The NBA Season is back! Just like your favorite superhero story, the NBA brings fun, entertainment, and a lot of uncanny subplots to unpack. That’s why NBA.com Philippines decided to preview the new season comic-book style. We pick out fantastic characters that will take the stage and new amazing arcs to watch out for. Bang! Pow! Boom! Let’s go!
What’s their superpower?
In Frank Miller’s iconic 1986 comics, The Dark Knight Returns, an aging Batman went toe-to-toe with Superman. On paper, it was obviously not a fair fight when you have a human fighting against an alien. But Batman used his guile and willpower (and a ton of gadgets) to level the playing field.
Talking about the 2023-2024 Warriors, they’ll do a Batman and do whatever it takes to keep them in contention. They have the experience, veteran smarts, and just enough talent to stay in the hunt for another title.
The Warriors remain one of the star teams of this era. Their 2022 title run was a stern reminder that they’re still around. Their core of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson will continue to fight for a championship until the wheels fall off.
What’s their kryptonite?
As mentioned, age will be a huge factor for this squad. Can their legs hold up until June next year?
Who is their biggest hero?
Stephen Curry is the team’s alpha and omega. The Warriors can only go as far as Steph can take them. If he has another MVP-caliber season, he can single-handedly give Golden State a puncher’s chance to win another title. If there is a slippage from his game due to the inevitable decline of an aging star, that’ll spell trouble.
Who is their biggest villain?
It’s a toss-up between Draymond Green and Chris Paul. On one hand, you have two of the smartest and savviest players in league history. Then again, sometimes their own competitiveness gets the better of them. We’ve seen the incremental decline of Green and Paul’s game over the last two or three seasons but they won’t be the first ones to admit that they’ve lost a step. We’re probably going to see a lot of feeling out of each other in the first couple of games.
Even though the Warriors have long been a thorn in the side of CP3, the two sides are way too smart and old enough to put past transgressions aside. But team chemistry isn’t developed overnight. They don’t have to immediately like each other to play well, but you do need to invest time to make it work. However, this team doesn’t have the luxury of time.
How does their story play out?
The vibes will be immaculate, especially at the start of the season. We’ll see the nifty dimes of Paul to Steph and Klay, and Green will have his moments as well. They’ll produce a ton of highlights as the Warriors often do.
That being said, it’s hard to see how the Warriors will battle the other top teams. Do they have the personnel to match up defensively against the Phoenix Suns, Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, or Denver Nuggets? Nonetheless, the Warriors will fight tooth and nail for the possibility of another championship.
