Long time no see, NBA! Welcome back!

On the night between Tuesday and Wednesday, the clash in Oklahoma between the ruling NBA champions Thunder and the Houston Rockets (02.30) will kick off the new jubilee 80th campaign in the best basketball league in the world. Two and a half hours later, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors will lock horns in an NBA classic and complete the first-day programme.

Hence, Mozzart Sport Kenya provides a brief overview of what to expect in the upcoming six months of the regular season before the playoff battles begin.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Same old, same old with the ruling champs

After winning their maiden NBA title last season, the Oklahoma City Thunder are aiming for another one, especially since they have made almost no roster changes.

The current MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, will again lead Mark Daigneault's crew, while his "sidekicks" will still be Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren. The defensive work will be in Luguentz Dort and Alex Caruso's hands, and Isaiah Joe and Cason Wallace will be in charge of points from the bench.

NBA mismatch: Absurd! Games played: 0, titles won: 1?!

The ex-New York Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstain will provide the team with additional depth in the paint, while Nikola Topic - who missed the entire past season due to an ACL injury - could be a valuable asset, as he was 12th overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft.

OKC's rivals: Lakers, Rockets, T-Wolves, Nuggets...

Apart from LeBron James and Luka Doncic's LA Lakers and Kevin Durant's new team, the Houston Rockets - of whom we'll talk further below - the Thunder's primary rivals for the NBA Championship ring will be the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets.

The T-Wolves and Anthony Edwards - who have lost two consecutive Western Conference Finals in the past two seasons - will undoubtedly consider taking an additional step forward and "attacking" the title.

The popular Ant's main helpers, Naz Reid and Julius Randle, both extended their deals with the franchise and are definitely eager to give their best. The super-experienced point guard Mike Conley and the powerful center Rudy Gobert will continue adding a special dimension to the T-Wolves roster.

On the other hand, arguably the best player in the world at the moment, Nikola Jokic, and his Denver Nuggets will certainly breathe down Oklahoma's neck. Apart from the Serb's crew's old members, Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray, David Adelman's team is reinforced with some decent NBA names like Cameron Johnson, Tim Hardaway Jr, and Jonas Valanciunas.

Furthermore, Bruce Brown, one of the key players in the Nuggets' 2023 championship season, is back after stints with the Indiana Pacers, Toronto Raptors, and New Orleans Pelicans, which can only further enhance Denver's chances.

Durantula's new attempt to create a legacy

Kevin Durant will forever be remembered as one of the greatest scorers the NBA league has ever seen. However, the fact that he won his only two rings with the Golden State Warriors' superteam will always be a "stain" on his career.

After all, he left the Thunder in pursuit of trophies and that "greed" brought him the infamous nickname - "Snake." Nevertheless, after trying to repeat the Warriors' success with the Nets and the Suns' extraordinary teams (alongside Kyrie Irving and James Harden in Brooklyn and Devin Booker and Bradley Beal in Phoenix), he now turned to the young Houston's team, full of talented prospects, to which he should contribute with his immense experience and scoring capabilities.

NBA earthquake: Durantula traded to the Rockets!

A team with the popular Durantula, the talented Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr, the powerful Steven Adams and Clint Capela, and the "Baby Jokic" Alperen Sengun has to be among the firmest favourites for a triumph in the Western Conference.

The Old, the Chubby, but still the Mighty

The Los Angeles Lakers can never be left out of the group of favourites for the title, regardless of their roster. However, this season, they seem to have gathered some quality on the team. LeBron James is still there, ready to stun the world with what he's capable of at the age of almost 41.

Luka Doncic will again be LBJ's co-star, though the Slovenian allegedly returned to the NBA action weighing 110 kg, even though just two months ago, ahead of the European Championship he was reportedly 20 kg lighter?!

Yet, despite being "old" and "chubby," the two are pure class, while their teammates like Deandre Ayton, Dalton Knecht, Austin Reaves, and Marcus Smart are supposed to provide additional help and move the LA crew to a higher level.

Who can make a step forward?

This is primarily expected from the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans - teams led by two #1 overall picks, Victor Wembanyama and Zion Williamson, respectively.

The former recovered from a blood clot and is ready to play with the ex-Sacramento Kings man, De'Aaron Fox, being his primary sidekick. Of course, players like Jeremy Sochan, Devin Vassell, Julian Champagnie, and the "old hand" Harrison Barnes shouldn't be neglected.

