The baseball season is coming to its conclusion; the NFL season has hit the halfway mark; and the college football season is trying to implement a playoff system as the season is getting towards crunch time. But never fear, a new NBA season is upon us. The San Antonio Spurs shocked everyone by being ageless and easily dispatching the Lebron James-led Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. But while the Spurs are expected to be the favorites to repeat as NBA champions until someone challenges them, the biggest news this offseason was the return of Lebron James to Cleveland which also prompted the Cavaliers to trade their number one draft pick to Minnesota for Kevin Love, thus making them the favorites to dominate the Eastern Conference. But does that imporve their chances of winning an NBA title? Let's examine.

San Antonio Spurs - The Spurs looked like an ageless lineup last season as they easily went through the very competitive Western Conference with their big three players, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili all being healthy for most of the season plus getting huge contributions from Kawhi Leonard, Gary Neal, and Tiago Splitter. They are the favorites to repeat as NBA champions as long as they remain healthy, and NBA Coach of the Year Gregg Popovich will do his best to keep them that way.

Cleveland Cavaliers - After breaking the hearts of the city of Cleveland when he made his "decision" to relocate to Miami in the summer of 2010, Lebron James now returns to the team he started with to win hearts back as well as another NBA championship. He now has the help of gifted power forward Kevin Love and talented point guard and former NBA Rookie of the Year Kyrie Irving. They're the prohibitive favorites to advance to the NBA Finals from the Eastern Conference, and only a couple of teams could challenge them.

Oklahoma City Thunder - The Thunder was poised to give the biggest challenge to the San Antonio Spurs in the west, but Kevin Durant fractured the bone in his foot in the preseason and is now lost to them for about the first six weeks of the season. While this probably isn't a devastating injury, it could affect their seeding in the very competitive Western Conference and give them a possibly tough second round matchup.

Los Angeles Clippers - After surviving the drama of their bigoted previous owner and getting new ownership, the Clippers look to become the other team to challenge the Spurs and Thunder in the Western Conference. Chris Paul is still one of the best point guards in the game, and Blake Griffin is becoming a superstar. But do they have enough weapons to launch themselves into title contention?

Golden State Warriors - The Warriors had a blazing regular season thanks to the great play of Stephen Curry and Harrion Barnes but lost in the first round to a great LA Clippers squad. They are favored to make another return to the playoffs, but can they break out of a crowded Western Conference field?

Portland Trail Blazers - The Blazers shocked the favored Houston Rockets in the first round of the NBA Playoffs last year thanks to the spirited play of Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge. They're another one of the rising teams in the west, but can they break out of the pack and challenge for a title run?

Chicago Bulls - The Bulls again lost Derrick Rose for the remainder of last season as he injured his other knee. However, he was healthy enough to play on the USA Basketball team as they cruised to a victory in the FIBA Basketball World Cup. They also made moves to acquire Pau Gasol as a free agent and draft pick Doug McDermott via trade to bolster their offense. They were carried into the playoffs last season due to the inspired play of Joakim Noah, and he is expected along with a healthy Derrick Rose to be the main competitors to the Cavaliers in the East. But the other potential threat to the Cavs in the east may be the team who dispatched the Bulls in the first round of the NBA Playoffs last season....

Washington Wizards - After being an afterhought for so many years, the Wizards finally made the playoffs after a long drought and actually looked great against the Bulls and played competitively against the Heat in the second round. They are led once again by their talented back court John Wall and Bradley Beal, and they added Paul Pierce in the offseason. But do they have enough depth off the bench to challenge the Cavs?

Miami Heat - The big three is now just the big two of Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. But Lebron is gone, and Wade is getting old. He looked very old in the NBA Finals last season, and it's not a guarantee he has the stamina to carry the Heat far into the playoffs this year. Can Luol Deng give them any help?

Indiana Pacers - The Pacers got devastating news when their star small forward Paul George went down with a gruesome leg injury in an exhibition game prior to the FIBA Basketball World Cup and was immediately lost for this season and possibly beyond. In addition they also lost Lance Stephenson to free agency to Charlotte. Stephenson could be a troublemaker at times but was also their best offensive threat after Paul George. Do they have enough remaining pieces to make a title run?

Toronto Raptors - The Raptors got the attention of their home nation last season as they made the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. They had an amazing seven game series that ended on a huge block by Paul Pierce. But they are still led by Kyle Lowry, and they managed to sign DeMar DeRozan to a long term contract in the offseason. They may be one of the rising teams under the radar.

Charlotte Hornets - The Bobcats are dead, and the Hornets are now back in Charlotte. Charlotte made the playoffs last season and added Lance Stephenson in the offseason. But will this help them advance in the playoffs?

[Edited 10/28/14 19:54pm]

All things being equal, in a stacked Western Conference, I say the Spurs are poised to repeat. It is the only thing the franchise has not yet done.

