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The 2021-22 NBA season is almost here, and there will be some incredible matchups on opening night.
Starting at 7:30 PM EST, the Milwaukee Bucks will face the Brooklyn Nets. Right after that, the LA Lakers will take on the Golden State Warriors at 10 PM EST. The NBA always does a good matchup highlighting its stars, and opening night is another example of that.
On that note, here's a look at five key player battles on the opening day of the 2021-22 NBA season:
#5 Russell Westbrook (LA Lakers) vs Draymond Green, Warriors (Golden State Warriors)
Russell Westbrook and Draymond Green have both been to many NBA All-Star games in their careers. Even though they do not match up positionally, they play crucial roles for their respective teams. Both are the secondary or primary playmakers on any given night.
The Warriors love to run Green as a point forward in the half-court offense. That allows Stephen Curry to run off screens for open three-pointers. Since the 2015-16 season, Green has averaged more than six assists a game every season. His playmaking ability and value to the Warriors is often underrated. Green is the engine that drives the Warriors, despite his offensive mishaps.
Meanwhile, Westbrook will be playing for a fourth team in four years. For one of the league's most loved as well as hated players, this is not the best look. However, Westbrook always brings intensity and toughness that cannot be matched, no matter where he plays.
He also brings great playmaking ability, averaging over ten assists per game in five of his last six NBA seasons. With this being Westbrook's first game for the Lakers, he will look to do something special for his hometown team on opening night.
Both Green and Westbrook are similar players, in a way. Both lack outside shooting, but they play with a chip on their shoulders. They are often best used as the second ball-handler to not overwork the leading man in their respective teams. Both will need to help the main stars in their teams (more on them later) by lightening the playmaking load.
#4 Kyrie Irving (Brooklyn Nets) vs Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks)
Even though Kyrie Irving and Khris Middleton do not play the same position, they essentially have the same role for their respective teams. Their job is pretty much to be a bucket, and both are elite bucket getters in the NBA.
Last NBA season Irving had the most efficient campaign of his career, joining the 50-40-90 club while averaging 26.9 points per game. His career year was marred by his injury against the Bucks in the second round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs and the Nets' acquisition of James Harden, though.
Even though many people speculated that Harden joining the team would hurt Irving's stats, it did not. Irving's averages did not take a hit after Harden joined.
Meanwhile, Khris Middleton has been the Robin to Giannis Antetokounmpo Batman for the last few NBA seasons.
He has played the role of an outside scorer to help clear out the paint for Antetokounmpo. Middleton did not have a career year like Irving last NBA season, but Middleton stayed consistent, averaging 20.4 points on 41% from the three.
Middleton had some cold some nights in the playoffs, scoring only 11 points in Game 2 of the NBA Finals. But he came out hot in Game 4, dropping 40 points.
Both Irving and Middleton are not the primary scorers for their respected teams. But each man can get hot and be the top scorer for their team on their night. If one of them gets going on opening night, Bucks season-opener against the Nets will get more interesting
#3 James Harden (Brooklyn Nets) vs Jrue Holiday (Milwaukee Bucks)
James Harden will likely be the primary facilitator, ball handler and playmaker for the Nets. So it only makes sense that Jrue Holiday, one of the best perimeter defenders, will match up with him. Holiday and Middleton might share responsibility for Irving and Harden, but Holiday on Harden makes the most sense for most of the NBA opening night.
Harden is one of the best offensive threats in the NBA, and is a three-time scoring champion. Harden has in-the-gym range and can pretty much shoot from anywhere on the court. Moreover, he has become one of the best passers and shot creators in the NBA, averaging over seven assists a game in the last eight seasons.
Furthermore, after getting hurt in Game 1 against the Bucks in the 2021 NBA playoffs, Harden came back strongly in Game 4, finishing the series on pretty much one leg. Harden will look to show how different that series could have been if he was healthy.
Meanwhile, Holiday has been on the NBA All-Defense team on three separate occasions. He used last season's NBA playoffs, especially the Finals, to show why he is the best perimeter defender in the league.
Holiday hounded Devin Booker and Chris Paul all series, forcing them into making mistakes and poor shots. Holiday is no slouch in offense. He used his strong frame to get into the paint and hit some big shots in the NBA playoffs last year. Moreover, he is a solid playmaker too, out-assisting Paul in the NBA Finals.
Harden vs Holiday should be a battle of each player's strengths - offense vs defense. Holiday has just put his name on the map as one of the best defenders in the league. However, Harden has been one of the best offensive players in the NBA for years now.
#2 LeBron James (LA Lakers) vs Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)
The rivalry between LeBron James and Stephen Curry has been going on since they met in the 2014-15 NBA Finals and three finals after that. They have battled it out on numerous occasions, and every time it has been exciting. They are two of the biggest stars in the NBA, so whenever they play each other, it's much-watch television.
Both James and Curry were talked about in the NBA MVP conversation last season at one point or the other. James was on a roll early, coming off an NBA Finals victory, but injuries derailed his season. He still had a stellar year, averaging 25 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game.
James keeps denying father time, and at 36, he is just as dominant as he was at age 20, if not more dominant.
Meanwhile, Curry has almost become the new face of the NBA. He especially proved that last season, averaging 32 points per game.
Curry willed the Warriors into the play-in tournament when the roster ideally should not have been there. Curry earned himself third place in the NBA MVP voting, and rightly, so as he carried the Warriors deep into the season almost single-handedly.
Both Curry and James are loved by most NBA fans, and are consistently some of the highest-selling jerseys in the NBA. Having them match up on opening night as two of the best players in the league is just a perfect way to start the season off.
#1 Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets) vs Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
Kevin Durant was literally a big toe away from sinking Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks' NBA Finals hopes last season.
So this matchup is the perfect one to start the season. Both will have a chip on their shoulder going into this game, which makes the battle between the two even more intense. All offseason, many people said Antetokounmpo was lucky that Durant's feet were so big. Durant would look for revenge for seeing his team eliminated from the playoffs. This game should be amazing, and the two main stars of the team should take everything out on the court.
Since joining the Warriors in the 2016-17 NBA season, Durant has had something to prove: he is the best basketball player on the planet. People still dismiss his claim, despite Durant being one of the best scorers ever to play in the NBA.
Last season was the year to win a championship with a 'super team'. But that ended in heartbreak. Durant put everything he had on the line in Game 5 and Game 7 against the Bucks, averaging 43 points, 12.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists in the two games. Not to mention his 47.1 minutes.
Meanwhile, Antetokounmpo is fresh off winning his first NBA title, where he dominated the Phoenix Suns. He put up 32.2 points and 13 rebounds per game, along with a mammoth 50 points in a close Game 6. Antetokounmpo has become one of the most dominant inside scorers in the NBA, matching up with the likes of Shaquille O'Neal with his NBA Finals performances.
Both Antetokounmpo and Curry will start their quest to reach the NBA Finals, knowing they stand in each other's way.
Guess the Lakers players!
