Let’s be honest folks, the NBA Awards show last night went like most awards ceremonies typically play out. The awards are given out and aside from a speech here or there, it isn’t something we’ll come to remember down the line. However, the seeds for the NBA’s next great rivalry may have been planted last night. This is something that might not bloom for another year or two but it is something worth keeping an eye on.

In today’s NBA rivalries are few and far between. All we really have at the moment are Cavs-Warriors, and potentially Boston-Washington. We can’t really call OKC-Golden State a rivalry either. Although there is bad blood between the teams, the Thunder can’t touch the Warriors on the scoreboard.

Maybe this is more emblematic of the star-driven nature of the NBA, but we can all agree that a top-flight rivalry would help the league hold our attention a little more. Yes, this most recent Finals drew big ratings, but overall the NBA season ratings took a dive. The inevitability of Cavs-Warriors III in the Finals certainly could have had something to do with that, but there is an argument to be made that the lack of rivalries didn’t help either.

There is some hope though. Even if the 2017-18 season is looking like the coronation for the Warriors dynasty, there is a shift waiting to happen in the NBA after that. The league will not belong to Cleveland and Golden State forever.

Boston is already on the fringe of contending, and has a ridiculous amount of assets and money to build a championship team. Minnesota cashed in young talent to steal Jimmy Butler from Chicago, solidifying a potential big three. The Lakers cleared out cap space for next offseason in the hopes to bring Paul George into the fold, and potentially another star as well. Milwaukee is building quite the roster around the Greek Freak, Giannis Antetokoumpo. Plus, Philadelphia’s process has them on the precipice on making a huge move towards the top of the league provided they all stay healthy (easier said than done though).

A lack of parity has left us with a sense of apathy for the other 28 teams in the league. That is all hopefully about to change, as some of these teams that have been building these past three years finally become contenders. With a potentially leveled playing field, competition will breed compelling rivalries down the line.

 

Which brings me back to last night. Milwaukee’s Malcolm Brogdon took home the 2016-17 Rookie of the Year award over the Philadelphia duo of Joel Embiid and Dario Saric. On the surface this doesn’t seem like much ado of anything, but it did lead to quite a Twitter spat between the Bucks, Sixers, and their respective fan bases.

Like I said, this was just a seed, but this could lead to quite the rivalry in the Eastern Conference between two teams poised to battle down the line. Milwaukee is clearly ahead of the Sixers at the moment but Philadelphia doesn’t seem too far behind the Bucks from joining the big boys table in the NBA.

Let’s compare real quick. On each side you have generational talents in the Greek Freak, Embiid, and Ben Simmons who each have the potential to be squarely in the MVP discussion down the line. NBA fans should be salivating at the thought of Antetokoumpo and Simmons matching up against each other. The Bucks have their own spry big man in Thon Maker to go up against Embiid. Brogdon will now be the ire of the Philadelphia fan base, which should provide plenty of fun there. The Sixers now have top-pick Markelle Fultz to counter the Rookie of the Year in Brogdon.

Last night’s seed will need some watering over the next season or so if this is going to bloom into the next great NBA rivalry, but there is clearly something palpable between these teams.

 

That’s it for me today. I’ll be back tomorrow with “Heat Check” with a rumor-round up ahead of the start of free agency in the NBA. Follow me on Twitter @thereal_jmooney and go like the Shooting the Moon page on Facebook.