WOULD A LEBRON-AD DUO BE ENOUGH?
The revamped Los Angeles Lakers are all set for their quest to become playoff contenders again. LeBron James is healthy, Anthony Davis is finally in town, and their supporting cast has been lined up.
James, only a few months away from turning 35, will again have millions of eyeballs in his every move. The future Hall-of-Famer posted big numbers in the 2018-19 campaign (27.3 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 8.3 APG) but failed to carry the Lakers back in the playoffs. He also suffered a groin injury during the Christmas Day game against the Golden State Warriors and went on to sit out 27 games – the most of his 16-year career. The injury can’t be deemed as a valid excuse too, as the Purple and Gold only went 28-27 in the 55 games he was in.
This year, James and Lakers will have the services of Anthony Davis, arguably the most talented big man today. A perennial All-Star with an elite offensive and defensive game, Davis is primed to be the Lakers’ face of the future – maybe even the whole league. Ever since breaking out during his second year, the 26-year-old has compiled all-around averages of 25.4 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.4 steals, and 2.4 blocks per game. Davis is going to need a big season, considering that they already lost DeMarcus Cousins to injury before the season started.
A SPOTLIGHT ON KYLE KUZMA
The Lakers will be looking to have a third guy rise up and aid in carrying the team, and for that, a spotlight will shine bright on Kyle Kuzma. He was the lone survivor when the Lakers swept their youth movement away for Anthony Davis. Kuzma was behind James in team scoring last year, with 18.7 PPG.
THE NETS ARE BACK TO REAL RELEVANCY
The dark days of the Brooklyn Nets are over, thanks to a surprising playoff appearance last season and the big splashes they made during free agency, particularly the signings of Kyrie Durant and Kevin Durant.
With three championships and countless All-Star and All-NBA appearances between them, both are primed to bring real relevancy to the Nets, even with Durant likely to sit out the whole season as he heals from a torn ACL.
Irving and Durant are seen as the among the most skilled and consistent scorers in their respective positions, with the former having dozens of highlight-reel moves and three-straight 23+ PPG seasons and the latter having one season MVPS, two Finals MVPs, and a 27 PPG career average.
The duo’s cohorts are also a crop of solid players. Spencer Dinwiddie, Jarrett Allen, and Caris LeVert, are the among the main rotation guys of the Nets’s surge last season, while DeAndre Jordan, who’s also a major off-season acquisition, is a double-double machine that would help in protecting the paint.
WHO COMES OUT ON TOP?
The stars will play in limited minutes but expect the Nets to come out with a lot of energy for this one, and eventually bring a win. Also, with Nets coach Kenny Atkinson being part of the team’s re-building right from the outset, he’s used to playing virtually unknown players and guiding them to surprising wins.
The Nets won both meetings last season and had six players scoring in double figures for each game.
