The 2023-2024 NBA Season is Officially in the Books
By: Dylan Tehada
The 2023-2024 NBA season has come to an end after the Boston Celtics were crowned NBA Champions earlier this week. This season was full of memorable moments and captivating narratives. As the off season gets underway, there are many moments and achievements worth reminiscing over. Whether it be the introduction of the In Season Tournament or the rise of a new regime of NBA powerhouses like the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves, this past season was not one to forget.
One of the most compelling stories this season was the rise of young teams, particularly the Western Conference number one seed Oklahoma City Thunder. Featuring a starting lineup with an average age of 23.2, the young Thunder squad more than exceeded expectations finishing 57-25 and clinching their first playoff berth since the 2019-2020 season.
In the first round of the playoffs, the Thunder took on the No. 8 seed New Orleans Pelicans and proved the regular season was no fluke, sweeping the series. The Thunder then took on the 2024 Western Conference Champ, Dallas Mavericks, and fought a hard battle eventually losing the series in six games.
A key piece of the young Thunder team and part of the UPB community is second year player, Jalen Williams. After an impressive regular season averaging 19.1 points and 4 rebounds per game, Williams impressed in his first postseason run averaging 18.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. He has established himself as a young, emerging star and his game will only continue to grow as he gets more experience under his belt.
Another young franchise player who made a name for himself this season was Anthony Edwards. The former 2020 first overall pick for the Minnesota Timberwolves cemented himself as a superstar in the league as he led the Timberwolves to the third seed in the West averaging 25.9 points per game. He built on his breakout campaign with an impressive postseason showing, averaging 27.6 points per game and leading his team to the Western Conference Championship. He will look to continue building on this impressive season and establish himself as one of the faces of the league in the coming years.
Another force to be reckoned with in the Western Conference this year were the Denver Nuggets. Led by this season’s MVP, Nikola Jokic, and an impressive supporting cast, the No. 2 seed Nuggets followed up their championship season with another impressive postseason run. After taking care of the Lakers in 5 games in the first round, the Nuggets played in perhaps the most electrifying series this postseason against the Minnesota Timberwolves where they eventually lost in 7 games.
One of the integral pieces of the Nuggets this year was NBA veteran and Bay Area native Aaron Gordon. Ever since joining the Nuggets, Gordon has solidified himself as a star role player and this season was no exception as he averaged 13.9 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. He followed up an impressive regular season with an electric postseason performance averaging 14.3 points per game. Gordon is a UPB veteran as well and will look to continue building on his growth as an NBA player this offseason.
In addition to these two players there were so many headlines and great stories that came to life this season. Many young teams like the Orlando Magic, Indiana Pacers, and Houston Rockets made waves and exceeded expectations. Teams like the New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks who focused on retooling their rosters to supplement their stars made major strides and will look to continue building on their success. Even veteran-led teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, and Milwaukee Bucks will look to bounce back next season and showcase their dominance once again.
Even the teams that fell short of expectations have plenty to be excited about as they continue to build their franchises through the NBA Draft, which takes place this year on June 26th. Even though a long offseason is ahead of us, there is still plenty to look forward to whether it be the NBA Draft, Summer League, or Olympic Basketball. We are excited for the upcoming season and are grateful for all the memories and storylines the 2024 season gave to us!
