Written By Michael Masterson
November 1st, 2023
With so many words of excitement to describe the 23’/24’ campaign of the National Basketball Association that has just gotten underway, I don’t want the one I am most excited about to be overlooked. The Superteam Era that we have all become accustomed to over the last ten years is over as far as I am concerned.
The overall talent in the NBA is truly a beautiful thing to see, especially when considering how evenly spread out it is across the board. I have watched every game this season and have been entertained regardless of who was on the court. I can honestly say there isn’t one team that has a guaranteed seat in the finals this year. That is the most exciting feeling as a lifelong NBA fan.
It’s really refreshing to see the level of competitiveness and balance in the NBA right now. There’s a lot of parity across teams, which makes every game so exciting to watch. It’s great to see both up-and-coming talents and seasoned veterans alike stepping into each game with something to prove, even if it’s only to themselves. As fans, we benefit from the NBA being a display of why it is the best basketball league in the world night in and night out.
Teams want to win and win now. During the Warriors dynasty, the middle to bottom portion of the league had to sit back and rebuild preparing to strike when the dust settled from the Warriors’ dominant run. I firmly believe that the time is now. The Knicks, Hawks, Heat, Pacers, Sixers, and Cavaliers all want to make noise right now, not later.
With only a couple of exceptions from the games I have watched, the competition has been at a high level from start to finish. Even the young teams creating winning habits like the Pistons and Thunder are not backing down from anybody.
The MVP race should be a fun one also. Luka is already looking like he is taking the throne this year. Jayson Tatum continues to prove he is the best SF in the league. Jokic makes a 25 and 15 -night look like pumping gas. Giannis is going nowhere. A healthy Anthony Davis is a dominant force.
I will continue to cover these trends throughout the season, but I must say that this is shaping up to be a very exciting season of NBA basketball. With that being said, watching basketball this year feels like I’m finally getting to that Netflix series that I never had time for and no one ruined it with spoilers. I believe we are in for a treat this year.