It’s been a long past few months but finally the thing I love the most is back in action. Fans everywhere can rejoice because the NBA is back. I can finally turn on “ESPN First Take” in the mornings and hear Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith debate more than just football for the whole two hours. Don’t get me wrong, I love football, but there’s something different about the exhilaration that basketball brings.
The season kicked off Tuesday night on TNT. After missing the whole 2012-2013 season due to a torn ACL, one Derrick Rose from the Chicago Bulls. of the league’s best point guards made his return. The Bulls took on defending champion team, the Miami Heat, in the season opener.
The Heat seemed to be in a daze after their ring ceremony and came out to a slow start as the Bulls got hot. It didn’t take the heat long to wake up and play the game they’re capable of. They ended up topping the Bulls 107-95. Derrick Rose scored 12 points and dropped foir dimes in his return. Lebron James put up 17 for Miami.
Rose’s return has to be the most talked about thing surrounding the NBA right now. There was speculation that he would return last winter, but Rose wasn’t mentally ready at the time. I don’t really blame him. When playing at such a high and competitive level, you have to make sure that you are 100 percent ready. Now that he has returned, there’s a spotlight back on Chicago. Rose had a great pre-season and showed some life in the season opener, so I’m excited to see where he and his athleticism will bring the Bulls during this coming season.
The battle in L.A. also tipped off on Tuesday night as the Clippers took on the Lakers, minus the injured Kobe Bryant. Former Celtics’ coach Doc Rivers made his debut as the head coach of the Clippers, and I must say they looked pretty good for the first game of the season. Doc and his skills are going to turn the Clippers around this season. This will definitely be a change from the leadership, or lack thereof, that they received from former coach Vinny Del Negro last year.
The Lakers proved that they didn’t necessarily need Kobe to keep it close. They hung tough with the Clippers until they broke away and outscored them 41-24 in the fourth quarter. Xavier Henry put up a good game, but it wasn’t enough. The Lakers went on to beat the Clippers 116-103. The Laker bench scored an unbelievable 76 points. Although they’re lacking their start player right now, they definitely shocked a lot of people on opening night. I wouldn’t count anyone out just yet.
After an offseason of many trades, new coaches, and rehabilitating injuries, the NBA is back and I love it. I’m excited to see what this season holds. What are your predictions for the coming NBA season? Will the Miami Heat ultimately three-peat or will someone else take the crown?