From LeBron vs Kawhi to Lillard vs Westbrook: 5 Rivalries to Look Forward to, Ahead of the NBA Restart in Orlando Bubble

The NBA returns this month. The expectations have multiplied for all teams, and the players bear the brunt of carrying this load. This creates matchups, which give bragging rights and the success of overcoming high stakes in the quest of a championship. These are the 5 most interesting NBA matchups in the new season in Orlando.

1. LeBron James vs Kawhi Leonard

LeBron James is still the king, but Kawhi Leonard laid claim to his throne last year. Kawhi led his Toronto Raptors to the 2019 NBA Championship. After that win, Leonard jumped to the LA Clippers to challenge LeBron for the LA Throne. Kawhi has gotten the better of LeBron twice this season, but LeBron still holds the most recent victory.

LeBron also is yet to exact revenge on Kawhi from their 2014 Finals matchup, where Kawhi locked LeBron up on the way to his first NBA Finals MVP. They are the two titans this year, and the battle of LA will be fought in Orlando.

2. LeBron James vs Patrick Beverley

Kawhi isn’t the only Clipper the King needs to worry about. After his game-winning block in the Lakers-Clippers Christmas matchup, Patrick Beverley isn’t done with ‘Bron just yet. The Clippers star is a defensive bulldog, the kind LeBron has struggled with in the past. Beverley’s unmatched aggression and bulldog mentality will hound James in all their games.

However, LeBron is physically more imposing and a more versatile player than Beverley. Nonetheless, a determined pest can still bite the ones sitting atop the basketball pantheon. Beverley takes pride in being just that.

3. Jimmy Butler vs Ben Simmons

The breakup of the Philadelphia 76ers was a spectacle. Kawhi’s game-winning buzzer-beater in Game 7 was the catalyst of an implosion. That implosion was marked by the departures of JJ Redick and Jimmy Butler from the team. Butler openly criticized Philly’s organization based on his year there.

This season, Butler seemed to be a prophet as the chemistry issues he felt in the locker room plagued the team into falling to the 6th seed in the weak Eastern Conference. Ben Simmons will be looking to tackle Butler head-to-head in the Heat and 76ers likely first-round battle.

4. Ja Morant vs Zion Williamson

We don’t often see two rookies being pitted against each other in this fashion, but here we are. Ja Morant and Zion Williamson‘s blockbuster first season will end in a fierce head-to-head battle to get into the playoffs. This matchup will define the Rookie of the Year race as well.

Ja has led the Grizzlies to the 8th seed with over 50 games under his belt. On the other hand, Zion added a spark to a lagging Pelicans team that are currently the favorites to make it to the playoffs. This battle will be looked back on as the first big test in the careers of these budding superstars.

5. Damian Lillard vs Russell Westbrook

Is Dame time here to ruin another season for Russell Westbrook? Lillard and Westbrook are two of the top point guards in the Western Conference. After recent squabbling over who’s better, the bubble comes at the perfect time to put this question to rest. Lillard’s Blazers are hunting for a playoff spot, while the Rockets already have a berth in the playoffs.

They will face each other in the 8-game season, which will be a statement game for both players. Dame has already waved off the Rockets and Westbrook before, but can they exact revenge by keeping Lillard out of the playoffs?