Sport and Cinema.com

In a renewal of one of sports history’s greatest rivalries, Boston and Los Angeles meet yet again for the NBA crown. Beginning this week at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, a new chapter begins as the Lakers and Celtics meet for the second time in three years, and the 12th time overall.

In clinching their first round playoff series against Chicago Tuesday night, the Cavaliers did not look like the runaway freight train that carried them through the regular season.

The strain on Kobe to carry a team that was supposed to lean more on Ron Artest and Lamar Odom has been evident down the stretch. The health concerns of Andrew Bynum will likely increase the burden on Bryant. For the Thunder to have a shot, they will need to have Russell Westbrook step up as it is likely that Kevin Durant will be slowed from the attention showered on him by the Lakers D.

The world’s best players have just tipped off another season of the National Basketball Association. In a case where the rich have gotten richer as the league’s best teams got stronger, this could be the most exciting title chase in some time, but it is a long way from October to June.

Here’s a quick look at each of the teams culminating in a fearless prediction of who will face each other in the NBA Finals nearly nine months from now.