The shortlist is broader than on other occasions, but the last two champions, Golden State Warriors and Milwaukee Bucks, have plenty of arguments to be the main candidates for an NBA ring that this year seems more disputed than ever. Tonight an exciting season begins again, with 30 teams in the running, some of them with renewed aspirations.
The injuries that conditioned many teams in the post-pandemic have subsided and many stars return to the competition hungry for a title. This is the case of the Denver Nuggets, who will add Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr to Nikola Jokic, MVP last year. Those from Colorado want to take the definitive step that will allow them to reach the finals with a team designed three seasons ago. That's the case with the Clippers, who are back in contention with the return of Kawhi Leonard. The shooting guard who led the Spurs and Raptors to glory seems in top form to return to being the star that has shone too intermittently. Together with him, Paul George and a formidable group of Vietnam veterans, who already fought last year, can make him one of the strongest candidates.
The clearest bets are a Warriors that Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Jordan Poole add this year the power of James Wiseman, an imposing center who was injured shortly after his arrival in the League. If the locker room messes do not make a dent in the group, the franchise could add to a dynasty of four titles in the last eight years and only one lost final.
The battle in the west should be between these three teams, although the Phoenix Suns cannot be forgotten, with Chris Paul, Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton at the helm, nor the Memphis Grizlies, where Ja Morant aspires to continue growing to be a firm MVP candidate. LeBron James's Los Angeles Lakers, without major changes in the team, should not have options to fight for the conference title.
In the east two teams appear as the firm candidates to repeat the conference final. The Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics have shown a competitiveness and maturity in recent years that have elevated them above the rest. Those from Massachusetts hope that Jayson Tatum continues to take steps towards being that star who can do anything. Along with him, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart, already showed last year that they are up for great heights.
The Michigan case is different. Giannis Antetokounmpo's leadership is much more marked and his options will depend on his performance. The two-time regular season MVP and champion in 2019/20, he will return to the assault alongside Middleton and Holiday after a tough loss to Boston in the last conference final.
Together with them, Philadelphia will knock on the door again if the injuries respect Joel Embid. Eternal candidate for MVP, the pivot reached his highest level last year and in this he has surrounded himself better than ever thanks to the fact that James Harden has lowered his salary. PJ Tucker, Montrez Harrell and Danuel House join Tobias Harris and the young Tyrese Maxey to form a block of the most solid. The Brooklyn Nets, with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the Miami Heat and the Atlanta Hawks have fewer potential options.
