With the start of the NBA season just a few days away, the anticipation is absolutely killing basketball fans who have been waiting for this since San Antonio won the Finals almost five months ago. For those who may not follow the Association as closely as others, here are the top three reasons to be excited about the 2014-15 NBA season:
#3) Rookie Watch
Some NBA Draft classes have had a serious impact on the league, they generally happen once per generation, three in particular were the 1984 draft (Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley and John Stockton), the 1996 draft (Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Ray Allen and Steve Nash) and the 2003 draft (LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Carmelo Anthony). With draft experts proclaiming this class as the one for the current generation, it will be interesting and entertaining to watch these rookies grow and develop into the future of the league. But for this season, the Rookie of the Year battle will be a highly competitive one with a good percentage of rookies getting starter’s minutes and with players like Nerlens Noel who was injured all of last season making him eligible for the award.
#2) The King Returns to Cleveland
After four very successful years in Miami, making four consecutive NBA Finals and leaving with two championships, a more battle-tested and fine-tuned LeBron James is returning to his home in Cleveland to do what no sports team has done there in 50 years, win a title. LeBron isn’t the only major star packing his bags for Ohio, former rebounding champion and three-time all-star Kevin Love will be joining King James and Kyrie “Uncle Drew” Irving to try to create a winner in Cleveland. When LeBron first went to Miami, yes they made it to the Finals, but they were defeated by the Mavericks and went through growing pains that whole season due to a lack of team chemistry. The Cavaliers, led by rookie head coach David Blatt, will most certainly go through the same issues, but will the players be able to overcome it and win their first ever NBA title? We won’t have to wait too long to find out.
#1) Who will Win the Western Conference?
This really should be getting more attention than it is. Almost every team in the West made an improvement since last year and the ones that didn’t really had no reason to. The truth is a case could be made for 10 out of 15 teams to make the playoffs in the West. The following teams have a legitimate chance to make the playoffs and potentially win the west (by order of rank last year):
Spurs- defending champs
Thunder- with reigning MVP Kevin Durant
Clippers- finally adding a legit third big man to their rotation in Spencer Hawes
Blazers- coming off Damian Lillard’s breakout year
Rockets- improving their perimeter defense acquiring Trevor Ariza
Warriors- backing up their talented starting five with solid rotation players like former Brooklyn Net Shaun Livingston
Grizzlies- adding veteran scorer and former all-star Vince Carter to their terrifying defensive team
Mavericks- Signing Chandler Parsons and trading for their former center (with whom they won a title) Tyson Chandler
Suns- With last year’s Most Improved Player Goran Dragic and signing former Kings Guard Isaiah Thomas to a super athletic roster
Pelicans- Adding talented big man Omer Asik to join the next big thing Anthony Davis in the front court
And even though the Lakers roster isn’t the best and they are a long shot to make it to the postseason, it’d be foolish to count out a healthy Kobe Bryant as long as he can lace up a pair of sneakers.
This season should be one with tons of surprises and great moments, with hoops maybe becoming a side note behind the leading headlines of the season that are unpredictable. The clock is ticking till tip-off on opening night and I know I will be glued to the T.V. feeling relieved that the wait is finally over.
Russell Broderick's Sports Blog 
Another Great Articale Russell!
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