What to expect from the 2023-2024 NBA season
After several months of virtually no basketball, the new NBA season is soon to begin. Perhaps the main thing the world is looking out for is the debut of Victor Wembanyama, one of the most anticipated talents in the history of the game. But there is much more than that. These are our expectations for the 2023-2024 NBA season.
When does the 2023-2024 NBA season start?
The upcoming edition is the 78th season of the NBA Basketball Association since it was first established in the year 1949. Fans of the famous ballgame can prepare themselves for almost 6 months of regular season NBA action, starting on October 24, 2023, and ending on April 14, 2024.
As usual, the regular season will consist of a total of 82 games. The 2024 NBA Playoffs are set to kick off on April 20, 2024, and the NBA Finals will take place between June 3 and June 23, 2024.
Which NBA teams made the most important trades and transactions?
Even during the offseason summer break, there's never a dull moment in the NBA. First, we will look at the top 10 first-round picks from the 2023 NBA Draft, which was held on June 22, 2023.:
- 1st pick: San Antonio Spurs select Victor Wembanyama from Metropolitans 92 (Paris).
- 2nd pick: Charlotte Hornets select Brandon Miller from Alabama.
- 3rd pick: Portland Trail Blazers select Scoot Henderson from G League Ignite.
- 4th pick: Houston Rockets select Amen Thompson from Overtime Elite.
- 5th pick: Detroit Pistons select Ausar Thompson (Amen's twin brother) from Overtime Elite.
- 6th pick: Orlando Magic select Anthony Black from Arkansas.
- 7th pick: Indiana Pacers select Bilal Coulibaly from Metropolitans 92 (Paris).
- 8th pick: Washington Wizards select Jarace Walker from Houston.
- 9th pick: Utah Jazz select Taylor Hendricks from Central Florida.
- 10th pick: Dallas Mavericks select Cason Wallace from Kentucky.
Shortly after the draft, the summer season trade madness unleashed in full effect, with multiple surprising bangers that make us thrilled about the next NBA season. Here's a couple of our favorite transactions so far.
Pre-draft trades:
- June 18: Washington Wizards send Bradley Beal to Phoenix Suns.
- June 21: Boston Celtics get Kristaps Porzingis from Washington Wizards. Boston Celtics send Marcus Smart to Memphis Grizzlies.
- June 22: Washington Wizards get Jordan Poole from Golden State Warriors. Phoenix Suns send Chris Paul to Golden State Warriors.
Post-draft trades:
- July 6: Oklahoma City Thunder get Victor Oladipo from Miami Heat.
- July 7: Utah Jazz get John Collins from Atlanta Hawks.
- July 8: Memphis Grizzlies send Dillon Brooks to Houston Rockets.
- July 12: Atlanta Hawks get Patty Mills from Brooklyn Nets (via Oklahoma City Thunder).
- September 27: Milwaukee Bucks get Damian Lillard from Portland Trail Blazers. Bucks send Jrue Holiday to Trail Blazers.
What is the NBA In-Season tournament and when does it start?
The 2023-2024 season promises to be a revolutionary one, as it will incorporate a brand-new concept called the In-Season tournament. So, what is this tournament all about? It is a concept that has been in the pipeline for over a decade. The tournament was officially announced by NBA commissioner Adam Silver on July 8, 2023, with the purpose of bringing more global attention to the sport.
All 30 teams in the NBA were randomly drawn into six different groups. During the Group Phase of the In-Season tournament, each team will play four group games facing each team in their group once. The winners of each group, together with two "wild card" teams (teams with the best record that did not with their group) will advance to the Knockout Round.
The tournament tips off on November 3 and all Group Phase games, together with the quarter and semifinals of the Knockout Round, will count as regular season games. While the quarterfinal games will be played in-market with the higher seeded team in the regular season being the host, the semifinals and championship game will be played in Las Vegas. Both semifinals are played on December 7 and the grand finale takes place on December 9. All teams that reach the Knockout Round will compete for a prize pool, whereas the winner of the tournament will bring home the NBA Cup trophy.
When is the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend?
The NBA All-Star Game is an annual tradition to showcase the absolute stars and most talented young players in the league. The 2024 All-Star Game will be hosted by the Indiana Pacers at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse arena during the weekend from Friday, February 16, to Sunday, February 18, 2024. While the exact event schedule is yet to be announced, you can expect to see a Rising Stars match, 3-Point, Skill, and Dunk challenges, besides of course the actual All-Star Game.
Who will be crowned the 2023-2024 NBA champion?
World champions of what? The United States? Those were the famous words from the US track and field star Noah Lyles when he took a swipe against NBA organizations and players proclaiming themselves "world champions" after winning a national championship. Whether you agree with him or not, nobody can deny that the NBA is the best basketball league in the world. And considering the length of the season, winning the NBA is one of the toughest paths in any professional sports competition.
On June 12, 2023, the Denver Nuggets celebrated their first NBA championship in NBA franchise history. As the main core of the Nuggets squad remains pretty much unchanged, they are among the main favorites to win the 2023-2024 NBA season. When looking at the 2023-2024 championship betting odds at FanDuel Sportsbook, the Denver Nuggets are the favorites to repeat with odds of +480. The Boston Celtics have the second-best odds at +740, followed by the Phoenix Suns (+650), the Milwaukee Bucks (+600), and the Miami Heat (+1300).
While not ranked as favorites by the most popular online sportsbooks, both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors shouldn't be overlooked as title contenders for the upcoming NBA season. Admittedly, the Lakers were swept by the Nuggets during the 2023 Western Conference Finals. However, this season could be LeBron James' last chance to win a 5th ring, and he appears to be more motivated than ever. The same goes for the Golden State Warriors. As the dynasty is coming to an end, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson will do everything in their power to win a 5th NBA title. And after adding veteran guard Chris Paul to the roster, the Warriors most definitely continue to be a team to fear.