Published 21:52 IST, October 22nd 2019
NBA: Lakers face Clippers in battle of LA; Raptors take on Pelicans
NBA: Los Angeles is in for a treat as new-look Lakers and Clippers emerge as title contenders, while Raptors begin title defence in the absence of Kawhi Leonard
The NBA is back, and it looks totally different from the previous edition with a slew of tweaks and high-profile trades. The 74th season of the NBA championship kickstarts on 23 October as California bigwigs Los Angeles Clippers face Los Angeles Lakers and defending champions Toronto Raptors battle it out with a new-look New Orleans Pelicans.
Fans in India will be eager to watch the upcoming season after witnessing live action for the first time as the NBA pre-season games between Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers were held in Mumbai early in October.
Lakers vs Clippers
Pundits and fans alike reckon the upcoming season will be the most thrilling of them all, with eight reigning all-stars changing their allegiance, which is the most in a single NBA off-season. The highly-anticipated move of Anthony Davis pairing up with LeBron James at Lakers makes them strong title contenders this season. What's more? Davis could be a contender for the NBA MVP Award.
The 26-year-old Davis is arguably on the verge of entering his prime and is determined to prove himself as one of the best players in the league. Meanwhile, his teammate LeBron is poised to pass former Lakers legend Kobe Bryant for third place in the NBA’s all-time scoring list, only to trail Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone.
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However, realising the threat posed by their neighbours, Clippers have acquired the services of Kawhi Leonard from Raptors and Paul George from Oklahoma City Thunder, leaving their fans with expectations like never before. Leonard is a two-time NBA defensive Player of the Year and Geroge was the finalist in last season’s award, the duo will make the Clippers defense formidable. However, George is set to miss the initial matches as he is nursing a shoulder injury.
Raptors vs Pelicans
Defending champions Toronto Raptors became the first non-American team to win the NBA title last season. Their story will motivate other underdog teams to make their mark in NBA history. The 2019 season was the best stretch ever for Raptors. Their six best regular seasons have all come in the last six years. Their opponents on Wednesday, Pelicans have looked to build their team around the No 1 overall draft pick Zion Williamson. The 19-year-old, though, will not feature in the Pelicans line-up during the start of the season as he is sidelined due to a knee injury. Their team will have to work hard to cope with the departure of Davis to Lakers also.
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Updated 22:49 IST, October 22nd 2019