We are just over a week away from the start of the new NBA season and the defending champions, the Boston Celtics, are once again the favourites to win the title. It will be a bit complicated because since 2018, when the Golden State Warriors did it with Kevin Durant, there has not been a back-to-back champion in the NBA and the league has had six different champions since then (Raptors, Lakers, Bucks, Warriors, Nuggets, Celtics), which shows the parity in the league, plus none of the aforementioned teams have even managed to reach the Finals. As a fan, I hope this trend continues to prove that the NBA is the most even and competitive league in the world.
Heated preseason match in New York
Even though we are in the preseason, the heat and intensity of the regular season is already being felt, as was the case at the New York Knicks-Minnesota Timberwolves game. Players and coaches were shaking hands and hugging after the Knicks’ 115-110 victory, but Donte Divincenzo, a former New York Knicks player who was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves along with Julius Randle for Karl-Anthony Towns just a few weeks ago, spent much of the game arguing, joking and letting the Knicks bench know they were wrong to send him to another team. But the most tense moment came at the end of the game when Rick Brunson, assistant coach and father of Knicks star Jalen Brunson, and DiVincenzo came face-to-face and had to be separated by the players, seeing the heat that a preseason game generates, if that’s the way we’re going, let the season begin.
Despite the issue, Donte and Jalen Brunson are great friends, in fact DiVincenzo was Jalen’s best man at his wedding, and Donte said he had no problem and would talk to Brunson’s father later. It was a simple moment of fervor, as Donte must be very upset that he was not part of the “Nova Knicks” that had been formed. The Knicks offseason had begun with the acquisition of Mikal Bridges to the team, bringing together Villanova University teammates Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo and Mikal Bridges, but DiVincenzo, a key member of last season’s Knicks team, who broke the franchise record for 3-pointers in a season and helped the team finish second in the conference, was sacrificed to improve the team with the acquisition of Karl-Anthony Towns.
NBA season on the horizon
System-wise, the trade seemed like a win-win for both teams, maybe a little more of a “win” for the Knicks who added the best three-point shooting big man in the league in Towns, but the season itself and time will tell who came out better from this trade. The preseason ends on Friday, but the Timberwolves and Knicks are two of the four teams that will play on October 22nd on the opening night of the season. First, the Knicks will play the defending champs in Boston, and when that game is over, the Timberwolves will visit the Los Angeles Lakers and Lebron James in what promises to be a very entertaining game and the NBA debut of Bronny James.