The NBA Offseason has concluded. The draft, trades, and other changes have ended, and now the league is making way for the regular season, began Tuesday, October 18. That said, with all the changes and acquisitions that happened throughout the offseason, there are teams that are already showing dominance for this new season.
Experts have already ranked the top teams they think will likely dominate the 2023-24 NBA playoffs based on the happenings during the offseason. If you want to know who among the 30 teams participating this season will make a strong impression in the coming playoffs, check out the list we made below.
Boston Celtics
The first team on the list is the Boston Celtics. Despite sporadic slumps, the Boston Celtics have spent most of last year maintaining the best record and net rating in the NBA. On the strength of its players, this club has consistently been among the finest in the league. However, it’s their depth and flexibility that make them a scary team to play against.
The Celtics have all-star Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown which fuel the team’s offense. Robert Williams and Al Horford will provide balance between rebounding, defending, and scoring. Although the Celtics lost Marcus Smart in the offseason, the Celtics have acquired Kristaps Porzingis. With Porzingis joining Tatum and Brown, the Celtics now have a legit Big 3.
With their supporting cast and Big 3, the Celtics are looking good this coming season and may have a serious run at that elusive NBA title. For the upcoming 2023-24 NBA season, you can check the early odds of the Celtics at Fanduel odds on NBA to see if they will give you the best value for your bet.
Denver Nuggets
The defending champion Denver Nuggets are the next team that is likely to dominate the game this season. Despite the team being overshadowed by some teams in the Eastern Conference, they kept on winning by performing convincingly as a team.
There are many reasons why the Nuggets will perform great this season. Since they’re the defending champions, many expect that the Nuggets will still perform well. Although the Nuggets lost two key pieces (Bruce Brown signed with the Indiana Pacers, while Jeff Green signed with the Houston Rockets) from their title win last season, the team has gotten younger players and has freed up cap space which could be used to land another important piece for another title run.
Milwaukee Bucks
Under the direction of Head Coach Mike Budenholzer, the Milwaukee Bucks had another outstanding campaign last season, finishing with a league-best record of 58-24. The team achieved this due to the key players performing their best to help the team succeed.
However, despite having a winning record, the Bucks ultimately fired Budenholzer as head coach due to a heart-breaking first round exit courtesy of Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat. Adrian Griffin will be replacing Mike Budenholzer this season, and the Bucks might gear up for a fresh run at the NBA title.
In the offseason, the Bucks look to bolster their inside defense as they signed veteran big man, Robin Lopez. Aside from Kris Middleton and Jrue Holiday, the Bucks also added a three-point threat in Malik Beasley.
Phoenix Suns
After signing Kevin Durant late last season, the Phoenix Suns were immediately at the front of the title race. However, injuries proved to be too much for the Suns as their Big 4 of Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Devin Booker, and DeAndre Ayton never played a lot of games together.
The Suns would make it past the first round, eliminating a hardworking Russel Westbrook and an incomplete Los Angeles Clippers team. In the second round, the Suns fell to the eventual NBA champion Denver Nuggets.
Looking to improve their chances next season, the Suns made a big trade. The team traded Chris Paul to the Washington Wizards in exchange for scoring-elite Bradley Beal. With this addition, the Suns have added more perimeter shooting. This will leave many defenses guessing as the Suns have more elite scoring options come playoff time.
LA Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are the next team to watch out for in the 2023-24 season. The team made several off-season changes to strengthen their lineup after being swept by the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference finals.
Although the Lakers have lost a reliable backup in Dennis Schröder, the team signed PG sharpshooter Gabe Vincent, who had just finished an amazing playoff performance with the Miami Heat. The Lakers also lost Lonnie Walker IV but have added notable players to their roster.
To replace Walker IV, the Lakers added Cam Reddish. The team also added a couple of big men to their frontcourt with Jaxson Hayes and Taurean Prince. Last but not least, in a clear effort to enable Anthony Davis to play the 4 position, the Lakers have added Christian Wood from the Mavericks. In previous seasons, Christian Wood has flirted with all-star numbers and will look to have a fresh start with the Lakers this season.
Now all that the Lakers need is a mid-range or three-point shooter. With these needs addressed, the team will most likely be a legit contender to make a good run in the playoffs, and possibly rise to the top of the NBA finals this coming season.
Bottomline
It’s undeniable that the NBA consists of talented teams. However, there are teams that rise to the top and perform well. With these performances, these teams are often considered as contenders for next year’s NBA championship. The teams mentioned above are some of the best possible picks for bettors to win next season.