The first moments of this NBA season showed the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers are still the teams to beat.
The Celtics raised their championship banner Tuesday and then proceeded to hold off King James and the Cleveland Cavaliers to gain their first win.
Meanwhile across the country in the Staples Center, two of the league’s best young centers, Andrew Bynum and Greg Oden, squared off.
The matchup didn’t go according to plan.
Oden went scoreless and found himself where he was all of last season, in the training room. The big man apparently sprained his right foot after landing awkwardly following a rebound attempt.
Bynum scored eight points and grabbed just three rebounds, never quite pitting himself against Oden.
Kobe Bryant did his normal thing and took over the game while his cross-country counterpart, Paul Pierce, did exactly the same thing in Boston.
Although the influx of young players should do wonders for the league’s television ratings, it’s still all about the veterans.
Just ask the NBA’s two best teams.
