The 2023-24 NBA season is upon us!

It’s time for our annual tradition of previewing the season, division by division, by asking two very important questions for each team:

What’s the case for the Over?
What’s the case for the Under?

LET’S GET IT.

5. Sacramento Kings — 44.5 wins

What’s the case for the Over?

This is a TEAM that is out to prove last season was no fluke.

The Fox and the Ox two-man game. De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis inside-out duo led the charge for the best offense in the league, which has even more shooting this time.
- Fox's mid-range game was absolute butter. He was smooth as can be in the clutch, leading the NBA in crunch time points en route to being crowned the Clutch Player of the Year. Time and time again Fox came up big when the Kings needed him most.
- Sabonis finished the season with 14 triple-doubles, second-most in the NBA. He was a rebounding machine, leading the league in total rebounds with 70 more than second place and 156 more than third (!!).
Keegan Murray looked soo good in Summer League. Don’t forget that he shot over 40 percent from 3 as a rookie.
Speaking of over 40 percent from 3, that’s exactly Kevin Huerter did last season. And they say that rookie Sasha Vezenkov is the best shooter of the bunch.
Malik Monk is the sixth-man gunner, always ready to explode off the bench. In the 22 games that Monk scored 17+ points last season, the Kings went 17-5.
The Kings added an additional veteran and big man presence in JaVale McGee.
They also took a flier on Chris Duarte, a player we always liked when healthy on the Pacers.
If Davion Mitchell finds his 3-point shot, look out. We know that Off Night will bring the defensive prowess and intensity on a nightly basis.
Iron Man Harrison Barnes played all 82 games and led the team in free throws made. He’s back to be the veteran leader.
Mike Brown, the 2022-23 NBA Coach of the Year, instilled confidence and trust in this group. It took just two games for Mike Brown to put Keegan Murray into the starting lineup. (It would have taken Luke Walton two months just like it did with Haliburton.)

The Kings were an absolute wagon on home last year. LIGHT the MF BEAM.

What’s the case for the Under?

Teams will be a lot more ready for the Kings this season.

There are still some questions defensively. The Kings had the No. 24 defense.
The Kings had really good injury luck last season. (Although Sabonis played through a broken thumb and that luck ran out in the playoffs when Fox got hurt.)
Can they replicate last season’s 3-point shooting?
The Kings won the Pacific division last season, but they have the fewest Over/Under wins total of the bunch. Vegas does not believe in them.

Or does Vegas think that the public won’t believe in them

Final prediction: WE WHOLEHEARTEDLY BELIEVE IN THE BEAM. Over 44.5 wins.

4. Los Angeles Clippers — 46.5 wins

What’s the case for the Over?

If Kawhi and PG were healthy for an entire season… it almost seems like they are due at this point. (But that also might just be the definition of insanity.)

You would think that now more than ever Kawhi and PG want to turn the narrative surrounding them and this Clippers team around.
Having Westbrook’s motor from the jump will help instill life to this slow and old team.
Norm Powell off the bench. Powell scored the most bench points in the league last season.
The Terance Mann leap. This could be the year. Ty Lue might finally unleash him.
Ty Lue X’s and O’s. The Clippers might put more of an emphasis on the regular season this year, knowing they have to in order to have a chance at the playoffs or play-in.
There are some high-energy players off the bench here in Bones and Mason Plumlee. Also the newly acquired Kenyon Martin, a ferocious power dunker and rebounder.
Xavier Moon did some things in the preseason.
We have always been fond of Amir Coffey. The Brewmaster!

Perhaps when the Clippers are counted out with low expectations is when they surprise the most.

What’s the case for the Under?

It’s simple: We can’t count on PG and Kawhi to stay healthy.

This is still true: Neither Kawhi or PG have ever played more than 57 games in a Clippers uniform.
It’s hard to get in a good rhythm when guys are load managing and constantly in and out of the lineup.
Where is the 3-point shooting?
This team is old as shit. Seven players with 10+ years in the league!? Yikes.
The vets rounding out this team just feel so washed: Westbrook, Morris, RoCo and BATUM.

It’s the Clippers.

Final prediction: In a young man’s game, this team is just too old for our liking. Under 46.5 wins.

3. Golden State Warriors — 47.5 wins

What’s the case for the Over?

It still has to be said: Never underestimate the heart of a champion.

Steph, Klay and Dray are all still here.
- Steph is still more than capable at playing at the top of his game.
- Klay is on an expiring contract, playing for next and possibly last big pay day. Who led the NBA in made 3-pointers last season? That would be Captain Klay Thompson.
- Draymond is already dealing with an injury, but the Warriors choosing him over Poole has to mean a lot to him.
Chris Paul’s last hurrah. It’s weird to see CP3 in a Warriors uniform, but he’s going to help this team, especially while Draymond is out at the beginning. And to go from Jordan Poole’s erratic tendencies to Chris Paul’s steadiness could have a huge impact.
Additionally, no more Jordan Poole can be addition by subtraction. Not having to deal with the aftermath of the Poole-Draymond drama from last season will do wonders for the vibes.
Andrew Wiggins missed a large portion of last year for personal reasons. The Warriors really missed him and it threw off this team.
A breakout season for one of the youngin’s. Kuminga and Moddy both looked good in the preseason, especially Kuminga. It might just be KUM BUCKET SZN.
A full season of Gary Payton II. GP2’s defense is vital to this team.
Iron Man Kevon Looney is one of, if not THE, most dependable player in the league, playing all 82 games for two straight seasons, the only player to pull that off.
Rookie Brandin Podziemski is a player people are fond of.
The homie Dario Saric. A team player if there ever was one.
We have always been a fan of Usman Garuba, his high motor and energy should be welcome.

