After waiting all Summer and part of the Fall, the NBA is finally back! Not only will tonight be the unveiling of the Miami Heat’s second straight championship banner, but it will also be the return of the Chicago Bulls’ star player Derrick Rose.
Rose’s revenge tour after missing the 2013 season due to an ACL tear will face a major hurdle at the hands of the Miami Heat. The Heat return this season with some new faces to their role spots, but of course, they’re still centered around the Big 3 of Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade and LeBron James. The real question for the Bulls coming into this game (and the season) is whether they have enough talent and pieces to beat Miami. Can Rose fully shoulder the load and lead them to the promise land? Many are saying yes, but until we see him out there on the court tonight, it will remain a mystery.
UPDATE: Bulls fall to the Heat 107-95.
The nightcap between the Lakers and Clippers could potentially be more entertaining than the early game; but for entirely different reasons. The Clippers come into this season with Doc Rivers behind the wheel, ready to take that next step as champion contender. By adding JJ Reddick and Jared Dudely to an already stacked roster, there is no reason why the Clips shouldn’t be there in the Western Conference finals talks in May.
Now about that other team from Los Angeles. The Lakers come into this game tonight with a starting lineup that is not very Laker-like. It features Nick Young starting at SG and Shawne Williams at PF (Yes, that is actually happening). This year looks pretty bleak for the Lakers and there is still no word on when Kobe Bryant’s return to the court is from injury. So will this one be close tonight? We highly doubt it, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t be wildly entertaining.
UPDATE: The Lakers defeat the Clippers 116-103 in a shocker at the Staples Center.
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