Over the past few years the NBA might as well have stood for the National Bore-Me-To-Death Association.
With the league making transitions from the revolutionary Bird/Magic rivalry to the Jordan dominance to the Iverson/Shaq-era to a more defense-friendly style of basketball that not only allowed the Spurs and Pistons to become dynasties throughout the last decade, but (honestly) also bored fans half to hell. (Yes, Duncan is great, but boring.)
But now it seems those baby-faced draft picks from the last decade ago are ready to step up, take the NBA reins and drive into its next dimension of existence: the one I like to call the “High Power Era.”
LeBron, Wade, ‘Melo, Rose, Howard, Bosh, Stoudemire, CP3, D-Will and the Durantula (a nickname I have condemned but come to accept). All names basketball fans have heard millions of times in the past few years. The talent level of this new era might be on a similar level than those of the past, but the storylines and the method of play separate this new generation of NBA superstars from their predecessors.
Just for fun, let’s take a look at a few of the top story lines that will highlight the NBA for the next decade and a half.
LeBron James, D-Wade and the villain Miami Heat
Yes, we know. The Heat are losing. Everybody hates LeBron now and loves to root against him (See: NWO in the ’90s). Say what you will, LBJ is still the best player in the NBA and will be a top-five all-time player when it is all said and done. This is just another chapter in his legacy.
LeBron took the road less taken, but this road will lead him and D-Wade to multiple championships, setting up a rivalry that will divide NBA fans in half — the Miami Heat vs. everyone else.
They might not be championship caliber this year, but wait until they find a way to incorporate Chris Bosh’s pure ability to….. well I’m sure there is at least one thing he can add to this team? Nothing? He can’t shoot? Not even a 5-footer? He can’t even rebound?
Well I guess it’s down to the Big 2.
Where will Kobe, Nowitzki, Nash, Duncan, Garnett and Pierce finish in history?
NBA superstars seem to age overnight and lose a majority of their freak athletic ability that made them a star in the first place. However, lately a group of stars have continued to play at the same level, even in their waning years.
We all know Kobe will go down as top 10 all time when is all said and done. But what about Duncan if he gets another title? What if Nowitzki and Nash are either able to get their first? What if Pierce and Garnett lead the Celtics to their third title appearance in four years?
These stars might be aging but they still have the drive and talent to take their teams to the championship level.
All Star Teams: Good Idea or Bad Idea?
Yes, we all know the backlash from “The Decision” fiasco. And yes, we all know how annoyed we were with the ‘Melo drama this year.
Barring a lockout, though, a few big name free agents are expected to test the open market with championship caliber teams intently interested in signing two or three big name superstars. Dwight Howard, Chris Paul and Deron Williams (who hasn’t signed an extension with the Nets) just to name a few.
A couple years from now, there could be five or six NBA teams with at least a couple superstars playing for the title (Heat, Lakers, Bulls, Thunder, Knicks).
The Oklahoma City Thunder will be the most exciting team in the world just a year from now.
With all of the talk about playing for big media market cities, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka and company will lead an NBA team in the middle of Oklahoma to a level Karl Malone and John Stockton could not even get to in Salt Lake City.
The abundance of young talent and determination should vault the Thunder to the top ranks in the NBA by next season and could lead to what some might call one of the greatest rivalries of all time: the villain Heat, led by LeBron James, facing the hard-working, silent-but-deadly Oklahoma City Thunder, led by Kevin Durant.
Assumptions and predictions can be fun, but they do not always pan out (See: Tracy McGrady, Greg Oden, Michael Jordan being a legendary GM). But one thing is almost certain in the National Basketball Association right now: intensity, power, talent and athleticism will reign over the next decade and inevitably lead to some of the greatest playoff matches this generation hasn’t seen since Bird, Magic and Jordan.
Final Thought
Three words to sum up what might be one of the biggest NBA signings in history: Blake Griffin, 2014, Oklahoma City.
Just remember you heard it here first when the goliath known as Blake helps KD, Russ-West and the Oklahoma City Thunder to multiple NBA titles.