The obituary for NBA rivalries has been written for a while now, but the revamped Cleveland Cavaliers and rising Washington Wizards have given them a pulse again.
Playoff adversaries for three consecutive seasons from 2006 to 2008, the Cavs and Wizards stand poised to renew their rivalry in the 2014-15 campaign. At least they would be if they were willing to wait that long.
Judging by the verbal barbs thrown back and forth already, they are not.
Third-year Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal fired the first shot without even knowing he was armed.
"We're definitely the best backcourt in the league," Beal said of he and teammate John Wall to reporters at the team's media day.
Considering the types of claims made at these sessions—when, as Grantland's Andrew Sharp put it, "everyone's either gained or lost 15 pounds, at least 45 different players added some post moves over the summer, and everybody's in a good mood"—Beal's comment seemed like par for the course.
But, in the best rivalries, nothing is as ever as simple as it seems. This was no exception to the rule.
On ...
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Article written by Zach Buckley
Renewed Cleveland Cavs, Washington Wizards Rivalry Would Be Good for NBA
October 3rd, 2014 by Zach Buckley Leave a reply »
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