NBA Preseason Tickets

Eastern Conference

Boston Celtics - Coming off their first finals appearance since 2010, the Celtics have one goal in mind…winning a championship. After having finished with a 51-31 regular season record and winning 14 playoff games, the Celtics were eventually stopped by the Golden State Warriors in the finals. NBA fans will be paying close attention to superstars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown with expectations high!

Miami Heat - The Heat are often overlooked as a serious contender in the East. Lest anyone forget, they were in the NBA Finals only three years ago, but came up short against the LeBron James-led Lakers. With a loaded roster and redemption on their agenda, there’s no doubt they’ll be in contention once again.

Milwaukee Bucks - Can the Bucks catch lightning in a bottle and recreate their 2021 Championship campaign? It seems like just yesterday two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to their first title in what had been decades. Arguably the best player in basketball, the Greek Freak has a supporting cast that he can rely on deep into the season and playoffs. Baring any injuries, the Bucks will be in the mix come the postseason.

Brooklyn Nets - Will the drama in BK be put to rest, and will we see KD, Kyrie, and Ben Simmons all play together (finally). And is coach Steve Nash on borrowed time? Their early exit from last seasons first round in the playoffs was no surprise, but what had fans shocked was the fashion in which it happened – being swept by a far superior Celtics squad. Will this team live up to expectations or will we see changes made by the deadline?

Philadelphia 76ers - The Sixers ended last season in a disappointing manner. Despite acquiring James Harden at the deadline, they were defeated by the Miami Heat. Injuries to All-Star big man Joel Embiid coupled with Harden’s ineffectiveness to be the leader, all proved to be costly. Harden has since committed himself to being a Sixer for the long haul and being part of a championship contender. Keep an eye out for rising star, Tyrese Maxey who played a focal role, and looks to continue to build upon last season’s success. The City of Brotherly Love will have their eyes on Harden, as they patiently wait for him to return to elite-level like his Houston days.

Cleveland Cavaliers - With low expectations entering the 21-22 season, Cleveland set out to prove otherwise. Entering the All-Star break, the young Cavs were 35-23 proving they were far from outsiders looking in. Young stars Darius Garland and Evan Mobley have been everything and more fans had hoped for. Injuries, as well as inexperience eventually caught up to them and they slipped out of playoff content. This year that’s about to change. With the recent addition of elite scorer Donovan Mitchell, the Cavs found their missing piece. As long as they can stay healthy and avoid some of the problems that plagued them last season, look for the Cavs to be formidable challengers in the East.

Atlanta Hawks - The Hawks entered last season with high expectations. Just a year prior, they were playing in the Eastern Conference Finals, losing in six to the eventual champs, the Milwaukee Bucks. Last season was disappointing as injuries and underachieving left they failing to make it past the first round. The off-season addition of Dejounte Murray gives Atlanta another scorer and frees up veteran point guard Trae Young. The biggest question heading into the season is will their defense improve and how will Murray fair in taking some of the pressure off Young.

Chicago Bulls - Last season saw the Bulls acquiring Lonzo Ball and DeMar Derozan. Chicago’s season started off like one giant Sportscenter highlight reel, only to nosedive after ten players tested positive for COVID-19 and missed portions of the season. They could never regain their rhythm and finished the season in weak fashion. The 22-23 season is their shot at redemption with a reworked and retooled roster.

Toronto Raptors - Much like the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Raptors had pretty low expectations heading into last season. They did however find themselves in the playoffs with a winning record. Coach Nick Nurse squeezed every droplet of talent and hustle out of his super athletic roster. Reigning Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes, proved to be an efficient scorer and instant contributor. They also saw productive seasons from Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, and breakout star OG Anunoby. They are all but missing one piece to move them from pretender to contender.

Charlotte Hornets - A young, talented Hornet’s roster looks to move past a drama-filled offseason and build upon last years success. The Hornets need to improve defensively, and that’s what newly hired head coach Steve Clifford is looking to instill, while keeping their up-tempo offense thriving. The potential is there, with their length and youth, the Hornets could be one of the most-improved teams on the ’22-’23 season. All eyes will be on phenom LaMelo Ball and how he continues to progress in his career as one of the league’s next up and coming point guards. Fans are growing frustrated with veteran Gordon Hayward as his efficiency is rocky and he finds himself in and out of the starting lineup. This season is pivotal for a franchise on the uptrend.

New York Knicks - Riddled with injuries and underperformance, the Knicks took multiple steps backwards from a year ago when they delighted the Big Apple and made the playoffs. Julius Randle did not have the same efficiency he had a year prior, and by the time RJ Barrett found his stride, it was too late. The addition of former Dallas Mavericks point guard Jalen Brunson could be the missing piece the Knickerbockers have long needed. Can big man Mitchell Robinson live up to his contract extension and stay healthy? Will Jalen Brunson be the franchise point guard New York has desperately needed? Will RJ Barrett continue to improve and take the next step in his young career? Will the Knicks host a post-season game at Madison Square Garden? These are all questions haunting Knicks fans this season and we will soon have answers.

Indiana Pacers - With the rebuild wheels in motion, the Pacers look to make improvements from last season when they took an injury-plagued season and hit the reset button. The team acquired exciting young point guard Tyrese Haliburton from Sacramento in exchange for Domantas Sabonis. They continued to trade away Malcolm Brogdon to Boston for draft capital and young talent, and drafted Bennedict Mathurin who looks to be a key piece in the Pacers future. The biggest unanswered question entering this season is just how well will their young nucleus perform?

