2023-24 Season Recap: A Look Back at the Year

Before the 2023-24 season began, trades and signings changed several rosters.

Marcus Smart was traded from the Boston Celtics to the Grizzlies, breaking up the Celtics’ core group of young stars. The Celtics acquired Kristaps Porzingis from the Grizzlies and Jrue Holiday from the Milwaukee Bucks to add size and depth.

Out West, the Dallas Mavericks signed Derrick Jones Jr. to diversify their offense and the Golden State Warriors traded for Chris Paul to add veteran leadership. Dillon Brooks, Aaron Holiday and Fred Vanfleet joined the Rockets as free agents while the New York Knicks acquired a key piece in their lineup, Donte DiVincenzo, who was reunited with former Villanova teammates Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson. Late into the offseason, Damian Lillard was traded from Portland to the Milwaukee Bucks after 10 seasons with the Blazers.

As the season started, part of what held veteran teams and promising players back were suspensions. Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges still had 10 games left after sitting out all of last season due to injury and his role in a domestic violence case from 2022. Grizzlies star Ja Morant, suspended 25 games by the NBA for conduct detrimental to the league, was also out of the mix. Warriors star Draymond Green also had a lengthy suspension later in the season.

This NBA season also included the opportunity for NBA players to compete for another championship, but this time in the middle of the season. The inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament started on Nov. 3. The tournament included all 30 NBA teams with designated regular season games for Group Play. The teams with the best records in Group Play were able to move into knockout rounds with the chance to compete for the NBA Cup.

The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Indiana Pacers to win the first In-Season Tournament title as LeBron James was named In-Season Tournament MVP. Giannis Antetokumpo, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, Tyreese Haliburton, and LeBron James were named to the In-Season All-Tournament team.

As the season progressed, young stars continued to show promise as championship contenders. Mavs guard Luka Doncic, the season’s leading scorer, totaled 2,370 points and averaged 33.9 points per game.

Two big scoring performances marked 2023-24, too. In perhaps the best individual performance of 2023-24, Doncic scored 73 points in a Jan. 26 win against the Atlanta Hawks. That tied for the fourth-most in NBA history and is only surpassed by Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain and Kobe Bryant.

Doncic’s game came four days after Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid dropped 70 points on the San Antonio Spurs to break Chamberlain’s team record of 68 points set on Dec. 16, 1967.

At the trade deadline, teams that were looking to gear up for a playoff run added depth. Most notably, the Mavericks acquired P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford from the Hornets, the Knicks added Bojan Bogdanovic from the Detroit Pistons and the Celtics got Xavier Tillman from the Grizzlies.

The 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend was hosted in Indianapolis, and the event marked LeBron James’ 20th consecutive All-Star selection, the most for any

NBA

player. It was also the first All-Star game for the Orlando Magic’s Paolo Banchero, the Toronto Raptors’ Scottie Barnes, the Knicks’ Jalen Brunson and the 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey. 

NBA All-Star Weekend included a new challenge this year with Warriors star Stephen Curry taking on New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu in the inaugural 3-Point Challenge between an NBA and WNBA player. Curry won, 29-26.

At season’s end, Nikola Jokic was voted Kia Most Valuable Player for the third time in four seasons. Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert won his fourth Kia Defensive Player of the Year award. His fellow countryman, French phenom Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs, glided to Kia Rookie of the Year honors by a unanimous vote. He led all rookies in points (21.4), rebounds (10.6) and blocks (3.6) per game.

As the playoffs neared, the Warriors, Kings, Pelicans, Lakers, Bulls Hawks, 76ers and Heat had to compete for the four remaining spots in the playoffs in the Play-In Tournament. The Pelicans and the Lakers advanced to the playoffs in the West while the 76ers and Heat did likewise in the East.

The deeper teams went into the playoffs, it seemed like the wear and tear started to catch-up. Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetekumpo and Zion Wiliamson were injured and either limited or out of the playoffs altogether while Jimmy Butler, Kawhi Lenoard, Donavan Mitchell, Jalen Brunson and Tyreese Haliburton were all slowed by injuries in the playoffs.

The top-seeded Celtics dominated the playoffs and lost just two postseason games by the time they reached the Eastern Conference Finals, faltering in Game 2 of their series vs. Miami (in the first round) and Cleveland (in the semifinals).

Out West, the Mavs were underdogs throughout the playoffs, beginning each of their series on the road. Dallas stunned the LA Clippers with a first-round series win in six games, then ousted the young Oklahoma City Thunder – the West’s No. 1 overall seed – in Game 6 as well.

