The
opening week of the NBA has given a tiny glimpse of who could potentially
challenge for NBA Championship. Some of the biggest stories talked about in the
offseason were how would the Los Angeles Lakers perform without their superstar
in Kobe Bryant, how would Dwight Howard transition from the Lakers to the
Houston Rockets, and how would the hiring of Doc Rivers as the new Los Angeles
Clippers head coach make the team a contender for the NBA Championship.
Lakers guard Steve Blake hits the game winning three-pointer in the Lakers 99-98 victory over the Houston Rockets
Courtesy of NBA.com
The Lakers are currently 3-3 since the
season started. The question that was asked the most in the off-season was how
would the Lakers be without their star player Kobe Bryant. Bryant went down
with a torn Achilles tendon last season and has been rehabilitating the injury
throughout the offseason. It is hard to tell since we’re only a week into the
season how the team will perform until Bryant’s return. Lakers power forward
Pau Gasol currently leads the team in points and rebounds. Gasol is one of the
Lakers’ starters yet the most talked about part of the team thus far has been
the bench. The Lakers’ bench has been a formidable foe so far averaging 55.3
points per game while the starters are averaging 44.8 points per game. Will
these stats be enough to carry this team until the return of its star in Kobe
Bryant? Only time will tell.
Center Dwight Howard has been
impressive in his first week of the NBA season as a member of the Houston
Rockets. Howard has been averaging 17.4 points and 14.6 rebounds per game since
the season began. These numbers are very similar to the numbers he put up
during his time with the Orlando Magic. Howard spent his last season with a
turbulent Los Angeles Lakers team that made it to the first round of the
playoffs last season. Howard played a majority of last season with a torn
labrum and had season lows in points and rebounds. It looks as if Howard has
returned to normal season form. Along with Rockets star James Harden, Dwight
Howard looks to take this team to a postseason run in the playoffs.
Clippers guard J.J. Redick leading the charge on offense against the Orlando Magic
Courtesy of NBA.com
The Los Angeles Clippers acquired head
coach Doc Rivers in the offseason along with the notable additions of key
players in guard J.J. Redick and forward Jared Dudley. Coach Rivers parted ways
with the Boston Celtics to come coach Chris Paul and the LA Clippers. The team
is currently 3-3 and Rivers looks to coach this team to an NBA Championship.
Some analysts believe that the Clippers will win the Western Conference and go
on to play the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. “Lob City” has all the key pieces
to do so with an MVP candidate in Chris Paul, a true all-star in Blake Griffin,
and the head coaching wisdom of Doc Rivers. Not to mention a supporting cast in
players the likes of Jamal Crawford and DeAndre Jordan. 
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