It’s official: the NBA is back! With a return date set for late next month, teams and players around the league are making the necessary preparations to return to action.
And with this in mind, there’s a lot to look forward to in the coming weeks and months.
After an 8-game regular season (which will include a play-in tourney), the postseason will finally commence and we get to watch the best teams in the league compete for the title of what might be the weirdest season in basketball history.
These matchups are what we’re looking forward to the most:
NBA Finals: Rockets vs. Bucks
The Houston Rockets are one of the NBA’s best offensive teams, and that’s without starting a true center. Their small-ball started may be unorthodox, but it seems to be working well enough for them so far.
In a Finals series with Milwaukee, it would be fascinating to witness how their playstyle would fare against the force and might of the Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Also, a Finals involving these teams would be something we’ve never seen before — literally, in the NBA’s long history, this matchup has never happened in a Finals series.
NBA Finals: Clippers vs. Bucks
The Clippers and Bucks are two of the best teams in the league but nobody really knows what to expect in a potential Finals matchup between the two. The Bucks have the league’s best record and, behind the leadership of Giannis, they are pretty much unstoppable. But put them against the Clippers (who might be the deepest team in the league) for a seven-game series, and it would pose a real challenge to Milwaukee.
The Clippers could guard Giannis the same way the Raptors did in the Eastern Conference Finals last year. Would the Greek Freak be able to overcome it this time?
Western Conference Finals: Lakers vs. Rockets
LeBron James and Anthony Davis form the NBA’s greatest duo, but James Harden and Russell Westbrook aren’t too far behind. In a potential Western Conference Finals matchup, these two teams would be interesting to watch simply because they’re so different.
The Lakers are all about force and strength, using the combined powers of James and Davis to have their way under the rim. Without a big man, the Rockets’ primary strategy is small-ball, and they use long-distance shooting and their own speed to outscore their opponents. In a matchup, the Lakers would have the upper hand for obvious reasons, but the shooting and scoring prowess of the Rockets cannot be underestimated.
NBA Finals: Lakers vs. Celtics
The Celtics are certainly underdogs in the race for the 2020 title but with Jayson Tatum, Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown, and Gordon Hayward, they might just have enough firepower to pull off something grand. Of course, a potential Finals series between the Lakers and Celtics would be awesome to witness.
As long-time enemies with decades of history, it would be yet another chapter of their storied rivalry. The Lakers would be heavily favored, but watching something so familiar would certainly be a sight for sore eyes.
Western Conference Finals: Lakers vs. Clippers
In what might be the most anticipated matchup of the summer, a Lakers vs. Clippers West Finals would be one for the ages. Not only are these squads competing for the hearts of the same city, but they’re the two most powerful teams in the West. With Paul George, Kahwi Leonard, and a slew of solid, proven role-players, the Clippers have the deepest roster in the league and are looking to end the franchise’s long history of playoff failures.
The Lakers, of course, want to prove they’re still the kings of L.A. in what might be one of their only chances to win a title before LeBron’s inevitable retirement. With a trip to the Finals on the line, what sounds more exciting than two of the West’s best teams (who also happen to be long-time rivals) competing for a chance at glory?
