Who Can Beat the Warriors?
No one, but there will still be some big surprises this season
By D Thomas Shaffer
Chieftain Staff
The 2017 NBA offseason was probably
the fi rst time an offseason was more ex-
citing than the previous regular season.
This is because a multitude of stars went
to new teams, in hopes of somehow de-
feating the Golden State Warriors.
The most exciting offseason transac-
tion came at the end of the summer,
when Cleveland superstar Kyrie Irving
got traded to the Boston Celtics, join-
ing another
newly ac-
quired Celtic,
former Jazz
star Gordon
Hayward,
and making
the Celtics a force to be reckoned with in
the East.
Superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo hopes to turn some heads this season
Oklahoma City made some noise in the
offseason, adding superstar Paul George
wolves, etc.), taking away the importance
Fultz. With Ben Simmons, who didn’t
(former Pacer) and ex-scoring champion
of individual stats. Considering these fac-
play a game last season due to a leg in-
and 10-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony
jury, Fultz, and Joel Embiid, the future is tors, I see “the Greek Freak” leading the
(Knicks), giving them a strong chance to
Bucks to the playoffs this year, and doing
looking very bright in Philly.
compete with the Warriors in the West.
so with unmatched individual success.
Now, to continue tradition, here are
However, free agency was not the only
Most Improved Player: Myles Turner.
some predictions for the season:
exciting part of the 2017 offseason.
With the departure of George, the Pac-
NBA Champions: Not to hop on the
The 2017 draft was one of the most
ers need leadership, and Turner has that
bandwagon, but I don’t see the Warriors
exciting of
leader mentality and capability. It won’t
losing any
all time, fi r-
be long before Turner is an All-Star and
time soon.
ing up NBA
Even teams one of the best big men in the league.
fans all over
Rookie of the Year: Lonzo Ball. Again,
that tried to
the globe.
form a “su- not to hop on the bandwagon, but Ball
Despite all
has shown his innate ability to pass the
per team”
the attention,
ball at the college level and in the sum-
in the
Lonzo Ball
mer league and, despite his notoriously
offseason
made some
don’t have unorthodox jumper, the kid can knock
noise for the
the experi- down 3s with the best of them. Ball will
Lakers in
ence or the be an impact player from the very begin-
the summer
ning and gives Lakers fans a reason to be
talent to
league, av-
take down excited about the future.
eraging 16.3
the War-
New Laker Lonzo Ball comes in with a lot of hype
points per
riors, who
game and leading all players in assists.
have a starting fi ve that is unmatched .
Lonzo showed a lot of promise in the
Most Valuable Player: Giannis An-
summer and, although it’s just the sum-
tetokounmpo has the best shot at the
Champs: Golden State Warriors
mer league, it looks like that performance award this year. This is highly debatable,
will carry over into the regular season
of course, but consider the very promis-
MVP: Giannis Antetokounmpo
and for many years to come.
ing future of the Bucks and the initiatives
Most Improved: Myles Turner
The 76ers also brought the heat, trad-
that other teams took to form super teams
Rookie of the Year: Lonzo Ball
ing up for the No. 1 pick to take Markelle (Thunder, Rockets, Warriors, Timber-
PREVIEW
Predictions
for 2017-18
B R OTHE R R IC E H IG H S C H O O L C H I E F TA I N
P AGE 7
O C T O B E R 2017