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NBA: Wrap around 2023-24 season primer for all 30 teams

By Blake Hinckley

DENVER, COLORADO - JUNE 12: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets is presented the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award after a 94-89 victory against the Miami Heat in Game Five of the 2023 NBA Finals to win the NBA Championship at Ball Arena on June 12, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO - JUNE 12: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets is presented the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award after a 94-89 victory against the Miami Heat in Game Five of the 2023 NBA Finals to win the NBA Championship at Ball Arena on June 12, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) /
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An NBA season-opening primer for the 2023-24 campaign. 

The 2023-24 NBA opening night is officially here. As the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets prepare to open the season, let’s take one more quick wrap-around season primer with all 30 teams.

Let’s begin with a pre-season top 10 rankings:

NBA Pre-season Top 10

1. Milwaukee Bucks

2. Denver Nuggets

3. Boston Celtics

4. Los Angeles Lakers

5. Phoenix Suns

6. Philadelphia 76ers

7. Memphis Grizzlies

8. Dallas Mavericks

9. Cleveland Cavaliers

10. New Orleans Pelicans

Let’s begin this wraparound season preview with the Atlanta Hawks.

Atlanta Hawks

Projected starting lineup

  • Trae Young
  • Dejounte Murray
  • De’Andre Hunter
  • Saddiq Bey
  • Clint Capela

Key Bench Players

  • Bogdan Bogdonavic
  • Onyeka Okongwu

Season overview: Trae Young and Dejounte Murray were expected to be an explosive duo that was going to elevate the Atlanta Hawks to one of the elite teams in the East, and at times they were, but overall they fell short of what many were predicting them to be. Maybe year two of the duo will look better than last – this team has a good mix of scoring and defense. I think the Hawks will show flashes of being virtually unguardable, but they are still a step below the upper echelon in the East.

Boston Celtics

Starting Lineup

  • Jrue Holiday
  • Jaylen Brown
  • Jayson Tatum
  • Al Horford
  • Kristaps Porzingis

Key Bench Players

  • Payton Pritchard
  • Derrick White

Season overview: Brad Stevens is one of the most respected basketball minds in the NBA world and what I appreciate most about him is that he does not get caught in cycles of trying the same thing over and over again expecting different results. Do all of his moves work? No, but he hits way more frequently than he misses.

Marcus Smart and Robert Williams are now gone but Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis have arrived – only time will tell if this can finally get the Celtics their first championship with Jayson Tatum, but I would expect the Celtics to make the Eastern Conference Finals at the very least. The only things I can see holding this team back are the age and health of their big men.

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