1.Antetokounmpo
一、字母哥准备好赢得MVP了吗?
Over the past two years, Antetokounmpo has put up incredible numbers despite working within an offense that often lacked perimeter shooting and flow. New coach Mike Budenholzer should fix those problems for him. Plus, Antetokounmpo is a talented and versatile defender who presents a stronger two-way MVP case than many of the other top candidates, including James.
过去两年，雄鹿队整体进攻只能称一般，球队投射能力不足，转移球不够流畅；而即便处于这样的体系中，“字母哥”阿德托昆博却依然能打出巨星表现，场场送上爆炸的数据。这赛季，新帅迈克-布登霍尔泽的到来，恰好可以修复从前的问题。此外，阿德托昆博本身就天赋爆表，攻防两端皆能有MVP水准，尤其防守更是从一防到五的全能手，就这一点而论，许多MVP竞争者，包括勒布朗-詹姆斯，都不能与之媲美。

2.D'Antoni and Anthony
二、德安东尼和安东尼这次能成功吗?
D'Antoni admitted last year that he resigned as coach of the New York Knicks in 2012 after Anthony gave the front office an ultimatum: him or me. That, however, was more than six years ago, and much has changed since then.
去年，德安东尼教练首次透露2012年自己辞去尼克斯帅位的原因：当时，卡梅罗-安东尼向球队管理层下了最后通牒，他和德安东尼只能留一个。不过，这事说来也过去六年了，时过境迁，二人之处境皆已完全不同。
For one, Anthony was expected to carry the Knicks to title contention but won't face nearly the same pressure with the Houston Rockets, even if the end goal is the same. Still, at some point this season, the strength of the Anthony-D'Antoni relationship will be tested.
不过，这事说来也过去六年了，时过境迁，二人之处境皆已完全不同。比如，安东尼在如今的火箭，不会有像纽约时期那种带队夺冠的压力了；虽然追求的还是那颗戒指，但肩上的负担却小了许多。然而，话虽如此，这个赛季过程中，两个“安东尼”的关系还是需要经受些考验。
How well it holds up amid the high expectations in Houston should impact the rest of the Western Conference.
面对休斯顿球迷的殷切期盼，他们两个又能擦出怎样的火花？这很大程度上也对西部赛区的局势有着不小的影响。

3.LeBron James and the Lakers
三、湖人会进入季后赛吗?
LeBron James is probably the greatest player ever. But is he great enough, at age 33 and with a ton of heavy miles on his frame, to take a truly weird roster to the playoffs in a Western Conference that remains murderous, even with the ongoing issues in San Antonio (injuries) and Minnesota (drama)? For all of James' greatness, I honestly don't know.
勒布朗-詹姆斯是不是史上最伟大球员，可能还有争议。但是，33岁的他，在联盟里奔跑了那么多年、那么多距离，经受了那么多磨损；在这个节点，他又选择担起这支颇为“奇怪”的湖人队。马刺今年开局不利、伤病连连，森林狼内部问题不断，可这并没让西部赛区削弱多少，而是依旧令人窒息。请问，这样的詹姆斯，能否称得上伟大？只不过，他的伟大之处实在太多，我仿佛也不确定该把此次“伟大”置于何处了。
The Los Angeles Lakers won 35 games last season and probably will need at least 50 wins this season to reach the playoffs. In Cleveland, LeBron had All-Star Kevin Love beside him for four seasons and Kyrie Irving for three. In L.A., he doesn't have that kind of proven teammate. Don't bet against LeBron, the adage goes, but then again, the West is its own monster, as LeBron knows all too well.
湖人上赛季赢了35场比赛，今年可能需要50胜才能挤进季后赛。在克利夫兰，詹姆斯有全明星凯文-乐福和凯里-欧文，二人分别辅佐了皇帝四个与三个赛季。而到了洛杉矶，詹姆斯没有这种证明过自己实力的队友了。俗话说得好，“不信谁都别不信詹姆斯”；然而，西部有多么恐怖、变态，我们有数，詹姆斯比我们还有数。

3.Chris Paul and Irving
四、保罗和欧文能保持健康吗?
As evidenced by the injury that kept him on the sideline in Games 6 and 7 of the Western Conference finals, Paul is the one player Houston can ill afford to lose, even with MVP James Harden on the roster.
上赛季西决第六第七场，保罗因伤休战，而那时候我们就看出来：即便有MVP詹姆斯-哈登，保罗的伤病依然让火箭伤不起。
While Paul has already locked in his four-year, $160 million contract, Irving will be looking for — at minimum — a similar payday with the Boston Celtics next offseason. A healthy Irving will dictate how far the Celtics advance this season, as well as the number of years (and total dollars) Boston is willing to commit next July.
不过，CP3已经签下了4年1.6亿的大合同；与其不同，欧文可是翘首以盼明年夏天和波士顿续一份差不多大的肥约。而对于凯尔特人，健康的欧文能够决定球队的上限，同时也决定着明年七月，球队会给开出多少年、多少钱的续约合同。
eg. Paul is the one player Houston can ill afford to lose.
休斯顿一定不能失去保罗。

5.Spurs and the post season
五、马刺会连续第22次出现在季后赛吗?
It's a new era for the Spurs, with the Big Three of Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili all out of the picture. The realization that Patty Mills is now the team's longest-tenured player is scary, and how well new addition DeMar DeRozan fits San Antonio's system and culture is a legitimate concern.
马刺已然迎来了新时代，“三驾马车”蒂姆-邓肯、托尼-帕克与马努-吉诺比利都已离开。帕蒂-米尔斯居然是现在球队里效力最久的，想想都让人既惊又怕；新加盟的德玛尔-德罗赞能否适应球队体系与文化，也是要让人好好担心一番。
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich will have to put together one of the strongest coaching jobs of his career to get San Antonio back where it has been seemingly forever.
老帅格雷格-波波维奇恐怕是要使出浑身解数，拿出自己生涯压箱底的功夫，才能把今年的马刺带回他们曾经似乎会永远保持下去的水平之上。

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