The NBA is finally coming back and it is a great time to watch basketball. There are a variety  different looking teams as the off season was busy. There are  “super teams” that have been formed along with many major trades going down. The NBA is going to be exciting with many fantastic teams in contention for the NBA Finals.

The Western Conference has the reigning champions, the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors are the team to beat as they still have the same super stars from last year; Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. The competition is fierce for the Warriors as many teams have made moves to compete with them. The Houston Rockets are a team that made a splash as they acquired all-time great point guard Chris Paul. Paul should help take off the pressure that falls on superstar James Harden. The second team that made noise in the off season was the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder acquired two of the best players in the league, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony, along with reigning MVP Russell Westbrook. They are some prime time scorers that will provide much needed help for Westbrook.

The plethora of teams that will try to compete includes Kawhi Leonard and his Spurs, Blake Griffin and his Los Angeles Clippers, and the new look Minnesota Timberwolves. The Timberwolves made a trade for superstar Jimmy Butler and they paired him with young studs Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins. The second tier of the West has the Memphis Grizzlies, Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, and New Orleans Pelicans. These teams are one or two players away from contending. The other teams in the West that are rebuilding are the Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, and finally the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Eastern Conference reigning champions are the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavaliers are currently coping with a very disappointing loss against the Warriors. The Cavaliers were also one of the teams that made a flashy move in the off season. The Cavaliers traded away their unhappy point guard, Kyrie Irving, and acquired another star point guard, Isaiah Thomas, and wing player, Jae Crowder. The Boston Celtics traded for Irving in hopes of finding a true superstar . The Celtics are the Cavaliers biggest threat in the East. They also signed all-star Gordon Hayward. Sadly, he tore his ankle in the first game and is likely to be out for the entire year. The next team battling in the East is the Washington Wizards. They are lead by one of the best point guards in the league, John Wall.

The other teams that are trying for a top spot in the East include the Toronto Raptors, Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat, Charlotte Hornets, and Detroit Pistons. These teams are all competing for a spot within the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bucks are the best team out of this group, with MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo leading them. He has averaged over 35 points in a short four games. The bottom of the East is full of teams that are rebuilding and retooling their teams. These teams include the Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic, Brooklyn Nets,  Indiana Pacers,  New York Knicks, and Philadelphia 76ers. The teams will fight to try and dethrone the Cavaliers during this year’s season.

This NBA season will be a thrilling year as all the teams will attempt to stop the Cavaliers and Warriors. The Cavaliers and Warriors are now trying to go to the finals for their fourth year in a row. The year will be jam packed with exhilarating games and intense competition.