NBA: 4 biggest storylines for the second half

Kevin Korbel
Sports Editor

With the NBA All-Star weekend now past us, and the first games of the second half of the season beginning tonight, there are many big headlines to keep note of for the rest of the season. 

Here are four storylines to keep track of for the rest of the NBA season: 

How will the Anthony Davis saga end? 

After Pelicans GM Dell Demps was recently fired due to the drama surrounding Anthony Davis wanting to be traded from the team at the trade deadline a couple weeks back, the team and the organization now are questioning whether or not to play him for the rest of the season. 

Keep in mind as well, Davis was out for an extended period of time after an injury to his thumb late last month.  

Now, interim GM Danny Ferry is attempting to try to convince the NBA to rethink forcing the team to play Davis for the rest of the season, even with the unease of the organization hanging over his back. 

Will LeBron and the Lakers make the playoffs? 

LeBron James and the Lakers currently sit two spots out of the playoffs, sitting three games by the Los Angeles Clippers, who currently hold the eighth seed in the conference. 

Now with James returning from an injury, he gives the Lakers a fighting chance at making the playoffs with 24 games yet left to be played. If he can provide just a little bit of support for this team, like he has in the past for a lot of talent-depleted Cleveland Cavaliers teams, they could sneak into the playoffs. 

Will anybody compete with the Warriors? 

The Warriors have been to the Finals the last four seasons, and have won championships in three of those appearances. 

With the addition of DeMarcus Cousins in free agency, and with their roster still built to play with the best teams in the NBA, can anybody stop the team from winning their fourth championship in five seasons? 

The Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors, and Boston Celtics look to be the three biggest contenders in the East, should the Warriors make it to the NBA Finals once again. All three of these teams, while they’re playing good basketball as of late, still don’t seem to match up well with a team who has the depth to win another title this season. 

Who gets Zion? 

Duke forward Zion Williamson has been a powerhouse for the basketball team this season in his first year with the Blue Devils.  

Now, many NBA teams across the league are paying close attention to the 6’7”, 285 lb. behemoth from Duke, as he’s currently dominating the NCAA landscape with his mixture of awesome dunks, and mystifying moves heading towards the bucket this season. 

Look for teams like the New York Knicks, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Phoenix Suns to be prime contenders of the No. 1-overall pick once the NBA lottery comes into the picture. 

With the NBA season officially reaching the second half of the season, look for these storylines to be the biggest deciders of what’s to come the rest of the way. We can only hope now for a competitive season, one that includes somebody putting up a fight with the Warriors.  

Feature photo courtesy of the Associated Press.