The SEVEN
by Mack Williams
20 October 2018
Clearly one of the NBA’s golden eras was in the 1980s (sorry, young fans) when Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Larry Bird were the faces of the league as their Lakers and Celtics battled throughout the decade. Thirty years later Magic – President of basketball operations of the Lakers -is also a co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who with a win tonight advance to the World Series to play the Boston Red Sox, a matchup that has never happened. Could this be the beginning of a whole new Boston-L.A. rivalry? And what about the original one…is that about to be rekindled with LeBron James as the newest star in the Laker galaxy?
Let’s look at this in The SEVEN’s NBA Preview, featuring the 7 teams most likely to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy next June.
VII. Utah Jazz
This will probably be a team to be checking for a very long time. Don’t be surprised if someday Donovan Mitchell and the guys get the rings that eluded Stockton and Malone. Shout out to Rudy Gobert, who is proving that the more traditional center is not dead in the water.
VI. Denver Nuggets
Like the Jazz, the Nuggets with their young talent – and their inherent altitude advantage – will be a handful if they remain healthy.
V. Oklahoma City Thunder
Any team with the unbelievable Russell Westbrook, PG13 and the very underrated Steven Adams has to be in any championship contender discussion.
IV. Houston Rockets
They came thisclose to returning the trophy to Clutch City last season…might have done so had Chris Paul not gotten hurt. Maybe. But I’m going to wager that Carmelo Anthony’s last lost season was an aberration…which would lead me to believe that adding one of the greatest scorers ever – even if on the back end – to CP3 and James Harden makes them a team to be reckoned with. So why should they only be number 4?
III. Boston Celtics
Houston is number four because there are only two teams that can ultimately win the title: the Western Conference winner and the Eastern Conference winner. The Celtics – with big-time depth, a budding superstar in Jayson Tatum, and 
Uncle Drew who has won both at the box office and in the championship game – may be that team in the East.
II. Toronto Raptors
Or maybe that team will be from up North. The Raptors set a team record for wins and were already deep in young and athletic talent when they traded franchise icon DeMar DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard, who may very well be replacing LeBron as the best player in the East if he’s fully recovered…which may mean they’re the team to beat.
Best of the Rest
Philadelphia 76ers – Trusting the Process has brought Sixer fans a good, young team…but not quite there yet. Ben Simmons will have to get a jumper first.
Portland Trail Blazers – great regular season team, still maybe a player away. Watch the trade deadline.
New Orleans Pelicans – Anthony Davis may win MVP but they may miss Rajon Rondo more than they realize.
When would you have thought the San Antonio Spurs and LeBron James’ team – whoever they were – wouldn’t be on a top contender list? Both will be back on soon…the Spurs when point guard of the future Dejounte Murray returns; the Lakers when their young core improves, or when LeBron implores Magic to get a star free agent next year.
I. Golden State Warriors
In order to be The Man, you’ve got to beat The Man. As long as they’ve got Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson – without even mentioning the recuperating DeMarcus Cousins – they’re the favorites.
The 7 Blog 