The Staples Center plays host to the season-opening NBA game between the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers on Christmas Day.
Both teams are determined to bounce back after a disappointing 2011 season.
The Bulls posted the best record in the league last season with 62 wins and 20 losses. However, the top-ranked team was eliminated by the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals. Nevertheless, it was Chicago's best finish in the post-Michael Jordan era.
The Bulls have practically the same line-up from last season.
Back to lead the Bulls is last year's regular season MVP Derrick Rose, who recently inked a five-year contract extension. Also returning this year are key players Carlos Boozer, Luol Deng and Joakim Noah.
Boozer is eager to redeem himself after a disappointing first season with the Bulls.
"At the end of the day, some people take criticism the wrong way," the former Utah Jazz star told the Chicago Tribune.
"I take it as motivation. Criticism motivates you. That's the way I've been my whole career. And I'm very motivated, to say the least."
Boozer was widely criticized last season for his lack of defense and injury woes.
A key addition to the Bulls this season is Richard Hamilton, who was part of the Detroit Pistons team that won the 2004 NBA title.
"On this team, there are no ball hogs," he said
"There are guys trying to make plays for each other, guys always helping each other out. That makes the game so much easier."
Another newcomer is rookie Jimmy Butler from Marquette University. He is expected to boost the team's defense. Key holdovers are CJ Watson, Kyle Korver, Taj Gibson, Ronnie Brewer and Omer Asik.
While the outlook looks good for the Bulls, it's quite the opposite for the Lakers.
Kobe Bryant is still nursing an injury while Lamar Odom has been traded to Dallas. Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum will return but both have been involved in failed trade transactions in the offseason.
Bynum will also miss the first few games of the new season because of injury. Also gone is their multi-titled head coach Phil Jackson, who has retired. The Lakers also lost Shannon Brown, who appeared in all their games last season.
Now new head coach Mike Brown is facing a tough challenge of leading the Lakers to another championship after being eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks in the playoffs last season.
"You see all the changes here and at times it can catch you off guard," Brown told the Los Angeles Times.
"But first of all, No. 24 is still here and that's exciting. And I do like all the guys on this team. We still have a good opportunity to accomplish our ultimate goal at the end of the season, and that's why maybe I'm not in much of a panic mode as what some people may be around here. Let's let it play out."
Aside from Bryant, Bynum and Gasol, Brown still has veteran guard Derek Fisher, Matt Barnes and Steve Blake to count on. There's also Metta World Peace whom we've known as Ron Artest throughout his NBA career.
Key additions for the Lakers are big men Troy Murphy and Josh McRoberts.
