The NBA’s preseason competition kicked off on the weekend and you can just about feel the thunder of the carom off the glass as the real stuff approaches on Wednesday, October 28.
The title favourite Cleveland Cavaliers will be in action in the season opener against fellow title fancies the Chicago Bulls.
Our mates at CrownBet.com.au have the Cavs as $3.75 favourites, with Lebron James and company set to give it a big shake after losing to the Golden State Warriors in six games in last seasons finals series.
The two time champion and arguably best player in the world does not take to losing well and will be hoping for a little revenge this season – and to bring a title to long suffering Cleveland fans after he returned from Miami as the prodigal son last season.
THE bounce is back.
The third string in the Cavs big three, Kevin Love will be back on the floor to start the season after recovering from shoulder surgery after Boston Celtic Kelly Olynyk tried to remove his arm from its socket in last season’s playoffs.
But Kyrie Irving is still battling to recover from the knee injury that removed him from the finals and perhaps cost the Cavs a ring.
His health will be key to a side that returned Lebron’s old running mate Mo Williams in the off season, but is yet to ink key role player Tristan Thompson.
Noticed we called him a role player?
Thompson – who is a key piece – clearly doesn’t see himself that way, asking for an $80 million deal from the Cavs.
That’s big money to for a bloke whose only real feather is offensive rebounding.
And the Cavs obviously agree with me, because they have removed his images from Quicken Loans Arena, in a sign they won’t be held to ransom by the 24 year old big man (yes, we know he’s not technically contracted and therefore shouldn’t be used in promotion, but that’s convenient).
Thompson is one of James’ closest friends, and that gives him leverage, but the King recently acknowledged that the situation was a distraction.
“Right now its kind of like the elephant in the room all over, for every body,” James said.
“Hopefully some resolve can happen sooner than later.
“You know, obviously, we continue to say, I continue to say, how his value to us is extreme, as we saw last year in the post season, throughout the season.
“The last thing you need is a distraction when you try to make a championship run. And we have that right now.
“I’m not here to talk about numbers, things of that nature, because that’s for them, for both sides to figure out. The last thing you need is a distraction when you try to make a championship run.
“And we have that right now.
“And it’s unfortunate for both sides that we’re going through it right now as a team.
“It’s not an excuse, we will be ready to go but hopefully something happens in the near future.”
It’ll be interesting to see how this pans out, with the Cavs left with few options to replace Thompson if he decides to skip. Conversely, he has few options, with most teams tying up their salary cap for 2015-16.
There have been no such dramas for the Cavs two nearest chasers, the San Antonio Spurs ($4.50) and Golden State Warriors ($5.50).
Having Gregg Popovic at the helm as your coach is almost enough to make you a contender.
But adding one of the best big men in the league – Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge – to an already star studded line up could prove a master stroke.
Aldridge was a boss in both the post and midrange in Portland and will only benefit from the Spurs system.
He will form a one two punch with rising star Kawhi Leonard.
They love their titles in San Antonio.
Calling Tim Duncan Old Man River sounds almost like blasphemy, but The Big Fundamental is like a fine wine, he’s matured, but got better at his role with age.
No longer capable of dropping those 30-15 games, he is still the glue that keeps this well oiled side together.
Throw in point guard Tony Parker, Argentinean maestro Manu Ginobili, the ridiculous addition of veteran power forward David West to back up Aldridge and a glut of role players who would start on many other teams and you have a recipe for success.
One guy who agrees is Spurs Hall of Fame Centre David Robinson.
“Everyone’s concerned about that transition from Tim to… what,” Robinson said.
“And so having a guy like LaMarcus Aldridge in here, phenomenal player, really meshes well with some of the young guys we have right now and it gives you great confidence that we’ve got the great nucleus that it takes to be successful.
“That being said, we’re in a position to win this year.
“And that’s all you can ask for in a franchise.”
Over in Oakland, it feels like $5.50 is over the odds for the Warriors, who have largely stood pat with one of the deepest and best line ups in the NBA.
The Dubs avoided their own Thompson like situation by locking away do it all talisman Draymond Green.
They did pay over the odds – a cool $85 million – but they kind of had to after the versatile swingman popped out a triple double in the title clinching game six against the Cavs.
Warriors management obviously sees something special in this line up and has done all it can to keep it together.
