Happy 2023, basketball fans. The calendar has flipped, and the 2022-23 NBA season is in full swing with someone scoring 40 or more points seemingly every night and wide-open races for both the title and the MVP. With the holidays behind us, it’s time to look ahead to what the new year will bring. So let’s get right into the 10 most interesting NBA storylines to watch throughout 2023.
1. LeBron James chasing history
Entering Monday’s game, James is just 528 points shy of breaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time scoring record (38,387). If he maintains his current pace of 28.5 points per game, LeBron will need less than 20 games to pass Kareem, and he is currently on pace to do so against the Thunder on February 7th. If he needs a few extra games. the league will certainly not care; the Lakers play the Bucks on February 9 and the Warriors on February 11, both on national television.
2. Here come the Nets
Brooklyn is the biggest story in basketball right now, having won 11 straight and 15 of the last 16. Kevin Durant, even by his lofty average standards, is having an all-time shooting season from the arc. Kyrie Irving is averaging a career-best 125.3 points per 100 shot attempts, per Cleaning the Glass. And Ben Simmons creeps closer and closer to his own All-Star form every night, defending across the floor, pressing in transition and serving as a Draymond Green-like connector in the half court, facilitating offense for his lethal teammates with and without the Ball in his hands. The optimal vision of this team comes into focus. Will the good times keep rolling?
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3. Will Golden State put it together?
4. Crowded MVP race
5. Trade season heats up
There was an error processing your subscription. On the same subject : Patrick Mahomes dismisses reports that the Chiefs are frustrated with Orlando Brown as a team player.
Golden State ended 2022 on a great note, winning four straight without the services of Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins, both of whom should be back relatively soon. Pessimistic note: the four wins came at home. The Warriors have to figure something out on the road, where they have a rancid 3-16 mark so far, the worst in the league.
6. All-Star arguments
The Warriors open 2023 with four home games, all very winnable, especially the first three against Atlanta, Detroit and Orlando. A seven-game winning streak is in sight as Golden State, currently sitting as No. See the article : Prep Sports Preview – October 2022. 9 in the West, tires to climb out of the play-in group and solidify its postseason spot over the next three months. Are the Warriors still the team we all think are healthy and clicking? Time for the defending champions to show it on a consistent basis.
As the calendar turns, you can make a strong case for at least six players as the current MVP frontrunners: Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum and Kevin Durant. Zion Williamson and/or Ja Morant could be a factor, as well as Stephen Curry if the Warriors start climbing the seed ladder. Donovan Mitchell would be hard to deny if the Cavs win the top of the East. This MVP class is obscenely stacked, and the margins are miniscule. It will be fascinating to see how it plays out.
Teams have until 3 p.m. ET on February 9 to make trades. Who will be the biggest name moved? If it were up to me, it would be Anthony Davis…but the Lakers don’t have the guts for that, so I digress. Nikola Vucevic? John Collins? I would categorize both guys as possibly traded, but that has been true for Collins for a while and nothing has come through so far. Same for Myles Turner and the Pacers.
Kyle Kuzma is a lock to hit free agency this summer (no way he’s picking up his $13 million option), so could the Wizards move him before potentially losing him for nothing? Obi Toppin is a possibility to be moved from New York. Bojan Bogdanovic is perhaps the most interesting addition to a contender. Over the next five weeks, the NBA wires will be buzzing with rumors. We’re all trying to figure out which ones have the biggest impact on postseason runs.
7. Wemby Watch
Western Conference: There are currently seven locks: Luka Doncic, Stephen Curry (assuming he returns relatively soon), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, Zion Williamson and Ja Morant. Devin Booker’s status depends on how long he stays out, but if he returns in early February and picks up where he left off, he’ll be almost a lock. Damian Lillard is in if he stays healthy. That’s nine.
One of the Kings, either Domantas Sabonis or De’Aaron Fox, has to step in with how they played. My bet is on Sabonis, if only because it’s easier to fill a spot on the court without manipulating positions. That’s 10 players, and we haven’t even mentioned Paul George, Anthony Davis, Lauri Markannen, Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane (who looked like a lock before his injury and is now back), Mikal Bridges, Jerami Grant, Anthony Edwards or Deandre Ayton.
Eastern Conference: For me, there are 10 virtual locks right now: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid, Donovan Mitchell, Kyrie Irving, Pascal Siakam, Jaylen Brown, Trae Young and Tyrese Haliburton. I could see Young if the Hawks slip, but the numbers are so great, despite the down shooting season.
8. Can Kings keep it going?
Hurt injury, one of the Miami guys (Jimmy Butler or Bam Adebayo) comes in. If James Harden stays healthy, he’s probably in. Add in Jalen Brunson or the Knicks’ Julius Randle, and you’re already at 13, so one has to go before you even talk about Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, Dejounte Murray, Jarrett Allen or Myles Turner. Knapp shouts everywhere.
