ICYMI: Playoff seeding, awards, and other predictions are here for your pleasure.

Wendys came out with the 4 for $4 and the Golden State Warriors took notice.

Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson are all arguably in the top 20 of today’s best NBA ballers. Everyone else in the league is trying to counter with some combination of their own. It’s not enough to have one star like Dirk and a bunch of good players to win a title anymore. It’s not good enough to be the ’04 Pistons and have an All-Star starting roster but no real all-star. Take a look at these triple combinations and deadly duos scattered across the league after this offseason.

The Triples – in order of threat-liest to not

Cavs: LeBron, Kevin Love, healthy IT4 (D-Wade, too, maybe?).

Thunder: Westbrook, Paul George, and Olympic Melo.

Celtics: Kyrie, Gordon Hayward, and Al Horford.

T-Wolves: Karl Anthony Towns, Jimmy Butler . . . and maybe Andrew Wiggins?

Two to Tango – in order of leathal-iest to not

Rockets: James Harden and Chris Paul.

Spurs: Kawhi Leonard and regular season LaMarcus Aldridge.

Pelicans: Anthony Davis and Boogie Cousins.

Blazers: Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.

Raptors: DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry.

Wizards: John Wall and Bradley Beal

Nuggets: Paul Milsap and Nikola Jokic.

Clippers: Blake Griffin and DAJ.

76ers: Healthy Ben Simmons and healthy Joel Embiid.

Grizzlies: underrated Mike Conley and past prime Marc Gasol.

What stars, or somewhat stars, are kind of stuck without a Robin-like sidekick?

Rudy Gobert, Jazz.

Kristaps Porzingis, Knicks.

Hassan Whiteside, Heat.

Kemba Walker, Hornets.

. . . (whispers) Devin Booker, Suns.

Welcome back to the NBA.

Basketball never sleeps and the ball keeps pounding the pavement to keep us all hooked to our phones for Woj Bombs and Sham Bams. The notifications are endless, never predictable and this off-season was another memorable break.

 

forget the IT – Kyrie trade, SHAMS JUST DESTROYED WOJ pic.twitter.com/WdkDSvKAcN

— Karan (@kbathija2) August 22, 2017

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Carmelo was going to the Rockets, wanted the Cavs, but ended in OKC? Chris Paul was going to sign his supermax that he created as President of the Player’s Union, and then ended up skipping that step and heading to Texas to play a two-point guard offense with genius Mike D’Antonio. Gordon Hayward ruined 4th of July fireworks by lighting a dud and then ignited the same fuse later in the day. And Paul George got traded for absolutely nothing (no offense to Victor Oladipo and the other dude, but actually offense intended).

And I can’t fail to mention that my boy, my main dude, Jinglin’ Joe Ingles came out of Australia and the D-League to ink a 52-million dollar deal while admitting no one deserves that much money.

I’m excited the NBA is back. I’m excited to see how all these big threes and twos work this year as they all strive to upset the Kings (no not the King LBJ, and absolutely not the Kings in Sacramento, but you know what Kings I mean). It’s the Warriors world, who resigned their superstars, resigned their key role players (Iggy, Livingston and closeout hero Zaza) while also signing additional depth in Swaggy P (Nick Young) and Omri Caspi. Oh, and they stole a draft pick from Chicago to get Draymond Green-lite in Jordan Bell from Oregon. The rich get richer.

Will anyone challenge them in a seven-game series? Personally, I like the length OKC offers with George and Andre Roberson guarding multiple positions and Russ and Melo able to score whenever needed. I think they have defense to make a dent with Steven Adams patrolling the paint, but I don’t quite think they have the depth, or experience, that GSW does. The Rockets are a step behind in my opinion but could give us some epic shootouts where both teams shoot 40% from three, while combining to light up 60+ three attempts. The Spurs are the Spurs. The Cavs are the Cavs.

But really, can anyone beat this Warriors team? If not, why even care?

Well, won’t it be fun to watch how badly the Chicago Bulls tank and play with absolutely no talent on their team? Won’t it be entertaining to see the Knicks ditch the triangle and unleash the fury found only in a Porzingis unicorn? What about Dennis Smith, Jr. in the dunk contest? LeBron and D-Wade taking two weeks off to visit Miami mid season? Have you seen the Northwest Division teams: OKC, Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets, Portland, and T-Wolves. That division alone has five potential playoff teams so who will get left out? Is the East really that bad (spoiler alert: yes). Kyrie vs LeBron on opening night? Melo vs Knicks on second-opening night? START THE POPCORN AND LET’S GO.

The best four words to ever pen: The NBA is back.

(If you like what you’re reading, sign up for my email list, follow me on Twitter @JazzJunkie12 or go like The Tortured Fan Facebook page.)

“LeBron questionable for season opener…”

Yeah..he’s gonna miss the opener at home vs Kyrie. ? pic.twitter.com/sCPH0hlmjI

— Cory O’Connor (@CoryO24) October 11, 2017

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