2023 was a great year of NBA basketball. We saw a lot of players changing teams, amazing playoff basketball, and young talent breaking through. But with good there is also bad. Here are 5 thoughts to close out the 2023 NBA Year.
1. The Oklahoma City Thunder are finally here
When Shai Gilgeous-Alexander arrived in OKC there was a feeling that it was the start of something special. It took some time, trades, a lot of draft picks, and a few injuries but the Thunder are finally making noise in the NBA. We saw glimpses of it last year until they lost in the play-in tournament. Even then it was clear, SGA has turned into a legitimate star.
He should be on everyone’s MVP list this season as OKC is in 2nd place in the west. Chet Holmgren has been as good as advertised and is currently leading the Rookie of the Year race. The Thunder are loud and have everyone on notice.
2. Ja Morant is back… for now
The NBA is better when Morant is playing basketball. Ja is one of the most entertaining players in the league and one of the most entertaining. Not only is he fun to watch with his jaw-dropping play but he plays winning basketball. At their best, the Grizzlies have been a top 3 team in the West the last two years. This year they sit at the bottom of the west.
While not entirely his fault because he wasn’t the one playing on the court, he is responsible for most of the blame for not being available. After sitting out 25 games you would think he knows he needs to be more careful. In his fourth game back, he did a “New Orleans Dance” celebration that looked a lot like gestures of pistols and a bazooka. The fact that Morant even did the “dance” makes you wonder if he understands why he got in trouble in the first place.
3. The opportunistic Celtics
After last year’s disappointing ECF playoff loss, the Boston Celtics were left wondering what it would take to get over the hump. The Celtics have been very successful in the Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown era. The team has constantly competed at the top of the East every year but always falls short of winning the NBA title. A common problem was the lack of ball movement and the lack of options when the Celtics stars would struggle.
While the Celtics will only go as far as Tatum and Brown take them, a little extra help goes a long way. Boston lost Marcus Smart, but they went and got Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday in what I consider the best moves of the off-season. So far, it’s paying off as they close the year with the best record in the league.
4. The imminent fall of the Golden State
Call me nostalgic but I can’t imagine a day when one of the Warriors big three plays for a different team. Yet that is exactly what is going to happen. I know better than to count the Warriors out but this time something feels different. As a matter of fact, it’s been different since last season.
When you watch them play the only guy with some sort of confidence seems to be Steph Curry. Everyone else seems to be going through their own personal crisis. It’s strange watching Klay Thompson miss shot after shot, Andrew Wiggins looks uninterested, Chris Paul doesn’t have the legs to keep up and who knows what is going on with Draymond Green. I didn’t expect them to be a contender, but I didn’t think they would be this bad. They have time and if they get in the play-in they are dangerous, but it does feel like the end in Golden State.
5. The New Era
This year was a statement year for the new era. While LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry are still very good they are no longer the best players in the league. That distinction goes to guys like Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
It’s not just those three guys, several others are making their case to be among the very best in the NBA. Tyler Haliburton has come into his own and is leading the Pacers as one of the most fun teams to watch in the league. Anthony Edwards has the Timberwolves at the top of the West. Luka Doncic is in the MVP conversation every year. Talking about MVP don’t forget about Shai in OKC. Jayson Tatum isn’t even in his prime yet! With this amount of talent, the league is full of young stars and its future is in good hands.
