NBA Tip-Off Primer 🏀

10/24/2023

By: Jeff Yoder

Rankings, Previews & Predictions as the 2023-24 NBA Season Tips Off Tonight

Basketball fans, the time has come! Just 133 days ago, Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets won the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Since then, the NBA Draft, summer league standouts and plenty of major trades have spun the web of offseason hype. Plenty of squads have new looks, and new motivation, as we start the new year. It’s an 82-game marathon, but it begins tonight.

NBA Tip-Off Primer (5 Storylines)

1. Nuggets Run It Back: The defending champs enter the new season with essentially the same core roster intact. They’ll have to find a way to stay healthy and remake the magic of last season with new challengers in the west, including the reloaded Warriors, Suns, Lakers, and Grizzlies. But Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and more are ready for Round 2 in the Rocky Mountains.

2. How to Beat the Bucks: Milwaukee appears to be the team to beat after making the trade of the decade by acquiring Damian Lillard from the Blazers just two weeks ago. It may take time for the new-look Bucks to figure out their perfect system but rest assured they’ll be vying for the top spot in the East. With Lillard’s range spreading the floor for Giannis Antetokounmpo inside, stopping the Bucks will be every team’s toughest test.

3. New Players in New Places: A lot of offseason movement has NBA fans excited about new guys in new threads. The aforementioned Lillard, Chris Paul (Warriors), Jrue Holiday (Celtics), Bradley Beal (Suns) and Marcus Smart (Grizzlies) headline the list.

4. The James Harden Saga: Reports still suggest James Harden could show up for the 76ers, but he’s been absent for most of training camp and the preseason due to a dispute with the Philly brass and GM Daryl Morey. The Clippers appeared to be the only team willing to deal for Harden, and that hasn’t happened. We’ll see if the Beard makes a statement this week.

5. Wemby Mania is Here: The San Antonio Spurs hold the keys to NBA television as their 7-foot-4 rookie, Victor Wembanyama, will be the media darling of the early season, and for good reason. The Spurs have 19 nationally televised games this year, up from six last season. Wemby is going to flood your highlight reels for a long time. Buckle up.

Preseason NBA Power Rankings

1. Nuggets

2. Bucks

3. Suns

4. Celtics

5. Lakers

6. Warriors

7. 76ers

8. Mavericks

9. Cavaliers

10. Heat

Teams 11-20: 11. Grizzlies, 12. Knicks, 13. Clippers, 14. Kings, 15. Pelicans, 16. Thunder, 17. Timberwolves, 18. Bulls, 19. Raptors, 20. Nets

Teams 21-30: 21. Pacers, 22. Hawks, 23. Spurs, 24. Jazz, 25. Pistons, 26. Magic, 27. Blazers, 28. Wizards, 29. Pistons, 30. Rockets

Editor’s Finals Prediction: The Bucks beat the Suns in 7, and Damian Lillard gets his 1st ring. *10/24/23

The 2023-24 NBA season starts tonight!

NBA Opening Night

Lakers at Nuggets (7:30 pm ET, TNT)

Suns at Warriors (10:00 pm ET, TNT)

Sporting News: NBA Predictions: Final Standings, Playoff Projections, Awards & Finals Picks

Photo: Harry How / Getty Images