Best rivalries heading into the season

[Dre]

I'm watching this Heat-Pacers flashback on nbaTV like I can't wait 'til these two get back together, I hope they play in the playoffs.

Heat-Celtics is going to be more intense with Ray crossing over to the other side...NY-MIA is a baby rivalry too. NY-Brooklyn should be interesting

I pretty much see the trend of the best rivalries in the East being about dethroning the Heat.

Out West it's less clear. The best rivalries of the past Mavs-Spurs, Lakers-Spurs are still there. They'll be good for one offs and maybe a good series but they lose value as they're no longer conference defining rivalries.

I think things are pointing towards the Lakers-Thunder as they're on a WCF collision course. Clippers-Lakers might get better with the Clippers improvement, Grizzlies-Thunder is a fun matchup too. I think they're kind of lacking on the drama, there's just a bunch of very good teams that play each other well out west, I don't think outside of Lakers-Thunder there's anything a team is circling on their calendar.

[doctordrizzay]

Pretty much Heat vs Pacers, Celtics, NY, Thunder, and Lakers

Those are all rivalries.

Lakers vs Thunder or Heat will be the most intriguing because of the new look Lakers.

Big rivalries I think that will develop during the year.

Pacers vs Celtics.

[Floods]

Celtics-Heat
Heat-Pacers
Lakers-Thunder
Lakers-Clippers

[Knick Killer]

Pacers-Bulls is always a fun match up to watch. Those teams do not like eachother one bit.

[Dre]

Damn forgot about the Bulls.

[BobStackhouse42]

I'm more excited about Brooklyn vs New York than any of those others.

[Jamel Irief]

The first two Laker-Clipper games were the best non-playoff games I watched all of last year.

[e-monk]

Originally Posted by Jamel Irief

The first two Laker-Clipper games were the best non-playoff games I watched all of last year.

yeah but I still feel bad for the Clips because every time they do something a little good, a little outside their DNA the Lakers just shift gears and do something even better

[Luke]

Originally Posted by Jamel Irief

The first two Laker-Clipper games were the best non-playoff games I watched all of last year.

I could see it.

[XxIrvingxX]

Originally Posted by e-monk

yeah but I still feel bad for the Clips because every time they do something a little good, a little outside their DNA the Lakers just shift gears and do something even better

A little good?? I would say getting Chris Paul was a very good thing that they did.

But yea, the Lakers responded well by getting Howard, Nash and Jaminson this year.

[Dee-Zy]

If (and a big IF) Mavs make it to the finals against Heat, that could really be legs for a legitimate rivalry.

I'm hoping to see more rivalries come out in the West, I agree that although they are very good teams, it lacks the drama to make them rivalries.

[Marcus13]

MIA - BOS will lead the way
MIA - LAL is in second
OKC - LAL should be interesting

[GrandKenyon6]

Knicks Nets

[XxIrvingxX]

Originally Posted by Dee-Zy

If (and a big IF) Mavs make it to the finals against Heat, that could really be legs for a legitimate rivalry.

I'm hoping to see more rivalries come out in the West, I agree that although they are very good teams, it lacks the drama to make them rivalries.

There's absolutely no possible way the Mavs are making it to the finals, hell I'll go as far as saying that they might not even make the playoffs. The Mavs got swept by the Thunder last year and this is a young team that continues to improve with age that already made it to the finals last year. The Lakers starting line up is stacked, and they've got some good players coming off the bench as well.

Above all of this, the Mavs aren't the team they were when they upsetted (well, I wouldn't call it an upset, people were underrating the Mavs horribly) the Miami Heat two years ago. Tyson Chandler, Jason Terry, and Jason Kidd are all gone, and so are a couple other key players, Dirk while still being an effective player is continuing to age as is Marion, they sure as hell are not going to the finals. It isn't happening.

[e-monk]

Originally Posted by XxIrvingxX

A little good?? I would say getting Chris Paul was a very good thing that they did.

with a little help from you-know-who and yet despite landing Paul and Stern's gut punch FU to the Lakers franchise last december they still lost the season series to the Lakers

But yea, the Lakers responded well by getting Howard, Nash and Jaminson this year.

it's like big brother/little brother in LA