The NBA is back, and the 2018-2019 season is shaping up to be electrifying due to a wild offseason, an underdog who could potentially shock the league, fiery rivalries and flashy young players who will turn into stars.

The NBA off-season was hectic, eventful, and had moves that shook the NBA up and left eyebrows raised. The biggest twist by far was by LeBron James, who left his hometown’s team and moved on to Los Angeles.

Other noteworthy moves include Demarcus Cousins joining the reigning champs, the Golden State Warriors, Demar DeRozan and Kawhi Leonard swapping teams in a blockbuster trade, and the Denver Nuggets signing Isiah Thomas.

Considering this, it’s safe to say that the NBA will look unique this season compared to last, except for the fact that (in the opinions of many), the Warriors will again, be heavily favored to win a championship, their fourth in five years.

When asked what his least favorite part of the NBA was, sophomore Julian Contreras said, ”The Warriors because of how overpowered their team is.”

The creation of the Warriors dynasty opens up the perfect opportunity for a legendary underdog to emerge. The top candidates to upset the Warriors this season are the Boston Celtics team, which is lead by  Kyrie Irving, who averaged nearly 25 points per game last year. Teammates including Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Terry Rozier are also boosting the team towards success.

Other candidates include the Philadelphia 76ers who have young stars like Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid fueling their title hopes, the Toronto Raptors who acquired super-star Kawhi Leonard via trade with the Spurs, and, lastly, LeBron’s Lakers are in the discussion for upsetting the Warriors.

However, two weeks into the season, a dark horse has developed: The Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets are the only team in the league to beat the Warriors so far and have only lost once. Furthermore, they have the second best record in the stacked western conference. If they can keep up their current pace they could be the team to eliminate the Warriors’ championship hopes.

No matter which team wins the finals this year, the NBA will be exhilarating to watch because of the heated rivalries. One particular person has already boiled over and suffered consequences. On Oct. 20, Rajon Rondo of the Lakers allegedly spit in Houston Rockets player Chris Paul’s face. Paul pushed back and Rondo hit him with a nasty left hook. The fight occurred four days into the season. This type of energy hasn’t been seen since the 90’s where all-out brawls would occur all the time.

The NBA draft this year brought in young players that will show up on highlight reels all year long. These young stars include Trae Young, who has drawn comparisons to Stephen Curry because of his insane range and passing ability.  Next, is Luka Dončić, the 19-year-old who won the EuroLeague MVP at the age of 16 across seas. He is already impacting the league, averaging 20.4 points through his first three games. Last is Lonzo Ball, who is coming off of a mediocre rookie season, but has been making strides to exceed expectations. He has cut off his controversial father and is shooting 40 percent from the three-point line while he is still only 21. The future for these players is bright.

In the end, the NBA season will be entertaining this year because of the energy that the players, coaches, and fans are showing. The season started on October 18th, and already there have been fights (like Rondo and Paul’s), records broken (such as Klay Thompson making 14 three pointers in one game), and underdogs looking to take down the dreaded Warriors.