2023-24 NBA: Top 5 Early Favorites This Season
It might be too early to decide for the top NBA players for the regular season this October 24, 2023, but it’s not “too” early for some. Today might be the right time to decide which teams would have the best starting game. If you’re wondering who is on this list, here are this season’s early favorites.
Denver Nuggets
This list starts with last season’s winners, the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets are now the defending team after winning over the Miami Heat during the NBA Finals. This win was their first championship in franchise history. As such, it’s a significant deal for Denver and the fans.
Moreover, key players Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter Jr., and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are still under contract with the Nuggets next season. So, if you think they will back down anytime, you’re wrong.
To add, players Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray joined LeBron James and Michael Jordan as the only players in the NBA to have a playoff run in 500 minutes, 26 points in every game, seven assists, five rebounds per game, and a championship. If it flew over your head, that’s two from the Nuggets. This team powerhouse is definitely on top of the favorites in the entire NBA standings next season.
Miami Heat
After losing against the Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat remains one of the early favorites this season. Although the Heat had a rough start and a not-so-sophisticated season, fans argue there’s more to the team than a piece of paper. If you look into their performance, the Miami Heat has been playing with something intangible that led them into the NBA Playoffs. Besides, you should also consider the success of Miami in their prior years.
Moreover, the team doesn’t have any obvious issues, but with the news that forward Jimmy Butler coming back would be a significant upgrade. Although some people consider the forward the core of the moment, you shouldn’t forget that center Bam Adebayo will also be back. As a center, he does a lot for the team, including being a playmaker on both ends of the court and being the anchor of the defensive line.
With these two, undoubtedly, the tides would be on the Miami Heat’s side. Nonetheless, it’s important to note that it’s too early to decide, and better trades and offers may be traded to the Heat. Until the kickoff starts, nothing is really certain.
Boston Celtics
If you’ve been an NBA fan for a while now, it’s unarguable that the Boston Celtics have been one of the top teams for the past few years. However, for some reason, they haven’t earned a new championship title since 2008. Nonetheless, this doesn’t discredit the fact that they’re, in fact, a strong team. If not for the straight losses against the Miami Heat last season, the Celtics could have been unstoppable.
On the other hand, the Boston Celtics have signed forward and shooting guard Jaylen Brown and forward Jayson Tatum for a five-year $295 million and $318 million. Together, this duo is considered the strongest, and the Celtics will stay at the top. However, fans have speculated if these two players are enough to win them a title. The large amount of money invested made fans speculate that the Celtics should have a nightmarish roster.
Nonetheless, skills don’t lie, and the future of Brown and Taytum is something everyone should look forward to.
Milwaukee Bucks
Never mind the other teams; when discussing top NBA teams, you should never disregard the Milwaukee Bucks. It will seem like a long time ago, but Milwaukee won their second title two years ago, in 2021. They have consistently been on top of their game and are the home of one of the top players in the league, Giannis Antetokounmpo.
In connection to this, while they were against the Miami Heat during the first round of the playoffs, Giannis was injured, which significantly affected the entire game for the Bucks, Although Giannis Antetokounmpo will have to sit out until the next season, the Milwaukee Bucks still have one of the best cores in the league, namely, Khris Middleton.
Aside from him, the team has two pending Free Agents they’re trying to work on, Brook Lopez and Joe Ingles. It seems the team still has much to settle with, but once Giannis is back and in his prime, the other teams should watch out.
Phoenix Suns
The biggest news you can hear from the Phoenix Suns is that they’re going to field the top trio in the league: Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and Devin Booker. It is safe to say that the Suns have finally gone all-in, especially after trading for both Durant and Beal within the past six months.
Though the Suns have done relatively well with Durant in the past season, with the addition of Booker, you can expect an entertaining and powerful dynamic from the team in the next season. However, there are significant concerns with the deals after the three. Aside from the tree, the Suns only have two remaining players under contract until next season: Cam Payne and Deandre Ayton.
As such, it concerns the fans on how they will fill the roster with a significant salary cap. Nonetheless, Phoenix Sun can quickly become the top team the following season if they can make this work.
Final Thoughts
Until the kickoff of the game, nothing is for sure. However, NBA teams’ off-season activities indicate how they will possibly perform during the regular season. That’s why many fans are keeping a close eye on these teams. If you’re one of them, keep your head on the game and take notes.
