NBA 2022-23 Season Review: Mark Woods pinpoints the biggest winners and losers?

The champagne is still soaking the new champions, the Denver Nuggets, following a campaign to remember. It was their first ever title, so the celebrations should be excessive!

With the action over for another summer, basketball expert Mark Woods has provided his insight into the biggest winners and losers of the latest NBA season.

Winners

Denver Nuggets

Installed as early 5.1 favourites to repeat their NBA title in 2023-24, the newly-crowned champions have converted the doubters (finally!) and dispelled the ridiculous myth that Nikola Jokic was all stats but no padding. 

The Joker is 4.8 for a third MVP next term, ahead of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic. He remains ferociously in his prime and, although no team can afford to stand fully idle in the summertime, Denver can retain its core without an immediate financial implosion. They then have the added lure for ring-chasing free agents.

Add Jamal Murray to the recipients of belated respect and the Nuggets sit well-placed. Most of their potential rivals who can upgrade reside in the Eastern Conference – as such, the champs (3.2) for the West now may be a steal.

The Rest of the World

The top three in the 22-23 NBA Most Valuable Player standings - Embiid, Jokic and Antetokounmpo - all hail from outside the United States. Throw Doncic into the mix and the four likely candidates for next season’s MVP were born on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

Only Jayson Tatum (9.6) is below a 10-1 shot, which shows the balance of power keeps shifting. Rivals looking at the early Team USA roster for this summer’s FIBA World Cup will not be quaking in their boots. The Americans are undepriced at 1.55, while France, who boasts a sizable NBA front line, look an immense bargain at 13.

It underlines the expansion of the sport but also underlines some of the flaws in the USA’s developmental pathways. All the while, Europe and Africa stand tall and deliver. 

Building via the NBA Draft 

Another tick for the Nuggets. Another death knell for the allure of so-called Super Teams. Denver drafted Jokic and Murray and allowed the duo, as well as head coach Michael Malone, to mature with great patience. Their NBA Finals opponents, the Miami Heat, made hay from those who others passed upon or discarded. 

Contrast that against the wreckage left when the Brooklyn Nets finally blew up their A-List project with the mid-season exits of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. All that remains now is the shell formerly known as Ben Simmons and the hope of constructing a rebuild. 

Kevin Durant: was traded to the Nets before the deadline

Injuries have decimated the return on the LA Clippers’ expensive recruiting push. The Lakers had to downsize before re-scaling, and even the 76ers must now sweat on whether James Harden’s feet itch again.

The NBA will always hail a showy signing spree. It fuels conversations with every million spent. But it is a poor substitute for intelligent drafts and considered signings – even if the Nuggets, by their own admission, got incredibly lucky to find a Jokic-sized diamond in the rough.

San Antonio Spurs

In the race for the bottom, the Spurs once again broke through the tape with the coveted number one pick in this week’s NBA Draft. Considered a generational talent, Victor Wembanyama has been installed as a 1.43 jolly for NBA Rookie of the Year (he’s 170 to follow his French League MVP with a NBA version if you’re a fan of longshots).

The Gallic giant, just 19 years of age, is considered the greatest prospect since LeBron James 20 years ago. The last time the Spurs drafted first they acquired Tim Duncan - and four championships followed. They also have a history of nurturing international talent, so their (brief) spell in the NBA wilderness looks over. 

Losers 

Boston Celtics 

This was supposed to be the C’s year to claim championship Number 18 and separate themselves once more from the hated Lakers. It seemed like their greatest bullet had been dodged when they recovered positively from the pre-season firing of Ime Udoka.

However, there were quiet signs of discord, even before the playoffs began, and the Celtics did not look like a team of destiny. Recovering from 3-0 to Miami, only to meekly lose Game 7, makes it all seem worse not better. They are 5.7 second favourites in the NBA title odds next season but harsh decisions loom. 

How confident are they that offering Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown a cap-busting sum to remain as their 1-2 punch will deliver the prize? Other tinkering is coming – the only query is how much? 

Milwaukee Bucks

For the Celtics, see the Bucks. Desperate to earn a second championship to capitalise on Antetokounmpo’s glorious prime, they were bundled out in the opening round of the playoffs. Swiftly, Mike Budenholzer was shown the door. 

Giannis Antetokounmpo: Will look for an overdue title with the Bucks next season

They were perhaps unfortunate given the injuries which plagued Milwaukee all year but the signals did not indicate satisfaction, leading to the gamble on Adrian Griffin as the new head coach. They’re 3.2 in the NBA Eastern Conference betting for next year – given relative expected roster stability, they should retain high hopes. 

Memphis Grizzlies

Everyone’s darling second team 12 months ago thanks to their entertainment value, the Grizz imploded mid-season amid Ja Morant’s ill-considered gun-toting home movies that brought him a first suspension. His second offense came during the playoffs and it means the guard will sit out the first 25 games of next term. 

Don’t forget, however, that Memphis has talent and a great mix otherwise. With time to regroup if Morant returns focused, they’re worth a look at 13 in the NBA Western Conference betting.