With the NBA season just recently kicking off, there has been a lot of speculation and commentary on how teams will fare for the season. ESPN, bloggers and sports writers all have their opinions on who the contenders might be for the NBA title. Going ahead and putting it out there, coming from a female Boston Celtics fan, some may not appreciate this commentary. So what does it take for a team to win that precious NBA title? A combination of: experience, chemistry, sweat, blood, tears, a few good referees, and luck.
Many recall this past NBA season how the Los Angeles Lakers pulled a narrow victory over the Boston Celtics and had an NBA Championship repeat. For many it seemed like there were two bandwagons that fans were a part of: either you were a Lakers’ fan or you hated them. After the NBA finals, many people seemed to magically become grand Lakers’ fans overnight, buying out all the t-shirts, jerseys, and Lakers’ themed Jordan’s that sports stores had to offer. It has to be admitted that the Lakers’ do have a load of talent, especially with the chemistry between Pao Gasol and Kobe Bryant. Also, the luck they had played a big part in their victory.
Over the summer, there was a “the big decision”. The NBA drafts were a huge topic that flooded Twitter, news stories and Facebook newsfeeds for days. The Miami Heat, a team I never really paid particular attention to, had gained three of the arguably five best players from the NBA. The Three Kings, LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh picked to join the Miami Heat family. Not even five days after this big decision, the Champs store I was employed at, which had run out of Lakers’ merchandise, received shirts with LeBron’s number, name, face, Miami Heat logo, etc. Everything went flying off of the racks within a few days. There was so much hype about the Miami Heat and the Three Kings. Unfortunately, that hype is dying down.
Let us take a look on the opening game on October 26th, Celtics vs. Miami Heat, final score 88-80. The chemistry between Miami’s team is on the rocks. Only if they can pull it together, they could possibly have a great season. However, there are too many players trying to be stars on the team. The Celtics, replicating the great defense they put on last season, have given fans and ESPN sports commentators hope for an amazing season. With the return of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo, this season is looking very bright. They organize themselves very effectively around the court, knowing where the other is, getting the ball into play time after time. Yes, it was just the season opener, but honestly, Miami has a lot of work to do. Also, Rajon Rondo is extremely underrated. As the season advances, Rondo’s name will appear and be heard a lot more often.
To all the hopeful and faithful Miami Heat fans and L.A. Lakers’ fans, you might be in for a little disappointment. Yes, a three-peat from the Lakers’ is highly likely, but luck is a key component in what will happen in the finals, as it happened this past summer. The Celtics have a very good chance of being NBA Champions in 2011. Player statistics and talent are not the only things that play into gaining a title; luck and player chemistry play a prominent role in how these teams will fare. Coaches also play a prominent role in how the teams perform, but that is an entirely different story to tell in regards to the aforementioned teams.
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