Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 24) — The NBA is back!
Like in previous years, the 2023-2024 season will be loaded with excitement, drama, and everything in between.
Veteran superstars are poised to lead their squads with different goals in mind, while the promising young guns are raring to carry their teams to greater heights.
Here are some interesting storylines to watch this season.
WEMBY RODEO IN TEXAS
It is rare to see an incoming rookie in the NBA surrounded by lofty expectations.
Victor Wembanyama is just 19 years old but the pressure of turning the San Antonio Spurs into a playoff team immediately is crazy which borderlines to being absurd.
The French big man showed flashes of brilliance during the preseason games. He has a smooth jumper, possesses above average dribbling, and is a towering presence in the shaded area.
And as the script could not get any better, Wembanyama fell in the hands of Hall of Famer coach Gregg Popovich, who has a knack for developing international talents.
If he remains healthy and his game improves fast, then the sky’s the limit for the phenom.
His skill set is impressive. The tools are ready. Now time will tell how it will translate.
DAME TIME IN MILWAUKEE
Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo pairing up is a match made in heaven. One is a lethal shooter from the outside and the other is a monster inside the paint.
The Milwaukee Bucks’ front office did a commendable job in pulling off this move, though it has its drawbacks.
To get Lillard, the Bucks sacrificed their roster depth, and perimeter defense will be a nagging issue for most part of their campaign.
However, with Lillard on board, the Bucks became more fluid on offense, especially during the late-game and in the postseason where one shot could be the difference.
Now that Lillard is on a title contender for the first time in his stellar career, will he deliver and prove his real worth?
DYNASTY WINDOW SLOWLY CLOSING ON DUBS
Are we heading towards the end of the tunnel of the Golden State Warriors dynasty?
After a second-round exit in the playoffs last season, the Warriors rejigged their lineup with the surprise acquisition of court general Chris Paul.
If this happened earlier, Golden State could have won more titles but that’s only hypothetical.
Steph Curry remains to be one of the best offensive threats in the NBA, but he’s 35 years old, a stage in his career where his production may decline.
Klay Thompson was not his usual self in last year’s return and he’s 33 years old.
Draymond Green is also in the same age bracket with a plateauing performance.
While Paul is an intriguing addition, how much gas does the 38-year-old have left in the tank?
The Warriors still have the youthful pieces in Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and Trayce Jackson-Davis but it will be as clear as day that Golden State will milk every ounce that remains with its aging stars.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was an integral part of the Chicago Bulls’ “Last Dance” with Michael Jordan in the 1990s, and he finds himself in a position of having another final hurrah with a fabled squad.
NUGGETS HUNGRY FOR MORE
The Denver Nuggets are running it back to defend their title.
This time, they will be without two key bench figures from the championship squad as Bruce Brown and Jeff Green left in free agency.
Christian Braun will get more significant playing minutes for the Nuggets alongside Reggie Jackson.
Meanwhile, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope complete Denver’s supporting cast.
With two-time Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray guiding the way, Denver is primed to go for a repeat in claiming the throne.
The odds of the Nuggets winning it all again is the same as Jokic winning horse races in his home country Serbia: pretty high.
CLOCK IS TICKING IN BOSTON
The Boston Celtics have one of the best duos in the NBA in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
With Tatum in the middle of a five-year deal worth $163 million and Brown signing a $288-million extension, fans in Beantown are hoping to get the money’s worth from their two stars.
The Celtics have been a title contender in recent years but they just could not over the hump. If you look on paper, the team is complete but it does not scream significant victories.
Boston needed fresh faces to bolster its intact core, and got it upon the addition of defensive specialist Jrue Holiday and the lanky European Kristaps Porzingis.
One more failed mission could lead to a trade demand by one of its stars even in the midst of the contract extension and all.
LEBRON VERSUS FATHER TIME
LeBron James is entering his 21st year in the NBA. Let that sink in.
It is unheard of to witness a player compete at the highest level for a long time.
The legends who came before King James were either retired or sat on the bench at his age.
The all-time scoring leader in the NBA has nothing left to prove. He will just continue to build on the legacy he has established.
The Los Angeles Lakers have a good chance of making it to the playoffs of the stacked Western Conference. They could even make a deep postseason run.
For those still doubting LeBron’s greatness, he would be more than willing to remind them why he’s the chosen one.
LOAD MANAGEMENT POLICY
The NBA is stepping up its efforts to curb load management for the upcoming season as it will be implementing a stricter rule that prohibits teams from resting their stars for nationally televised games and the in-season tournament.
A star is defined as someone who has been an All-Star or an All-NBA selection in any of the last three seasons.
There are exceptions to this mandate: a player can skip a back-to-back game provided that they will secure permission from the league in advance, and if the player is over the age of 35 on opening night or has logged at least 34,000 regular-season minutes or 1,000 career games.
Violating this rule will cost a team fine of $100,000 for first offense, $250,000 the next, and subsequent fine of $1 million.
This is a cheap price to pay for some team owners who will do everything just to keep their prized players fresh for the postseason.
