The 77th NBA season is just days away, and the Golden State Warriors will begin their quest for back-to-back titles. Some clubs are expected to compete for the championship, while others may tank in order to have the best chance of acquiring a once-in-a-lifetime potential.
The 2022-23 season begins on Tuesday, October 18, with a mouthwatering doubleheader between last season’s finals Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers, followed by the Golden State Warriors taking on the Los Angeles Lakers.
As the world’s best men’s basketball league prepares to bring more thrills and spills, Olympics.com answers some of the important questions ahead of the 77th season of the North American tournament, as well as provides significant calendar dates.
The 2022-23 season will begin on October 18, 2022, with the Warriors taking on the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics taking on the Philadelphia 76ers. The season will end on April 9, 2023, with the Play-In Tournament taking place from April 11 to 14. The NBA Playoffs begin on April 15, followed by the NBA Finals on June 1.
Where can I watch the 2022-23 NBA Regular Season?
Broadcast Live: NBA Regular Season 2022-23 Live
TNT, ESPN, ABC, and NBA TV will broadcast the games. Each of the 30 clubs will have at least one nationally broadcast game. TNT broadcasts doubleheaders on Tuesdays and Thursdays, while ESPN broadcasts them on Wednesdays and Fridays.
ABC, on the other side, will have 15 games spread out throughout each weekend of the regular season. NBA TV will broadcast over 100 regular-season games.
Those who want to stream live games can do so by subscribing to the League Pass. The NBA is available in 214 different nations and territories worldwide. It is also available in over 50 different languages.
NBA 2022-23 Schedule: Key dates
Here are some other important dates for the upcoming season:
- Opening Week – October 18 to 21, 2022
- Election Day – November 7, 2022
- Global Games Mexico City – December 7, 2022
- NBA Finals Rematch – December 10, 2022
- Christmas Day – December 25, 2022
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day – January 16, 2023
- NBA Finals Rematch – January 19, 2023
- Global Games Paris – January 19, 2023
- Rivals Week – January 24 to 28, 2023
- Trade Deadline – February 9, 2023
- All-Star Weekend – February 17 to 19, 2023
- Start of the Second Half of the Season: February 22, 2023
- Draft Lottery: May 16, 2023
- NBA Draft: June 22, 2023
- Start of Free Agency: June 2023
2022-23 NBA Season Tickets:
All 30 franchises offer various packages for fans who want to visit their favorite teams in person. Full-season memberships, half-season memberships, quarter-season memberships, and subscription passes are all available.
Full-season members have access to all home games and have first dibs on playoff tickets. Half-season members can watch 20 home games live while receiving presales and other benefits. Quarter-season members have access to 10 home games, while subscription passes allow you to accommodate games into your busy schedule.
It should be noted that costs may vary depending on the team. Click here to learn more about tickets.
Read More: 2022-23 NHL season preview, predictions, where to watch, schedule, date, key players, and more
Watch carefully for these NBA storylines
There are numerous storylines to keep an eye on in the upcoming season. Here are a few of the more intriguing.
Can the Golden State Warriors defend their title?
The Golden State Warriors are among the favorites to win the title in 2023. However, Draymond Green’s punch to Jordan Poole may alter the team’s dynamic. Will the Warriors be able to withstand the storm and repeat as champions?
The Golden State Warriors, who returned with the same core of important players that helped them sweep the Boston Celtics 4-2 in last season’s finals and earn their seventh overall NBA title, will remain a viable danger as they attempt to go back-to-back.
Steph Curry had an outstanding 2021-22 season, breaking the all-time three-point record and winning the Finals MVP award. Fans anticipate that he will once again lead from the front. But it is the Warriors’ younger talents, rather than their veterans, Curry, Andrew Wiggins, and Klay Thompson, who make them capable of winning a second consecutive championship.
Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and James Wiseman each have their own unique skill set that puts them in a good position to put a healthy amount of pressure on the expected starting five and keep the Dubs hungry.
The Warriors’ season hasn’t started off well, with player Draymond Green penalized for hitting teammate Poole in a practice session, which Warriors coach Steve Kerr termed “the worst issue we’ve had since I’ve been here.”
Golden State won two consecutive championships in 2017 and 2018 and will aim to repeat after losing in the 2016 final after winning the championship in 2015.
The Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets’ season might be make-or-break. Kevin Durant is fresh off a failed trade request, and head coach Steve Nash is under fire. Kyrie Irving wants a large payday, while Ben Simmons wants to prove his critics wrong.
The Celtics’ Ime Udoka
This season, the Boston Celtics are the favorite to win the Eastern Conference. However, the suspension of head coach Ime Udoka looms over the club. Jayson Tatum is under a lot of scrutinies for his poor performance. Will interim head coach Joe Mazzulla be able to lead them back to the Finals?
Who will win the Victor Wembanyama race?
Victor Wembanyama has the potential to be the best prospect since LeBron James. Experts and pundits believe that many clubs will tank for this child. Wembanyama has an impact not only on rebuilding teams but also on playoff teams due to probable trade deadline trades.
Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics are the NBA’s 2022-23 title contenders.
Winners of the 2021-22 championships The Milwaukee Bucks are one of Golden State’s most formidable opponents. Some have speculated that if Khris Middleton had not been injured during the Bucks’ postseason run against eventual finalists Boston, the Bucks would have gone the distance.
That was then, and this is now, and with two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, Middleton, and Jrue Holiday remaining on the roster, the team from Wisconsin has the star power and drive to make the playoffs again. They are expected to go far if they can survive a loaded Eastern Conference and stay healthy.
If the Boston Celtics recover from their turbulent September, the finalists from last year’s title race are also in contention for this year’s honors.
The injuries to newcomers Danilo Gallinari and Robert Williams III, as well as head coach Ime Udoka’s year-long suspension last month, cast a dark shadow over the team from Massachusetts, yet there is reason to be optimistic.
Even with their injuries, the Celtics have a formidable squad. Two All-Stars in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, as well as Al Horford, Marcus Smart, and Derrick White returning indicate that Boston is still serious about winning. With the addition of Malcolm Brogdon, who appears to be integrating well with his new squad based on pre-season games, the Celtics, despite their last-minute adjustments, appear to be in good shape.
What about the cream of the crop?
With 30 contestants, upsets and surprises are unavoidable, and just as there are heavyweights and favourites, there are others on the fringe itching to pounce.
In the Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets, led by reigning MVP Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter Jr, has more than enough potential to cause havoc if their big three stay healthy; the Phoenix Suns, who won the West two seasons ago and have the best record in the NBA (2021), are certainly worth watching with Devin Booker at the helm; and the Los Angeles Clippers, with injuries behind them, could have a deciding say in the conference with Kaw.
With Joel Embiid and James Harden on board, the Philadelphia 76ers are widely regarded as a danger in the East. Then there’s the Brooklyn Nets, who appear to have grabbed three-time Olympic winner Kevin Durant as well as former All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons after raising a stir in the offseason. If they combine, the Nets may have a winning formula.
Predictions for NBA 2022-23 League MVP
The 77th NBA regular season hasn’t even begun, but predictions about who will be named the league’s Most Valuable Player are already pouring in (MVP).
Nikola Jokic of Serbia won his second consecutive MVP award at the end of the previous season after placing sixth in scoring (27.1 points per game), second in rebounding (13.8 rebounds per game), and seventh in assists (7.9 per game).
Only Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and Larry Bird have won three consecutive MVP awards in NBA history; might the ‘Joker’ be the fourth?
Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks is widely expected to win the award, having established himself as one of the game’s finest players while being only 23 years old. The Slovenian has three consecutive All-NBA First Team selections and averaged a healthy 28.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 8.7 assists last season. He’ll also be vying for the season-scoring crown.
Already a back-to-back MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo cannot be ignored when it comes to determining who will reign supreme this season. The 2.21m ‘Greek Freak’ is a well-known behemoth on both sides of the court and was surely important in the Bucks winning the title in the 2020-21 season.
Then there’s the 76ers’ Joel Embiid, who had a breakout season last year and is expected to compete for MVP this season. The Cameroonian-born athlete, who recently obtained French citizenship, became the first center since Shaquille O’Neal in 1999-00 to lead the league in scoring, averaging 30.6 points per game. He was the only player in the league to have 40 games with at least 30 points.