Green is the heart and soul, but reigning NBA MVP Stephen Curry is the side’s leader, already showing off his confidence in his ridiculous skills by celebrating a three pointer with team mate Andre Iguodala in a pre-season game against the Toronto Raptors – before it had even got to the rim.
Speaking of Iguodala, the former Nuggets’ number one more than vindicated his signing two years ago by winning the finals MVP against the Cavs.
Add to that Curry’s Splash Brother Klay Thompson, the ever improving Harrison Barnes and the news that Aussie centre Andrew Bogut has lost 10kg in the off season and you have a side that is primed to go back to back.
They will have to do it in the early days without sophomore coach Steve Kerr, who is out indefinitely with a back injury.
With the return of former MVP Kevin Durant from injury, the expected improvement again of superstar point guard Russell Westbrook and the big frontline of Enes Kanter and Serge Ibaka in action for the Oklahoman City Thunder, they are the only other team in single figures for the title.
On the individual award front, James leads the way for the MVP, the $4 favourite with Sportsbet.com.au to win his fifth Maurice Podoloff Trophy.
But he is expected to have stiff competition from New Orleans superstar in waiting Anthony Davis.
The Brow is a $5 second favourite and his supreme talents at both ends of the floor have only been curtailed by an inability to actually stay on it, due to injury.
Houston Rockets star James Harden reckons he should have been last year’s MVP ahead of Curry and there were many who agreed.
“I am the best player in the league,” Harden said.
“I believe that. I thought I was last year, too.
“I know I was the MVP.
“That’s 100 percent given all the things that happened last season.
“Credit the Golden State Warriors for an unbelievable year.
“They had an unbelievable team, coaching staff, everything.
“But that award means most valuable to your team.
“We finished second in the West, which nobody thought we were going to do at the beginning of the year even when everybody was healthy.
“We were near the top in having the most injuries.
“We won our division in a division where every single team made the playoffs.
“There’s so many factors.
“I led the league in total points scored, minutes played.
“Like I said, I’m not taking anything away from Steph, but I felt I deserved the Most Valuable Player.”
He is $6, ahead of Curry at $6.50, with Durant at $7.50 the only other player in single figures.
2015-16 NBA title market
Cleveland Cavaliers ($3.75)
San Antonio Spurs ($4.50)
Golden State Warriors ($5.50)
Oklahoma City Thunder ($8.50)
Los Angeles Clippers ($10)
Chicago Bulls ($15)
Houston Rockets ($17)
Washington Wizards ($26)
Atlanta Hawks ($29)
Memphis Grizzlies ($31)
New Orleans Pelicans ($34)
Miami Heat ($34)
Dallas Mavericks ($41)
Indiana Pacers ($41)
Toronto Raptors ($41)
Milwaukee Bucks ($51)
Los Angeles Lakers ($67)
Boston Celtics ($81)
Phoenix Suns ($101)
Portland Trail Blazers ($101)
Utah Jazz ($101)
Brooklyn Nets ($151)
Detroit Pistons ($151)
New York Knicks ($151)
Sacramento Kings ($151)
Charlotte Hornets ($201)
Denver Nuggets ($201)
Minnesota Timberwolves ($251)
Orlando Magic ($251)
Philadelphia 76ers ($351)
Odds provided by Bet365.com.au
2015-16 NBA Most Valuable Player market
LeBron James ($4)
Anthony Davis ($5)
James Harden ($6)
Stephen Curry ($6.50)
Kevin Durant ($7.50)
Russell Westbrook ($12)
Blake Griffin ($15)
LaMarcus Aldridge ($24)
Chris Paul ($24)
Paul George ($24)
John Wall ($51)
Kawhi Leonard ($51)
Derrick Rose ($51)
Carmelo Anthony ($51)
DeMarcus Cousins ($61)
Kyrie Irving ($85)
Dwight Howard ($101)
Marc Gasol ($101)
Jimmy Butler ($101)
Dwyane Wade ($101)
Damian Lillard ($126)
Kevin Love ($151)
DeMar DeRozan ($151)
DeAndre Jordan ($201)
Kobe Bryant ($201)
Kyle Lowry ($501)
Dirk Nowitzki ($501)
Tim Duncan ($501)
Andrew Wiggins ($501)
Al Jefferson ($501)
Odds provided by Sportsbet.com.au