The main reason I don't think the Eastern Conference will produce the champion is because the major contenders are facing adjustments. The Cavs need time to build chemistry, and the Bulls have to deal with Rose coming off injury (again) and integrating Gasol into the offense.

The Warriors are about a year or so away. The Clips have a chance to break through.

namepeace said:

All things being equal, in a stacked Western Conference, I say the Spurs are poised to repeat. It is the only thing the franchise has not yet done.

The main reason I don't think the Eastern Conference will produce the champion is because the major contenders are facing adjustments. The Cavs need time to build chemistry, and the Bulls have to deal with Rose coming off injury (again) and integrating Gasol into the offense.

The Warriors are about a year or so away. The Clips have a chance to break through.

Spurs repeat? I'd take that Bet. The Spurs are old and have never repeated.

That said, it is time 4 the Clippers 2 put up or shut up.

Graycap23 said:

namepeace said:

All things being equal, in a stacked Western Conference, I say the Spurs are poised to repeat. It is the only thing the franchise has not yet done.

The main reason I don't think the Eastern Conference will produce the champion is because the major contenders are facing adjustments. The Cavs need time to build chemistry, and the Bulls have to deal with Rose coming off injury (again) and integrating Gasol into the offense.

The Warriors are about a year or so away. The Clips have a chance to break through.

Spurs repeat? I'd take that Bet. The Spurs are old and have never repeated.

That said, it is time 4 the Clippers 2 put up or shut up.

Yup.

But Durant is hurt, and even if he returns, the Thunder will have to overcome HCA in at least 2 rounds. The Clips, Warriors and Blazers are unproven beyond mid-May, and the Grizz don't have enough. Their biggest threat may be the Mavs, who are old, too.

This is gonna be another LONG season for my Sixers, tanking once again.

My team, the Bulls still won't end up in the Finals.

They will win a lot of regular season games and get crushed in the playoffs.............yet again.

Abdul said:

This is gonna be another LONG season for my Sixers, tanking once again.

The one thing I don't understand about their strategy is this --

If all these lottery picks they're stockpiling turn out to be All-Stars, how in the world will they pay them all in a few years? Some teams have done it, I guess.

Graycap23 said:

My team, the Bulls still won't end up in the Finals.

They will win a lot of regular season games and get crushed in the playoffs.............yet again.

I'm not sure. I think they can. If Rose stays healthy. Their problem has been they have had no scorer who can get his own shots down the stretch. Rose can, and so can Gasol. And if they can convince Ray Allen to sign with them over Cleveland, watch out.

namepeace said:

Graycap23 said:

My team, the Bulls still won't end up in the Finals.

They will win a lot of regular season games and get crushed in the playoffs.............yet again.

I'm not sure. I think they can. If Rose stays healthy. Their problem has been they have had no scorer who can get his own shots down the stretch. Rose can, and so can Gasol. And if they can convince Ray Allen to sign with them over Cleveland, watch out.

If they get Allen, that changes everything.

namepeace said:

Abdul said:

This is gonna be another LONG season for my Sixers, tanking once again.

The one thing I don't understand about their strategy is this --

If all these lottery picks they're stockpiling turn out to be All-Stars, how in the world will they pay them all in a few years? Some teams have done it, I guess.

I honestly don't think they've thought that far ahead, which is why me and a lot of Sixer fans don't like this strategy at all.

I get why it's being done, they don't want to be 7th or 8th in the East every year, drafting at the back end of the first round, but I think that if your scouts are top notch(HELLO SPURS! LOL!) they can get quality players regardless where they draft them or pick them up in free agency.

We'll see in three years if it works, till then I'm paying more attention to the other teams in the league.

Holy crap! My Bulls beat the living crap out of the New York Knicks last night, yet they turn around and spoil Lebron James' huge homecoming, winning by five tonight. Then again the Cavs didn't look all that great, and Lebron turned the ball over too many times. Maybe they got caught up too emotionally with the big return and came out flat. Or maybe they're not quite up to par yet. We'll see tomorrow when they play my Bulls.

Abdul said:

namepeace said:

The one thing I don't understand about their strategy is this --

If all these lottery picks they're stockpiling turn out to be All-Stars, how in the world will they pay them all in a few years? Some teams have done it, I guess.

I honestly don't think they've thought that far ahead, which is why me and a lot of Sixer fans don't like this strategy at all.

I get why it's being done, they don't want to be 7th or 8th in the East every year, drafting at the back end of the first round, but I think that if your scouts are top notch(HELLO SPURS! LOL!) they can get quality players regardless where they draft them or pick them up in free agency.

We'll see in three years if it works, till then I'm paying more attention to the other teams in the league.

Yes another long season and one in which we have to watch another draftee sit out the

season. Joel Embiid. Trying my best to be patient. Can this team even be entertaining as

MCW rehabilitates his shoulder. Interested to see if Noel can develop into a solid player.