NBA: Season in Review

By: Matt Lau

It seems that this year has become an interesting year for the NBA. Although there was much expectation and hype surrounding the 2007/2008 NBA draft which don’t get me wrong was well deserved considering the caliber and diversity of the players that were entering the league, after almost having one season completed you really only hear about the same 5 or so rookies constantly, not including one of the 2 most hyped rookies that being Greg Oden who is on the injured list: Kevin Durant, Al Horford, and just recently due to the streaks that their teams have had Luis Scola, Thaddeus Young, and Jamario Moon. But I’d have to say that the biggest news or impact that was made in the NBA this year wasn’t so much the draft but more so the off and mid - season trades as well as the improvements that certain teams have made this year. The biggest off-season trade made this year everyone most probably would agree is the restructuring of the Boston Celtics with the acquirement of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen along side of Paul Pierce. Many people were skeptical at the stacking of this team in the east, but at 52-15 it seems that these 3 have found chemistry alongside of role players of Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins to become a dominant force in the East. In addition to that off-season trade the Celtics have also acquired a valuable point guard in Sam Cassell. I’d say the biggest mid-season trade that has become a factor would be Pau Gasol to the Lakers just as Andrew Bynum was forced to sit on the bench. It exciting to see what the Lakers will have to bring to the court once Bynum is healthy again and the Laker lineup becomes Derek Fisher, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, and the fifth is to be determined. I think another big factor this season has definitely got to be the immensely improved New Orleans Hornets as well as the Houston Rockets, with the leadership of Chris Paul and Tracy Mcgrady these teams have become contenders. Sure the Spurs and the Pistons are high caliber teams that have been the standard teams to be for the past several years, but I think the teams mentioned earlier have a revived vitality which has made watching this season exciting again. I can’t wait to see what the post season has to offer. My prediction is that in the end it’s going to be either the New Orleans Hornets or the LA Lakers in the West meeting up with the Boston Celtics in the East for the Finals.


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