Strength in Numbers?

What’s the case for the Under?

This team is actually pretty old. Older teams are more prone to injury issues.

Draymond is already out dealing with a sprained ankle suffered in a pickup game before training camp. Cory Joseph is already dealing with a back injury as well.
It once seemed like this team had a rare blend of Championship equity with a clear bridge to the future, but Wiseman and Poole are already gone. And if Kuminga and Moody don’t pan out, perhaps the Warriors will move on from them, too.
Donte DiVincenzo was an underrated and important part of Golden State last season. The Big Ragu was sixth on the team in minutes played. The Big Ragu is now in the Big Apple.
New management at the helm. Bob Myers was a very unheralded part of the dynastic Warriors run.

The Warriors might try to save some gas for the postseason. They’ve been around the block before.

Final prediction: Sticking with the theme of fading old teams this season. Under 47.5 wins.

2. Los Angeles Lakers — 47.5 wins

What’s the case for the Over?

Promises made, promises kept.

Rob Pelinka has filled out this roster surrounding LeBron and AD with a great blend of shooting and defense, the exact needed ingredients all along.

Year 21 LeBron. He still has his speed, strength and burst. The Lakers will not have to rely on him as much this season.
Anthony Davis turned back into the Bubble AD version of old, wreaking havoc on defense and scoring in bunches in the paint.
Austin Reaves emerged as arguably the Lakers third best player this season. He was the precise type of guy they needed: a ball-mover that could get to the line, create offense and knock down open 3s. Reaves was third on the Lakers in win shares, just a shade behind LeBron.
No more Russ from the jump. The Lakers finally spread their wings once Russ was finally sent packing. It was with D-Lo, Vanderbilt and Hachimura, who are all back in the purple and gold.
This team has real depth with solid additions made in the offseason: Gabe Vincent and Taurean Prince are sound role players. They also took fliers on the talents of Christian Wood, Reddish and Jaxson Hayes.
Don’t sleep on Max Christie, the sophomore can shoot it.
Darvin Ham. A players coach who the players love.

The Lakers won 43 games last season despite one of the worst shooting starts in NBA history with a 2-10 record to start.

What’s the case for the Under?

The health of AD and LeBron will always be the first thing mentioned here.

LeBron is averaging 56 games played in a Lakers uniform. AD? 49.
The new pieces could take some time to mesh. Of the players in top 10 minutes played on the Lakers last season, only LeBron, AD and Reaves return.
Some of those new pieces are known as being head cases: Reddish, Wood and Hayes.
Could there be too many guys here that will want playing time?

The Lakers always have a target on their back. Everybody gets up to play the Lake Show.

Final prediction: What we saw from the Lakers after the trade deadline and in the playoffs last year is an automatic Over 47.5 wins.

1. Phoenix Suns — 51.5 wins

What’s the case for the Over?

Without a doubt, there is star-studded firepower here with scoring from all levels.

This offense should be LETHAL.

KD on the court is still an ultimate scoring machine. His defense somehow remains underrated.
Devin Booker will have his most room to cook yet. Book’s skills as a passer will come to fruition this season as he’s asked to run a lot of point.
Bradley Beal has never played with talent like this. Those Wizards teams never set the stage for him anywhere close to what this season brings in the desert.
The vibes of not having Deandre Ayton around. Monty Williams, too, for that matter.
New head coach Frank Vogel, a proven coach with a winning track record. Vogel is a defensive mastermind who will put in the defensive schemes for this team to succeed.
The Suns filled out the rest of the roster about as well as you could for only having minimums available.
Very capable defenders are here in Josh Okogie and Yuta Watanabe.
We still have our cabin on Saben Lee island. Maybe this is the perfect opportunity for him.

Sometimes an incredible offense is a good defense unto itself, limiting transition and easy bucket opportunities.

What’s the case for the Under?

There is absolutely ZERO continuity here. An entirely new roster and team.

Booker and Beal can run some pseudo point, yes, but is there even an established backup point guard here?
Vogel is a defensive-minded coach but this isn’t exactly a defensive-oriented roster.
Going from Ayton to Nurkic is a downgrade. Nurk actually looked pretty washed in Portland. But you probably weren’t watching Blazers games to notice.
Health is a concern. KD always misses time. Beal for the most part, too.

The Suns probably won’t care as much about the regular season. They are playing for June.

Final prediction: This offense is going to be too good. Over 51.5 wins.

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We. Are. Back!

OPENING NIGHT is TUESDAY.

Los Angeles Lakers at Denver Nuggets - 7:30pm

Phoenix Suns at Golden State Warriors - 10:00pm on TNT

Season Preview Division by Division

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