Who's Got Next

By: Javier Linares

Did you know that the NBA was the forth most watched sport in the U.S.A in 2014? At Northwest Middle School, basketball is very popular. All four teams finished in first place in their league, with the 8^th Grade Lady Tigers and 7^th grade boys finishing undefeated at 8-0, while the 7^th grade girls finished undefeated with seven wins and one tie, and the 8^th grade boys had only one loss but dominated every other team. With the NBA playoffs in full swing here is Northwest Middle School’s opinion on the best teams in the NBA.

There are different opinions on the best basketball team. Some say Lakers others say Heat. Some go back and they remember the old school greats. “Chicago Bulls because of Michael Jordan” said Mr. Collins teacher and coach.

Every team has a rival that they want to beat every time. When one fan of one team says that they hate the other team, that’s where it all begins. “The Cav’s and the Lakers [are my favorite teams] said, Torry Moore 7^th grade basketball player. “Kobe is good and they have big men that can post up and get rebounds off the glass”.

To guess who will win the NBA playoffs, you must know a lot about the teams and players. Some players might get it right because they are big fans of the NBA, like some kids at Northwest. “ I think the Thunder and Lakers will be in the playoffs,” said Dominic Lee basketball player and student. Although the Thunder were close to making the playoffs the Lakers didn’t have a chance.

The NBA finals are the most exciting part of the season. It’s even more exciting if you correctly guessed who would win it all “I think there are about 10 teams that have a legitimate shot at taking the title. However, I think until someone proves otherwise the favorite has to be the reigning champion San Antonio Spurs. They are the best playoff team in the last 15 years” said Mr. Roush teacher and coach.

There are a few players in different teams that people believe are the best. From KD to king James, there are a lot more talented players in NBA. Joe Garrett 8^th grader and basketball player likes Stephen Curry and Dramond green of the Golden State Warriors. “They work really hard to push their team forward and always give their best talent,” he said.

The biggest reason the Heat missed the playoffs is because LeBron went back to Cleveland. LeBron left Heat to go home and try to lead the Cav’s to a title. Sometimes players leave because the other team has better players. Then sometimes coaches bring players in because of what the fans want. When talking about OKC Mr. Roush said, “I think they made a good move bringing in Enes Kantor, I would love to see them bring in Jamal Crawford as a 6^th man.”

Some people have hope that every season their favorite team is going to win the finals. Sometimes it happens if the team is good enough. But some fans won’t let go of the past and think that the old school players could still win it all. Mr. Collins was a Bulls fan back in the day and believes that Jordan and Pippen are two of the greatest of all time. ”They are both retired now, but I think they would have won 10 [titles] if they didn’t.” Mr. Collins said.

Most fans might like how other players play. Like Heat, fans might still like LeBron after he left. A Cavaliers fan might like Keven Durant, you never know. Some people argue on what coach has the best squad. Some people say David Blatt the head coach of the Cavaliers. Other people say Byron Scott, the head coach of the L.A Lakers. But that’s what the NBA Playoffs are all about. Every night the best players, coaches, and teams will battle it out in an effort to take home the gold. Can’t wait to see who wins it all.  I’m going with the Spurs for the repeat. Who’s your pick?