With less than a month to go until the NBA season begins, training camps are underway and each team is looking forward to a new year. Last season, the Golden State Warriors surprised all of us by going 67-15 and winning the NBA title over the Lebron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers.

This season, the Warriors should face stiff competition from teams such as the 2014 NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs and the 2015 runner-up Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavaliers returned all of their key players that were injured in the finals, and the Spurs added very talented players to a top-notch rotation with LaMarcus Aldridge and David West.

As Fordham is such a diverse community, it begs the question: which teams are our fellow Rams supporting?

Davis Browne, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’19 is a Chicago Bulls fan after attending a game a couple of years ago: “When I was 14, I went to a Bulls game and became a fan.” The Bulls are set to have a good season, but a coaching change and lack of offensive skill should put them a level below the Eastern Conference’s elite team — the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Ben Stoller, Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center (GSBLC) ’19, supports the Boston Celtics due to the team’s great tradition and recent success after acquiring stars Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen: “I’m a big Celtics fan; the Celtics for a five-year period had some of the best teams in league, especially in 2008. They always played hard and were competitive the whole game.”

The Celtics surprisingly made the playoffs last season, and added players such as David Lee and Amir Johnson to help strengthen their frontcourt, but still aren’t at a level where they can challenge teams like the Bulls or Hawks for a spot on the Eastern Conference’s top ranks.

The Celtics’ main rival, the Los Angeles Lakers, are supported by Eric Flores, FCLC ’19: “I’m a Lakers fan because I grew up in a Lakers family and saw the best parts of Kobe’s career, which was exciting. Also, because they signed Robert Upshaw, who’s a good friend of mine.” The Lakers added some good players this offseason, but are still expected to miss the playoffs in the loaded Western Conference.

I am also a Celtics fan; I grew up in a town just thirty minutes from Boston, so it was natural for me to like my hometown team. Having grown up with the team that has won 17 championships, the most in NBA history, is truly a pleasure for me as a fan; also, it doesn’t hurt that they won a championship seven years ago as well.

The Miami Heat is another heavily-supported team here at Fordham. Josh Anthony, FCLC ’19, cited his proximity to Miami and his favorite player, Heat legend Dwyane Wade, as the reason for his choice: “I’ve always been a Heat fan since I grew up in Miami and my favorite player had always been Dwyane Wade.” The Heat missed the playoffs last year, but are regaining key players and in line for an improvement.

Of course there are the New York Knicks. With Madison Square Garden, the Knicks’ home arena, standing just a 15 minute subway ride away, there are bound to be Knicks fans at Fordham Lincoln Center.

The Brooklyn Nets play about a half an hour away, but also manage to keep afloat in the Fordham community. With stars like Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez wearing Nets uniforms this season, the Nets should continue to challenge for a playoff spot.

It will be another exciting season for the NBA, and one that could be even more competitive than last year.