The 2023-24 NBA season is winding down with a bit over two weeks remaining in the regular year. It has been a long season for many teams that were expected to be contenders. That includes the Golden State Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers.
We’ve also seen some breakout teams and players. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looks like a legitimate MVP candidate for the upstart Oklahoma City Thunder. The New York Knicks are also seemingly top-end conference title contenders back east.
The backdrop here includes injuries to multiple star players and an expanded playoff race in both conferences. Below, we’ll check in on the top storylines as the 2023-24 NBA season draws to a conclusion.
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The New York Knicks season comes with added caveat
New York sits at 43-28 and as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference heading down the stretch. It is actually just 2.5 games behind the Milwaukee Bucks for the No. 2 seed in the conference. We have not seen a Knicks team at this level since all the way back in 2012-13.
Jalen Brunson (27.4 PPG, 6.5 APG) has been the obvious catalyst. The question here include injuries to Julius Randle and OG Anunoby. Randle has been out since late January with a shoulder injury. The Knicks are confident that he’ll return before the NBA Playoffs. As for Anunoby, he played in just 17 games since New York acquired him from the Toronto Raptors ahead of the trade deadline. New York is 15-2 in those 17 games. Currently sidelined to an elbow injury, it’s not yet known when Anunoby will return to the court.
Related: 2023-24 NBA power rankings
End of an era for the Golden State Warriors?
Less than two calendar years removed from winning their last NBA title, the Warriors could be in for a rude awakening this summer. Klay Thompson is set to become a free agent. Andrew Wiggins could be trade fodder. Draymond Green has been nothing less than a malcontent during the 2023-24 NBA season. Stephen Curry is not getting any younger.
The backdrop here is a Golden State team that currently sits at 37-34 on the season and as the 10th seed in the Western Conference. The best Steve Kerr’s squad can hope for is a spot in the NBA Play-In Tournament. Heck, the Warriors are a mere one game up on the surging Houston Rockets for a spot in that tourney. With games against the Mavericks (two), Rockets, Lakers and Pelicans to close up shop on the season, we’ll find out a lot about the Dubs moving forward.
The race at the top of the Western Conference
The Boston Celtics have already locked up the top seed in the Eastern Conference. There is no intrigue in that regard to close up the 2023-24 NBA season. Out west, it is a completely different story.
The defending champion Denver Nuggets hold the top spot at 51-21. They are followed by the Thunder (50-21) and Minnesota Timberwolves (49-22). It is certainly going to come down to the end here.
Denver and Minnesota go up against one another two more times. As for Oklahoma City, it has a tough remaining schedule. That includes outings against the Rockets, Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks and Dallas Mavericks. Ouch!
Related: Ranking the top players of the 2023-24 NBA season
LeBron James, Joel Embiid and NBA injuries
Injuries are also a major storyline as the campaign comes to a conclusion. Some of the game’s top stars are either sidelined or dealing with injuries. It will have an impact moving forward.
- Joel Embiid: The reigning NBA MVP has been out since late January with a torn meniscus in the knee. Since Embiid injured it against the Warriors, Philadelphia has posted a 10-16 record. It is now the eighth seed back east and could be forced into the play-in tournament. The Sixers are hoping he’ll be able to return before the end of the regular season.
- LeBron James: The Los Angeles Lakers’ star has been dealing with an ankle and foot injury since before February’s NBA All-Star Break. He sat out a recent win over the Milwaukee Bucks and made it clear that the injuries could keep him from one end of back-to-backs to conclude the regular season. Los Angeles is currently the ninth seed in the Western Conference with a 40-32 record. It is three games behind Dallas in the race to avoid the NBA Play-In Tournament.
- Brandon Ingram: This Pelicans star suffered a bone bruise to the knee back on March 21. The initial expectation is that he will be re-evaluated again some time next week. This surprising New Orleans team currently sits at 44-28 on the season and as the fifth seed out west. Though, it is also just two games ahead of the Sacramento Kings in an attempt to avoid the play-in.
Related: The 10-most disappointing players of the 2023-24 NBA season
2023-24 NBA season now mired in controversy
The major gambling controversy around the sports world involves Shohei Ohtani of MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers. But the NBA is not immune to what it happening right now. Toronto Raptors big man Jontay Porter is now embroiled in a prop-betting scandal that could very well expand to other reaches of the Association.
All of this comes at a time when the NBA is attempting to expand it relationships with sportsbooks such as FanDuel and DraftKings. It’s an issue for Commissioner Adam Silver and Co.
“Silver is walking a tightrope as a changing landscape is moving so fast it’s hard to get in front of it. He’s tasked with not only growing the game but maximizing revenue — and make no mistake, those two elements do not run on the same track,” Yahoo! Sports Vincent Goodwill noted recently.
The last thing this league needs to close out the 2023-24 NBA season is for the scandal to expand further than what we’re seeing right now.