The wait is finally over, the NBA season is back. The defending champion Toronto Raptors host the New Orleans Pelicans and the Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers face off in a Staples Center showdown to open the regular season on Tuesday.
Danny Kanell and Raja Bell sat down Tuesday to discuss their predictions, concerns and expectations for the 2019-2020 season.
Bell has the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers making the NBA Finals while Kanell has the Houston Rockets and Boston Celtics as the last two teams standing.
When it comes down to it, Bell says he thinks the Lakers will hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy. This prediction comes heavily based on Anthony Davis pairing up with LeBron James.
"I don't know that [Lebron's] ever had a player as talented as Anthony Davis in his prime," Bell said. He added that Davis is "Unicorn-ish in size and ability."
Bell added the Lakers might take a while to get comfortable but feels James can get it done with Davis alongside him.
Kanell says he could see it taking the Lakers a year before they add another championship and says at some point we have to start wondering about James' age.
"I think it would be great for the NBA if you had a Sixers-Lakers finals," Kanell says and thinks the 34-year-old James in the finals is best for the league.
While he thinks Houston will defeat Boston next June, Kanell does have Celtics head coach Brad Stevens getting the Coach of the Year award.
Kanell and Bell do agree on one thing, however: They both have James Harden as the league MVP.
