The NBA keys coming up: the Knicks and the weight of defending the title, LeBron James in the 76ers, the rematch of Wemby and Shai in search of MVP for a third consecutive year

New York Knicks will start the NBA season as defending champions and a team to beat, in a league shaken by LeBron James' arrival in the Philadelphia 76ers, Luka Doncic's definitive rise to the helm of the Los Angeles Lakers, and the rematch pursued by Victor Wembanyama with the San Antonio Spurs. After ending a 53-year wait with their ring won in the Finals against the Spurs, the Knicks kept their championship core and remain a benchmark despite the increased level in the Eastern Conference. Giannis Antetokounmpo, a Miami Heat player, did not hesitate to acknowledge it: "The best team is the Knicks". While the New York team was celebrating their title in the last NBA season, led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, LeBron was planning. When the superstar decided to continue his career in Philadelphia, it became clear that the 76ers would be nothing like the team the Knicks crushed in four games in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Jaylen Brown had already been traded to that team, where LeBron will also share the roster with stars like Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. This will be the main clash in the Eastern Conference of the NBA, which will start this Tuesday with the Knicks-76ers game at Madison Square Garden. James, NBA record holder and all-time leading scorer, had to accept a significant reduction in his salary to make space in his 24th season. Out of the 52 million dollars he received in his eighth and final campaign with the Lakers, LeBron signed a four-million-dollar contract for two years with the Sixers. "I'm not doing it for money. I'm not doing it for the family -he explained when his arrival was announced-. I still want to sacrifice myself. I still want to work. I still want to strive to the fullest. I still want to compete, win, and have the opportunity to feel what it's like to win". The Knicks kept most of their championship team united and seem capable of achieving a fourth consecutive season of 50 wins. The last team to be champions for two years in a row was the Golden State Warriors, in 2017 and 2018. The 76ers will have to find the playing style that works best for them: Maxey and Edgecombe like to play fast, Embiid and Brown perform when the pace is slower, and James, at 41, can still do either of the two. The team should fight for their first championship since 1983. The Toronto Raptors strengthened their competitive aspirations by repatriating Kawhi Leonard, who led that Canadian franchise to its only NBA title in 2019. In Boston, if Paul George plays well and Jayson Tatum returns to his star level, the Celtics will remain strong. After acquiring Julius Randle to join Michael Porter Jr., the Brooklyn Nets should improve after finishing the season with a record of 20-62. Antetokounmpo and Klay Thompson joined Miami, while Anthony Davis is ready to join Trae Young for the first time with the Wizards. The Hawks added Lu Dort, a defensive specialist, and Tyrese Haliburton is back in Indiana after the rupture of his right Achilles tendon. In the Western Conference, the Lakers will start a cycle without LeBron and completely surrendered to Doncic. The Slovenian faces his second full season in California as the absolute leader, accompanied by Austin Reaves and new assets like Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, and Sandro Mamukelashvili. "If winning the championship is not the goal, I don't know what you are doing here," Doncic stated. Wembanyama will return to the scene with a pending account after losing the NBA Finals. The Frenchman faces a new opportunity to consolidate the Texas team as a powerhouse. The Sacramento Kings suffered the loss of point guard Ben Simmons, who tore his right Achilles tendon in practice on Sunday the 19th. "I have faced challenges that tested me mentally, physically, and emotionally, and I have found a way to overcome each of them. This injury is another chapter in my journey, not the end of my story," wrote 30-year-old Simmons, who was the number 1 overall pick in the draft, three-time All-Star, and Rookie of the Year. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will seek to join the exclusive club of basketball players who were named NBA Most Valuable Players for three consecutive seasons. The previous ones: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and Larry Bird. Nothing less. Michael Jordan, LeBron, Magic Johnson, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar could not achieve it. The Oklahoma City Thunder star has accumulated more than 75% of the first-place votes for MVP in the last two seasons and his scoring average of 32 points per game is the highest in that period. International players have won the last eight MVP awards and if the annual poll of the league's general managers is accurate, this streak will reach nine this season, as Wembanyama was their preseason choice to become the trophy winner. There are six new coaches this season: Dusty May (Dallas), Micah Nori (Portland), the Brazilian Tiago Splitter (Chicago), Taylor Jenkins (Milwaukee), Sean Sweeney (Orlando), and Jamahl Mosley (New Orleans). The NBA Finals will move from Las Vegas to Indianapolis this year and the All-Star weekend will be in Phoenix. But, over time, all eyes will be on June and who will be the next team to lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy. With information from agencies. See also See also Clarín Newsletter Receive all the news, stories, and analyses from Clarín journalists in your mail I WANT TO RECEIVE IT