On the other hand, the "leanest-ever" Zion and the Pelicans' proven scorers Jordan Poole and Dejounte Murray could finally make a step forward and reach at least the playoff semi-finals.

Mavericks' new chapter

Luka Doncic is gone from Dallas, but the latest #1 overall pick, Cooper Flagg, is there. Despite having minimal chances to snatch the first pick, the Mavs were immensely lucky, so the new chapter in their book can start.

Doncic 2.0 and Mavericks' last hope: Dallas choose Cooper Flagg as 1st pick in NBA Draft

However, Flagg is only one arrow in the Mavs' quiver, as the team with Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, D'Angelo Russell, and P.J. Washington seems really promising. If they remain healthy - yes, AD, we're looking at you - and smart - this goes for the "quirky" Kyrie - the Mavs could definitely enter the title race with high chances.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Boston vs Cleveland - New chapter

The Celtics and the Cavs are arguably the two strongest teams in the Eastern Conference, so it won't be a wonder if they faced each other in the Conference Finals.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will once again be among the league's most lethal duos and Boston's main hope for a good result. On the other hand, the Cavs' team basketball with Donovan Mitchell, De'Andre Hunter, Darius Garland, and Jarrett Allen can hardly disappoint.

The ever-present danger: Indiana, New York, Miami...

Each of the three aforementioned crews could put a dent in the Celtics and Cavs' title aspirations without a hitch.

The Pacers stunned everyone last season, and now enter the new campaign as one of the favourites. Whether Rick Carlisle's men can cope with that role, remains to be seen.

Tom Thibodeau's era in Madison Square Garden is over, and Mike Brown's is set to begin. The team's core is still there, as Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges will be the Knicks' main power. Is it enough for success? We'll see.

Finally, Eric Spoelstra and Miami cannot be underestimated, especially after the arrivals of Andrew Wiggins and Norman Powell. Jimmy Butler left and joined the Warriors, though Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo are there, ready to shoulder the burden.

Detroit and Orlando: Rise and talent

After being at the bottom of the Eastern Conference for years (this especially applies to the Michigan franchise), the Pistons and the Magic are there to spoil the giants' plans.

Orlando's Paolo Banchero and the Wagner brothers (Franz and Moritz) will undoubtedly be nightmares for the rivals, while the Pistons last season reached the playoffs for the first time since 2019 - all thanks to the coach J.B. Bickerstaff.

His main powers will be - like the last season - Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, Ausar Thompson, Isaiah Stewart, and the rest of the young crew. The eventual inexperience could represent a stumbling block for them, but the last campaign showed them what they are capable of doing. Now, they have to keep pushing forward.

What's with Embiid and the 76ers?

From being title contenders for years, the Philadelphia 76ers reached the point where they'll barely fight for the playoffs. Yes, Joel Embiid and Paul George are there, but the center of Cameroonian descent is as injury-prone as it gets, while PG also has a vast injury history.

Their roster itself seems full of experience - after all, there are Eric Gordon, Andre Drummond, and Kyle Lowry - but Philly's main hope will be Tyrese Maxey, as Embiid seems to no longer be a leader.

Perhaps something will change in Nick Nurse's team under Maxey's command, but it would, frankly speaking, be a surprise to see the 76ers in the Conference Finals.

Giannis and Bros

The same that goes for Philadelphia, goes for Milwaukee, as the Bucks look more like a shelter for the Antetokounmpo brothers, than like a franchise ready to fight for the title.

Apart from Giannis and his bros, Thanasis and Alex, the Wisconsin franchise will put all its hopes into the newcomers from Indiana and Orlando, Myles Turner and Cole Anthony, as well as Kyle Kuzma, who last played for Washington. Not too promising, isn't it?

NBA 'nepo babies' #1 - the Antetokounmpos

Hopefully, we'll enjoy another exciting NBA season full of turnarounds and extraordinary moves. It's hard to say who'll triumph in the end, but that's the main charm of the best basketball league in the world.

Welcome back, NBA!

NBA LEAGUE

Wednesday

02.30: (1.40) Oklahoma (16.0) Houston (3.40)

05.00: (2.25) La Lakers (15.0) Golden State (1.80)

***odds are subject to change***