if all players understand, than the Bulls can win games against tougher opponents.
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