In a thrilling West series, the Timberwolves and Nuggets squared off in a matchup of elite big men. Jokic and Denver built a 3-2 series edge in the semifinals, but Karl-Anthony Towns and swingman Anthony Edwards delivered in Games 6 and 7 to oust the defending champs. In Game 7, the Wolves rallied from a 20-point first-half deficit to topple Denver at Ball Arena.

The same signs of growth could be said for Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers in the East semifinals. After ousting the injury-riddled Bucks in Game 6 in the first round, a matchup with a familiar nemesis, the New York Knicks, loomed in the East semis. That series went back and forth and, in a decisive Game 7 at Madison Square Garden, Haliburton and the Pacers rolled to a 130-109 win.

The Eastern Conference Finals proved to be a quick affair as the Celtics swept the Pacers to reach their first NBA Finals since 2022. Celtics forward Jaylen Brown delivered as one of the most dominant and clutch players throughout the series. He averaged 29.8 ppg, 5 rpg and 2 spg to claim the Larry Bird Eastern Conference MVP award.

The Western Conference Finals lasted a bit longer as the Mavs took down the Wolves in five games. Dallas targeted Edwards offensively and won the first three games and rolled in Game 5 to reach the franchise’s first NBA Finals since 2011.

The Celtics were dominant to start the Finals and quickly built a 3-0 series edge. The Mavericks showed signs of life in Game 4 in a 38-point win, the third-largest margin of victory in NBA Finals history. But in Game 5, Boston found its groove and won, 106-88, for the franchise’s 18th NBA championship, the most in NBA history.

Brown showcased his talent on both sides of the ball and won the Bill Russell Finals MVP after posting 20.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg and 5.0 apg in the series.

SoFi Play-In Tournament 

Eastern Conference Play-In

Philadelphia 76ers defeated Miami Heat (for 7th seed)

Chicago Bulls defeated Atlanta Hawks (in 9-10 seed game)

Miami Heat defeated Chicago Bulls (for 8th seed)

Western Conference Play-In 

Los Angeles Lakers defeated New Orleans Pelicans (for 7th seed)

Sacramento Kings defeated Golden State Warriors (in 9-10 seed)

New Orleans Pelicans defeated Sacramento Kings ( for 8th seed)

Playoffs

Eastern Conference first round

Boston Celtics defeated Miami Heat (4-1)

Cleveland Cavaliers defeated Orlando Magic (4-3)

Indiana Pacers defeated Milwaukee Bucks (4-2)

New York Knicks defeated Philadelphia 76ers (4-2)

Western Conference first round

Oklahoma City Thunder defeated New Orleans Pelicans (4-0)

Dallas Mavericks defeated LA Clippers (4-2)

Minnesota Timberwolves defeated Phoenix Suns (4-0)

Denver Nuggets defeated Los Angeles Lakers (4-1)

Eastern Conference semifinals 

Boston Celtics defeated Cleveland Cavaliers (4-1)

Indiana Pacers defeated New York Knicks (4-3)

Western Conference semifinals 

Dallas Mavericks defeated Oklahoma City Thunder (4-2)

Minnesota Timberwolves defeated Denver Nuggets (4-3)

Eastern Conference Finals 

Boston Celtics defeated Indiana Pacers (4-0)

Western Conference Finals 

Dallas Mavericks defeated Minnesota Timberwolves (4-1)

NBA Finals 

Boston Celtics defeated Dallas Mavericks (4-1)

Season Leaders 

Points — Luka Doncic; 33.9 ppg

Assists — Tyrese Haliburton; 10.9 ast

Rebounds — Domantas Sabonis; 13.9 reb 

Steals — De’Aaron Fox; 2 stl

Blocks — Victor Wembanayma; 3.6 blokes

FG% — Daniel Gafford; 72.5%

FT%  —  Klay Thompson 92.7

3PT% — Grayson Allen; 46.1%

Award Winners

Kia Most Valuable Player — Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets

Kia Rookie of the Year — Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs

Kia Defensive Player of the Year — Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves

Kia Most Improved Player — Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers

Kia Sixth Man of the Year — Naz Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves

Kia Clutch Player of the Year — Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

NBA Coach of the Year — Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City Thunder

Kobe Bryant All-Star Game MVP — Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks

Larry Bird Easter Conference Finals MVP — Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics

Magic Johnson Western Conference Finals MVP — Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks

Bill Russell Finals MVP — Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics