NBA 2023/24: The Teams Doing Exactly As Expected, And Those Who Aren’t
NBA 2023/24: The Teams Doing Exactly As Expected, And Those Who Aren’t
December 5, 2023
As
we pass through December, we are around the quarter-way mark through
this NBA season. It’s at this point where shaky starts need to be
shrugged off and contenders start to show their true colours. Some
teams will be doing exactly what we expected, whereas others may be
leaving us scratching our heads. Others, still, have defied the
pundits’ predictions of doom and gloom set out in the preseason.
While there will be surprise packages every season, we must admit that,
so far, there has been a general pattern of the NBA season going as
predicted. In fact, the majority of teams are performing almost to the
level that the sportsbooks and experts predicted. There are exceptions,
however. But let’s first look at some of those teams that are going
well, just like we thought:
Boston Celtics
The Celtics started the season as title favourites in the NBA odds,
and they retain that status today after going 14-4 across October and
November. Being the favourites doesn’t guarantee a championship, of
course. But there is little evidence to suggest so far that the
sportsbooks got it wrong on the Celtics when laying out their preseason
odds.
Denver Nuggets
The team that the majority of pundits picked
alongside the Celtics, the Nuggets have been ticking along well enough.
Their performances at home, where they enjoy a 9-0 record
at the time of writing, have been a particular highlight. However, they
will have to address the mediocre form on the road if they are to
retain the NBA Championship.
Phoenix Suns
The last of our trio of big preseason favourites
(although, we should mention the Bucks as well), the Suns have started
to pick up nicely in recent games after a relatively shaky start. You
get the sense that the team is hitting its stride now, and they will be
buoyed by the recent return of star player Kevin Durant.
Teams that have defied the odds
Minnesota Timberwolves
You could get odds of 40/1 (+4000) on the
Timberwolves winning the NBA Championship at the start of the season,
but you’d be lucky to get half those odds today. The Timberwolves are
still considered dark horses, but they are getting more respect with
each passing week. They top the Western Conference right now, can they
stay there?
Orlando Magic
The biggest shock of the season so far? Most pundits
expected Orlando to have a losing season, but they have started in
brilliant fashion and not let go. Some are expecting Orlando to cool
down, eventually, perhaps as the travails of a long season begin to
take hold on a relatively thin roster. But they will be in the
Playoffs, and that was the aim for the season.
Teams that have disappointed
Golden State Warriors
Let’s be clear from the outset: GSW will be okay by
the end of the season. At least, we expect them to turn around a
sluggish start. But they were considered among the top contenders
preseason, and few expected them to enter December with a losing
record. The experience is there to turn the ship around. They will be
in the Playoffs yet again.
Memphis Grizzlies
Few pundits had the Grizzlies tagged among the
preseason favourites, but they were expected to do well, making the
Playoffs. In fact, they had been projected to have over 44 wins by a
lot of sportsbooks. On their current trajectory, they will struggle to
reach 20. Some will point to the suspension of Ja Morant as an excuse for their struggles, but the Grizzlies have still badly underperformed.
