Jake Ruderman ’26
Sports Editor
The Beasts of the East
After busy off-seasons for both the Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics, last year’s #1 and #2 seeds are poised for strong seasons once again. After suffering heartbreaking playoff losses last season, both teams shook things up over the summer, with the Bucks trading for superstar Damian Lillard, and the Celtics moving key rotation players for Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. While both teams may struggle with a lack of depth as the season slogs on, their best lineups rival anyone in the league. Should they make it to the playoffs with their key guys healthy, there’s no reason these two juggernauts shouldn’t face-off in the Eastern Conference Finals. That being said, we’ve seen high-seeded teams fail to meet expectations in the past, including last year’s #1 seed Bucks floundering in the first round. It would be foolish to assume that the Conference Finals are locked in, although these two teams stand head and shoulders above the rest.
A Plethora of Rookie Talent
This year’s rookie class looks deeper and deeper as the season approaches, sporting some of the best prospects we’ve seen this century, along with a surprising amount of rotational depth, and multiple international players coming over to the NBA. The majority of the buzz can be attributed to French phenom Victor Wembanyama, who has a chance to be one of the most dominant rookies the league has ever seen. Wembanyama has shown flashes of greatness throughout Summer League and preseason and will look to continue blowing the minds of NBA fans everywhere, as the Spurs harness his innate talent and hone his skillset. Aside from Wembanyama, there are two players who will be handed ‘the car keys’ for their teams: #2 and #3 overall picks Brandon Miller and Scoot Henderson in Charlotte and Portland respectively. Both these young studs will be given the chance to prove themselves on teams that have almost no hope of winning this season. Other than getting acclimated to NBA life, Miller and Henderson will have to balance trying to make an impact now with developing their skill sets and improving team basketball as a whole. There’s also the unique situation where Chet Holmgren, the #2 overall pick from the 2022 NBA draft, will make his rookie debut this season after missing the entirety of last year due to an injury. Holmgren’s unique skill set should mesh well with the Oklahoma City Thunder team around him; he’ll look to make an immediate impact on the defensive end, with time to ‘come into his own’ on the offensive end. Aside from the big-name guys, this rookie class is chock-full of solid role players who will get the chance to make a positive impact on their teams. Players like the Thompson twins, Jared Walsh, Bilal Coulibaly, Jaime Jaquez, Keyontae George, Gradey Dick, Jarace Walker, and Cam Whitmore all look to insert themselves in their teams’ rotations as soon as possible, and to uproot veteran minutes for good. International stars Sasha Vezenkov and Vasilije Micic will also debut as rookies this season, despite being seasoned basketball veterans in their late 20s.
The Depth of the West
While the East has a few juggernauts at the top, it lacks depth in its middle and lower class teams. The West, on the other hand, looks increasingly strong throughout. While it’s certainly true that the reigning champion Denver Nuggets and the Phoenix Suns’ star-studded trio should be favored above the rest, there is no shortage of high-end teams competing for the spots right behind them. The Grizzlies, Lakers, Warriors, Timberwolves, Kings, and Thunder will all be chomping at the bit to cement themselves as firm playoff teams, while the rest of the West fights for positioning on the lower end. Even those teams who are seemingly less poised, like the Pelicans, Mavericks, and Clippers, are serious playoff threats, should they stay healthy — an unusual quality for the potential nine, ten, and eleven seeds. At least on paper, this year’s Western Conference is reminiscent of the ultra-competitive West from the early 2010s, where teams could win 45 games and still miss the playoffs. Regardless of who finishes where, the West is sure to be cutthroat no matter what. –
A Surprise Up-and-Coming Team?
Almost every season, there’s a team that surpasses general expectations and makes the playoffs ‘ahead of schedule’. This team is often comprised of young, unproven players who take a leap and are able to garner some playoff experience before hitting their window as a contender. Last year, it was the Sacramento Kings, who surprised everyone by finishing as the #3 seed and making the playoffs for the first time in 16 years. This year, the jury’s still out as to which team will make the leap, although my best guess is the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder have a surprisingly deep roster behind All-NBA guard Shai Gilgeous Alexander, bolstered by the addition of Chet Holmgren this season. They’re young, fast, and deep, with a bona fide star and a solid head coach — the makings of a potential sleeper team. Although they have to compete in the stacked Western Conference, the Thunder should be able to hold their own this season, playing spoiler to older, more proven teams, with the potential to make some noise in the playoffs.
Featured image courtesy of Pexels Free Photos
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