By: Mike Giannattasio

With the NBA season opening up this week, there are many storylines that should be followed throughout the course of this season. The 2009-2010 season is definitely going to be different than last year, as many of the powerhouse teams have added new players, resulting in tougher competition league-wide.

The Los Angeles Lakers hope to defend their NBA crown and they have a new player in Ron Artest to help them achieve their goal. Critics are wondering whether or not Artest will be beneficial to the club, or if it’s just a matter of time before he blows up and causes the team to lose its rhythm.

Furthermore, will Phil Jackson be motivated to lead the Lakers to another championship? In winning his 10th title last season, Jackson passed Red Auerbach and now owns the record for most NBA championships as a coach, so it will be interesting to see if Jackson can add another ring to his fingers in 2010.

Another storyline to follow involves the Cleveland Cavaliers, as there are many questions surrounding the team. Will there be chemistry in Cleveland between LeBron and Shaq? Additionally, some people expect LeBron to skip town after this season, when he will be an unrestricted free agent, to sign with a big market team (New York and New Jersey/Brooklyn have been named as possibilities) next year, so will this have any effect on the Cavs this season?

The Boston Celtics are contenders again, as even Kevin Garnett guaranteed that the Celtics will win their 18th championship this season. If they stay healthy, the Celtics should have what it takes to raise another banner. There are still some questions regarding the squad though, such as whether or not the bench is strong enough and whether or not Rasheed Wallace can keep his head on straight throughout the 82 game schedule.

While the Lakers, Cavs, and Celtics are three teams that may win the NBA championship, there are also many other teams to watch out for. The Orlando Magic, who won the Eastern Conference title last season, already have a superstar in Dwight Howard and they added Vince Carter over the off-season, so they will definitely be one of the teams to beat.

Also, watch out for teams like the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat to compete for a title this year.