Projected 2023 No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama recently said he finds tanking for a better shot at a top draft pick a “strange strategy,” going so far as to call it “unreasonable.” It is exactly the opposite. There is nothing strange or unreasonable about losing in the short term to put yourself in a better position to win in the long term.
9. Sorting out the Sixers
Honestly, until they do more than flatten the lottery odds a bit to discourage teams from strategically stinking, the only “weird” strategy for a team like e.g. the Hornets, Spurs or Rockets would win six more games at the expense of a shot at a player like Wembanyama. No one wants to say the word tank, but rest assured that as the season progresses, these teams near the bottom of the standings will be talking pretty loudly with their losing streaks.
You can follow this race to the bottom the whole season here.
10. New Western powers
The Kings play in the playoffs on Monday. Not the play-in. The playoffs. They are 19-16 with an offense that is decimal points outside of the top five. Sacramento hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2005-06. That’s 16 years, the longest drought in the league. This is one of the most fun teams to watch with two All-Stars in Domantis Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox (whether they both make the team is another conversation – see above – but they are both All-Star players).
Is LeBron number 1 all time scoring?
| Unfortunately, the Warriors and Suns are currently below Sacramento. Holding off those teams will be quite a challenge. For me, the best bet for Sacramento is that Dallas goes down and one of the Warriors/Suns suffers more injury problems. But this is a good team. It is not out of the question that they will outplay these teams in the next three months and hold on to a top-six seed. It will be a lot of fun to watch them try. | Does Philadelphia belong among the top-tier Eastern Conference contenders? Is the defense as strong as the numbers made it look? Will Tyrese Maxey’s return be the slide it should have been on paper? There’s a lot to like here, but I still don’t like the shots the Sixers are getting in tight possessions (their late-game numbers reflect this). |
|---|---|
| My faith in James Harden teams is shaky at best. My faith in a Doc Rivers team is a shaky period. I really don’t know what to make of this team other than Joel Embiid is awesome, which is no small thing. I love De’Anthony Melton and give me PJ Tucker in the playoffs all day. If Tobias Harris and Georges Niang are this reliable from 3, that’s a big deal. I’m still in wait-and-see mode. We will know more in the coming months. | In Monday’s game, the top four West teams are Denver, New Orleans, Memphis and Dallas. Is this the changing of the guard we’ve been waiting to talk about, or will the Warriors, Suns and Clippers finally reassert themselves as the power each of them expected? Personally, I think these Pelicans, Nuggets and Grizzlies will finish 1-3 in any order. That doesn’t mean they’ll be the team to beat in the playoffs, but they’ll be right there and the home court advantage will be a huge boost. |
| RANK | 1 |
| GAMES | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar |
| PTS | 38,387 |
How has LeBron James helped the world?
GP
1,560
Why is LeBron James important to history?
MIN
What impact did LeBron James have?
57,446
Are NBA rings diamond?
LeBron James’ foundation is also a major contributor to ONExONE and the Children’s Defense Fund, both of which provide food, water, care and education to children in America and abroad.
How much has LeBron donated to charity? Through the Lebron James Foundation, the NBA star has made donations worth more than $100 million in total. He has helped organizations with various purposes to support basic conditions, education and quality housing. From the opening of his school to give scholarships.
How many diamonds are in a NBA championship ring?
James won three National Basketball Association (NBA) championships and four NBA MVP awards (2008â09, 2009â10, 2011â12, and 2012â13). He has participated in several men’s Olympic basketball tournaments. Today, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest all-around basketball players of all time.
What is NBA ring made of?
James is building a model to promote education and social welfare in the West Market Street neighborhood where he grew up. A new school, three residential buildings and a sports and entertainment complex represent more than $20 million in investments by the LeBron James Family Foundation and its partners.
Who is the most admired athlete?
According to team officials, the ring features 16 carats of yellow and white diamonds to represent the Warriors’ 16 wins during the 2022 NBA playoffs. It is the first championship ring made up mainly of yellow diamonds.
Do NBA rings have diamonds? The Materials of the NBA Championship Rings There are a total of 460 precious stones and diamonds embedded in each NBA championship ring. The most significant center section usually shows the logo of the winning team of the season.
- Bucks championship rings feature 400 diamonds, removable top | NBA.com.
- The rings feature approximately 16 carats of yellow and white diamonds set in yellow gold to represent the team’s 16 wins during the 2022 NBA Playoffs, marking the first time a championship ring has been made primarily of yellow diamonds.
- conversation The most admired sportsmen in the world in 2021: 1. Cristiano Ronaldo.
- Who is the most iconic athlete of all time? Top 50 greatest athletes of all time
- Bo Jackson (American football and baseball)
- Jim Thorpe (Athletics, American Football, Baseball and Basketball)
- Babe Ruth (baseball)
- Michael Phelps (swimming)
Who is the most inspiring athlete?
Usain Bolt (Athletics)
Who is the most admired athlete in the world?
Wayne Gretzky (ice hockey)
