Sean Johnson, Senior
We’re halfway through the month of October and that means one thing - it’s officially pro sports season. From the MLB postseason and the midway point of the NFL season to the start of the NHL and NBA seasons, October is chock-full of pro sports action. For basketball fans, the NBA 2019-2020 season will tip-off on Tuesday, October 22nd. This date has been highly anticipated by NBA fans since the offseason was full of major signings and blockbuster trades. Not to mention, the Golden States Warriors aren’t expected to continue their dominance over the league that they’ve had for the last five years, since many of the trades made by various teams this past offseason have created new superteams in both the East and the West.
Some of the most notable trades made this past summer include: Russell Westbrook to the Rockets, Chris Paul to the Thunder, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard to the Clippers, D’Angelo Russell to the Warriors, Jimmy Butler to the Heat, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to the Nets, and Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram to the Pelicans. After these and other big trades were made in the NBA, teams that were in the playoffs last year suddenly dropped in the power rankings; conversely, mediocre teams from the 2018-2019 season, such as the Nets, Clippers, and Heat, are being predicted to go far in the playoffs this year. Even though all of these superstar players being traded has created a power shift in the league, there is one team that looks to return to the playoffs and continue their dominance in the East-- the Philadelphia 76ers. With the addition of veteran power forward, Al Horford from the Celtics, as well as fifth year shooting guard and 2018-19 DPOY candidate, Josh Richardson from the Heat, the 76ers are expected to be the top team in the Eastern Conference this year. The 76ers will kick off their season by playing their division rival, the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.
Some other exciting matchups for tip-off week include: Pelicans vs. Raptors and Lakers vs. Clippers on Tuesday night. The number one overall pick, Zion Williamson, will make his regular season debut against the defending champs, the Toronto Raptors, at 8:00pm, followed by the battle of Los Angeles when the new dynamic duo of the Clippers, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, take on superstars Lebron James and Anthony Davis at 10:30pm. That’s not all - on Wednesday, October 23rd, there are 11 tip-off games featuring a matchup between Northwest Division rivals, Nuggets and Trail Blazers, as well as a game between the top team in Eastern Conference last season, the Milwaukee Bucks and the new superteam in the Southwest, the Houston Rockets. These games and many more will definitely show which teams and players are ready for the season and those who are not.
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