The month of October is a special time of year for avid sports fans. Major League Baseball is drawing to its conclusion as Boston and St. Louis face off in the World Series, The National Football League is in full swing, hitting its halfway point of the season, and the National Hockey League is in its first month. Soon the National Basketball Association will be added to the list.
The NBA kicks off its season on Oct. 29 and there is tremendous buzz in the tri-state area. For starters, the Brooklyn Nets are entering their second season with a new-look lethal squad. The Nets added valuable veteran experience with two future Hall of Famers, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. Garnett and Pierce were part of a blockbuster trade with the Boston Celtics on July 12, which sent the two superstars and experienced veteran Jason Terry to the Nets for five players and three future draft picks. Each of the new Nets has won a championship, a fact that is huge for the new contenders.
"I think they have one of the biggest chances to win it all this year," said Ramapo sophomore Stephen Cruz. "Obviously the Heat are the team to beat but the Nets give them a run for their money."
In addition, Brooklyn added sharpshooting veteran Andrei Kirilenko to the mix to compliment Swingman Joe Johnson and Deron Williams running the floor. Not to mention the Nets also announced that their new head coach is recent retiree and future Hall of Famer Jason Kidd, a New Jersey Nets great.
With all of this happening in Brooklyn, the biggest question on the lips of the average New York sports fan is, what team runs New York?
"This will always be the Knicks' territory. Until Brooklyn can win a championship, New York will always belong to the Knicks," said Ramapo junior Justin Curet.
While fans duke it out to claim their team's superiority, the two squads will finally meet on Dec. 5 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Besides the rivalry in New York, excitement is brewing in the Windy City as a superstar is returning to the court. No it may not be Michael Jordan, but Derrick Rose, former MVP, will be back on the court for the Chicago Bulls after 17 months of rehab from a torn ACL.
The injury-prone Rose has massive star power for not only his franchise, but in the entire league, becoming an icon in the basketball world. The stage could not get any bigger on opening night, playing the back-to-back champion Miami Heat in Miami.
Then there is, of course, the comeback of one of the greatest of all-time, Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers. The sports world was devastated as Bryant tore his Achilles at the end of last season, with many believing it could be the last time he ever played. The 35-year-old star still has no exact timetable for his return, however he was quoted in saying that if this were the playoffs, he could "probably" play, according to Bleacherreport.com.
The NBA season is drawing near with so many storylines that could surpass the excitement of any other sport. While the battle for New York takes place and Dwight Howard attempts to prove his maturity, the 2013-2014 NBA season is guaranteed to be an exciting one.
mgill@ramapo.edu
