With the NBA tipping off its 73rd season on Tuesday, here are 73 reasons to watch in 2018–u200b19, in case a potential Warriors three-peat, LeBron James on the Lakers, and the dawning of a new era for the Eastern Conference weren’t enough for you.
(As always, a hat tip to veteran NBA writer Steve Aschburner for the inspiration.)
1. New blood in the NBA Finals. With apologies to Tristan Thompson, who isn’t quite ready to raise the white flag, the NBA Finals will enter a new chapter in 2019. The Warriors and Cavaliers made history by becoming the first pair of teams to face off in four straight Finals, but it was clear to everyone—including LeBron James—that the showdown had run its course, with J.