(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
West vs. East: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers; Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James.
24 vs. 23:
That is 'The Great Debate' that has erupted into a full blown volcano during last season. There were numerous commercials made, the more popular ones featuring puppets of Kobe and LeBron.
The much commercialized collision course between Kobe and LeBron did not happen last season due to the Cavaliers falling short against the resilient Magic, but next season might tell a different tale because of a few twists to the story.
A New Cavalier Has Joined The King.
The one and only Shaquille O'Neal ,is again situated in the Eastern Conference, teaming up with James. Shaq's motto for next season is simple: "Win a Ring for the King."
Easier said than done.
Shaq has been fortunate to have superstars the caliber of Kobe and Dwayne Wade on his team and with LeBron, he just might be the guy to help him get to the Finals in the 2009-2010 season.
The downside with the move is that Shaq is not as spry as he used to be. He is an aging 37-year-old whose dominance is slipping away as the days go by.
The Eccentric Artest in Purple and Gold.
I'm sure everyone here at Bleacher Report knows about this move. Numerous articles have been written about this during the last few days, I've written one myself.
To tell you the truth, I never expected Artest to go to the Los Angeles Lakers, but after teaming up with Kobe, this duo has the potential to be the best backcourt defense in the NBA.
Artest was the Defensive Player of the Year, for the 2004 season. Kobe Bryant is no sissy himself. He has been in the NBA All-Defensive team a tremendous seven times.
The lesser side with this excellent move is that they ended up losing Trevor Ariza, the rising star of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Ariza was a major component to the Laker championship run. He made big three's when it was needed, and made key steals down the stretch that decided the winner of the game.
All in All:
I'm expecting more action towards next season. I can't wait to see the great duals between LeBron/Shaq vs. Kobe/Artest. Oh, I hope they bring back the puppets!
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