The NBA season begins next week and it promises to be another exciting contest but, with plenty of talent throughout the league, it can be hard to predict who will land the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.
With new rules surrounding player participation, as teams will have to field at least one ‘star player’ per game, certain franchises will have to adapt quickly if they wish to build momentum heading into the playoffs, and some may fare better with that challenge than others.
But it is also worth noting that playoff basketball significantly differs from regular-season play, and experience in those big matches may prove pivotal come crunch time.
- Denver Nuggets to win the NBA Championship
- Golden State Warriors to win the NBA Championship
The Trophy Can Stay In Denver
Last season’s champions the Denver Nuggets are looking to defend their title with the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns set to lay down the strongest challenges, having all improved their rosters in the off-season.
Those three teams have added all-star guards Jrue Holiday, Damien Lillard and Bradley Beal respectively and there is a feeling around the league that each should improve their squad significantly.
However, the Nuggets go into the season without a major makeover and that is not a negative thing given what the group achieved last year.
Michael Malone’s team won the championship, emphatically beating the Miami Heat 4-1 in the finals, and they look well-built to retain their title.
Led by two-time-MVP Centre Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets utilised their Serbian star’s unique skill set to great effect last season and got the right pieces around him to make the most of his immense passing ability.
Small forward Michael Porter Jr and point guard Jamal Murray missed huge chunks of the 2021/22 NBA Season before playing large parts in Denver’s success, and they will be going into this season in even better health.
So while other teams have strengthened on paper, the Nuggets have improved from within. They will be on a high following last year’s triumph and look a solid bet to retain their title ahead of the Suns and Celtics who are lacking title-winning experience.
NUGGETS TO WIN THE NBA CHAMPIONSHIP
Jokic form crucial for the Nugget's title defence
Warriors Want Their Title Back
It is difficult to mention NBA-winning experience without referencing the Golden State Warriors, who have taken the trophy back to San Francisco in five of the last nine seasons.
They won the 2021/22 title, as well as four in five years from 2015-2019, and will be looking to reclaim the title again before their ‘big three’ of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green begin to regress below the elite level.
The Warriors are clearly aware of that happening as they made a big call in the off-season, trading the pick of their younger players, Jordan Poole, to acquire veteran point guard Chris Paul.
That trade shows that Steve Kerr’s team are in win-now mode and the acquisition of Paul could be just what they need to gain their title back, having been a shock first-round exit last season.
Paul adds a wealth of experience to an already stacked Warriors roster and the defensive ability of the guard, Thompson and Green, combined with the scoring ability of Curry and Wiggins could make a few bookmakers regret offering double-figure odds about Golden State to win the Championship.
WARRIORS TO WIN THE NBA CHAMPIONSHIP
