MIAMI -- Happy new NBA season.It starts Tuesday night in Cleveland, where the champion Cavaliers will raise a banner and the visiting New York Knicks will see if Derrick Rose can help them start rising back to the upper echelon of the league.Also this week: Dwyane Wade makes his official debut in Chicago after 13 seasons in Miami, life after the retirements of Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan begins, and Golden State takes a team that won a record 73 games last season -- plus led Cleveland 3-1 in the NBA Finals before falling -- and adds Kevin Durant to the mix.So without further ado, to start off our weekly look at the NBA, three AP basketball writers offer up their predictions for the coming season:CHAMPIONJon Krawczynski : Golden State. I wish I had more guts, but there is just too much firepower there.Brian Mahoney : Golden State. Cant make a much better case for anyone else.Tim Reynolds : Cleveland. LeBron James chasedown block in Game 7 is yet another reminder that hes the best player alive.MVPKrawczynski: Chris Paul. Kevin Durant and Steph Curry will split the Warrior vote and LeBron will be all about playoffs, so the door is open for CP3.Mahoney: James Harden. Numbers will be sensational and Rockets will be improved.Reynolds: LeBron James. He averages 25, 7 and 7 and makes it look too easy. Besides, hes still owed a trophy from 2011.EAST RUNNER-UP (SINCE CLEVELAND WILL WIN, RIGHT?)Krawczynski: Boston. Al Horford and coach Brad Stevens are perfect together.Mahoney: Boston. Same as every year: whoever faces LeBron in the conference finals.Reynolds: Toronto. Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan will be even better this year.WEST RUNNER-UP (SINCE GOLDEN STATE WILL WIN, RIGHT?)Krawczynski: Los Angeles Clippers. Theyre desperate for another run, enough to push past San Antonio.Mahoney: Clippers. Youth gets them past the Spurs for the right to lose to the Warriors.Reynolds: San Antonio. I thought about the Clippers, Utah and Portland here as well, but the Spurs still command respect.SURPRISE TEAMKrawczynski: Minnesota. Young legs plus coach Tom Thibodeaus intensity will fuel a playoff push.Mahoney: New York. Derrick Rose has to stay healthy sometime. And Olympic years seem to agree with Carmelo Anthony.Reynolds: Utah. Coach Quin Snyder is underrated, the Jazz are sneaky deep and can defend. Good combination.BREAKOUT PLAYERKrawczynski: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota. First Team All-NBA, here he comes.Mahoney: DAngelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers. Bryants final year in L.A. was wrong time, wrong place, wrong coach for the rookie. Now hell flourish.Reynolds: Damian Lillard, Portland. Disclaimer: Hes already broken out, but hes the pick here because people will finally notice this year.---THE WEEK AHEADHeres some of the games to keep an eye on this week:- New York at Cleveland, Tuesday: Ring night for the Cavaliers, the NBAs season opener, next door to Game 1 of the World Series.- San Antonio at Golden State, Tuesday: The Kevin Durant debut for the Warriors, and the only time these clubs will meet until March 11.- Miami at Orlando, Wednesday: The post-Dwyane Wade era starts for Miami, and the Magic will honor Pride nightclub victims and survivors.- Houston at L.A. Lakers, Wednesday: Luke Walton makes his sort-of debut as a head coach, as the Lakers begin anew without Kobe Bryant.- Minnesota at Sacramento, Saturday: A first-week big-man showdown -- the Wolves Karl-Anthony Towns and the Kings DeMarcus Cousins.---NUMBERS WATCH- Dirk Nowitzki enters 509 points shy of being the fifth 30,000-point scorer in NBA history.- If the Celtics win 15 more games than the Lakers, they would take over as the NBAs all-time wins leader. The Lakers have 3,235 wins coming into this season, the Celtics 3,221.- Stephen Curry has a chance to be the fourth back-to-back-to-back MVP in NBA history, joining Bill Russell (1961-63), Wilt Chamberlain (1966-68) and Larry Bird (1984-86). Since Bird pulled off the three-peat, five other players -- Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, Steve Nash and LeBron James (twice in his case) -- have won two straight but saw their reigns end there.---STAT OF THE WEEKJust like when last season ended, the Spurs have the NBAs active career blocked-shot leader. In April, it was Tim Duncan (3,020). Now its Pau Gasol (1,777).---Follow AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ByTimReynoldsKenny Lofton Jersey .ca! Hi Kerry, Its another day and here we are looking at another dubious hit to the head. In this case Blue Jackets forward Brandon Dubinsky elbowed Saku Koivu in the head about a second after he dished off the puck to a teammate, knocking him unconscious. Michael Feliz Jersey . Denis Coderre, the former federal MP who was elected mayor on Nov. 3, has drawn the ire of some Montreal Canadiens. During last nights game he tweeted: "Hello? Can we get a one-way ticket to (minor-league) Hamilton for David Desharnais please. https://www.cheappiratesjerseys.us/342e-dale-berra-jersey-pirates.html . -- Vincent Lecavalier got everything but the desired result in his return to Tampa Bay. Honus Wagner Jersey . Miller reached right to deflect Mikhail Grabovskis attempt with just over 2 minutes remaining in regulation, and then made two more saves in the shootout Sunday to give the Sabres a 2-1 win over the Washington Capitals. Ralph Kiner Jersey . 1, meaning problems for the doping controls at both major international sports events next year. The World Anti-Doping Agency provisionally suspended the Moscow Antidoping Center on Sunday, saying its operations must improve or a six-month ban on the facilitys accreditation will be imposed. No. 14 Washington | No. 16 USC | Top 25No. 15: TCULast Season: 11-2?(7-2 Big 12)The Horned Frogs trail only Washington among my surprise teams in 2016. They lacked that tough Gary Patterson defense last season, allowing 398.4 yards per game after pacing the conference with just 340.3 allowed over the previous three years. Last years unit brings back eight starters, putting the defensive line, linebackers and secondary position groups all in my top 20. Though they lose QB Trevone Boykin, WR Josh Doctson and RB Aaron Green on offense, I do like the replacements. Kenny Hill, who transferred out of Texas A&M, where he threw for 2,649 yards in 2014, fits well with the offense, while Kyle Hicks figures to take over at running back after averaging 4.8 yards per carry last year. TCU is an underdog against only Oklahoma (+3), which it beat in 2014. If the Horned Frogs upset the Sooners again, they would have a clear path to the Big 12 title and a playoff berth, assuming they handle a depleted Baylor team in a toss-up game late iin the year.ddddddddddddTCUs chances to win each game 09.03 vs. South Dakota State: 94.6% 09.10 vs. Arkansas: 56.2% 09.17 vs. Iowa State: 88.3% 09.23 @ SMU: 85.4% 10.01 vs. Oklahoma: 19.6% 10.08 @ Kansas: 88.1% 10.22 @ West Virginia: 41.7% 10.29 vs. Texas Tech: 71.9% 11.05 @ Baylor: 36.8% 11.19 vs. Oklahoma State: 39.8% 11.25 @ Texas:?39.0% 12.03 vs. Kansas State: 80.7%Dont sleep on these Horned Frogs. Experienced defense, lots of offensive weapons, favorable schedule, supremely well-coached. All they need is the best version of Kenny Hill to lead the charge. If they can beat Oklahoma on Oct. 1, an 11-1 season and a playoff bid are attainable. -- Max OlsonThe pieces are in place on both sides of the ball for the Horned Frogs to challenge in the Big 12. One of those is transfer QB Hill, who will be consistent enough for TCU to finish 9-3. -- Jake TrotterNo. 14 Washington | No. 16 USC | Top 25 ' ' '