Washington Wizards - For the past few seasons the dogma of the Wizards has been, “not good enough to win, but not bad enough to tank” They have surprising long-term commitment from superstar guard Bradley Beal, and its very possible they find resurgence in Kristaps Porzingis. One other bright spot on this roster (and there aren’t many) is Kyle Kuzma. Last season was a surprisingly pleasant one for the veteran forward who had been in constant trade rumors. Provided they stay healthy, and can find a formula to overachieve, the Wizards might surprise a few teams and find their way into a play-in spot for the post season.

Orlando Magic - The Magic continued to build a young core by selecting Paolo Banchero with the 1st overall pick in this year’s draft. But yet, they have absolutely no veteran leadership on their roster. Look for their young guns Cole Anthony, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs to continue to eat up minutes and use this opportunity to finetune their game. A lot needs to go right for the Magic to move up from cellar dweller, but regardless, the Magic will have another year of developing their youth and looking to the draft to build.

Detroit Pistons - Jaden Ivey is an early favorite to win Rookie of the Year, and Cade Cunningham is poised to have a successful sophomore season. Rookie big man, Jalen Duren is already drawing comparisons to other legendary center’s so keep an eye out for his above-the-rim playmaking and rim protection. The off-season additions of Kemba Walker and Alec Burks will help provide veteran leadership to this young team that should surprise a lot of opposing teams.

Western Conference

Golden State Warriors - It’s no surprise that the Warriors are favorites to repeat in ’22-’23. Steph Curry continues his dominance, while Klay Thompson’s return from injury was nothing short of a successful comeback. Jordan Poole’s breakout season last year showed the West just how scary this Warriors team is and that they could very well go back-to-back wins in the finals. The biggest question entering this season is just how critical the Warriors bench will be in holding their own.

Los Angeles Clippers - The Clippers are good. Scary good. With Kawhi Leonard and Paul George fully healthy, and a talented supporting cast in Norm Powell and Marcus Morris, look for the Clippers to make a serious run this season. The addition of John Wall (if he can stay healthy) is something that adds a lot of intrigue. He’s looked good in offseason workouts so let’s hope the veteran guard can make an impact on LA.

Phoenix Suns - With a roster loaded with talent, its shocking that they’ve flamed out in the playoffs in such fashion. Led by Devin Booker, things looked bleak when DeAndre Ayton looked like he was going to sign with the Pacers, but in the 25th hour, Phoenix matched the offer and retained him. If things don’t change in Phoenix, expect a change in the locker room, because this team isn’t getting any younger, especially point guard Chris Paul.

Denver Nuggets - After surviving injuries to Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. the Denver Nuggets look to live up to the expectations and make some noise in the West come playoff time. They’re still short a piece so it’s possible they make a move, but they can’t rely solely on reigning two-time MVP Nikola Jokic. They may find themselves in a similar situation as the Suns and have to make some changes.

Dallas Mavericks - The Luca Doncic led Mavericks are in a difficult spot after a fantastic ’22 postseason run. Number one, can they repeat the success without Jalen Brunson who took the money and ran to New York. Brunson played a big role in their postseason success, but veteran point guard Spencer Dinwiddie can step in and fill that role. Newly acquired center Christian Wood looks to continue to fill out the stat sheet the way he did on the Rockets and provide some much-needed defense and height around the basket. Luka will look to continue to solidify his reputation as one of the league’s elite players and make a run at an MVP award.

New Orleans Pelicans - The Pelicans are going to surprise a lot of teams this season. For starters Zion Williamson is back. Weight issues aside, Zion is one of the most polarizing and electrifying players in NBA history. They surprised a lot of teams when they went out and acquired CJ McCollum, who has proven to be a reliable scoring threat. Brandon Ingram has improved leaps and bounds and shouldered the load during Zion’s absence. They also have Devonte Graham, who has shown promise to be a legit sixth man off the bench contributor.

Minnesota Timberwolves - Despite giving up the farm, the newly acquired Rudy Gobert is exactly what they needed. As mentioned, they gave up a lot in the trade so it will be interesting to see how they handle depth and who will step in at what role. Despite these unanswered questions, look for Anthony Edwards to continue to evolve into a superstar and Karl Anthony-Towns to continue his elite status in the NBA.

Memphis Grizzlies - Last year’s Grizzlies team impressed just about everyone. And that’s why reality might set in and they come back down to earth. Point guard Ja Morant is a bona fide star, etching his name in the discussion for top-five point guard in the league. The one weakness they have is lack of experience. They have talent in Jaren Jackson Jr and Dillon Brooks, but the roster gets a little thin after that.

Los Angeles Lakers - My how the mighty have fallen. On paper (and in reality) the Lakers are nothing special. Led by a 38-year-old LeBron James, and an often-injured Anthony Davis, the Lakers are in unfamiliar waters. What was once a championship team in 2020, is now a roster filled with aging players, and an untradable Russell Westbrook contract. LeBron will continue to defy father time and put together another stellar season, but that’s about the only thing positive coming out of the Lakers. If Alfred Hitchcock wanted to make a horror film about basketball, he’d have the perfect concept in Tinseltown.

Sacramento Kings - For a team that’s had more draft lottery picks than any GM would know what to do with, they have very little if anything to show for. The Kings are notorious for choosing the wrong player year after year. Their next victim is Keegan Murray, who by all accounts could reverse the trend, however, its too early to tell. Fans were left scratching their head last season when they traded a budding star in Tyrese Haliburton for Domantas Sabonis. The jury is still out on De’Aaron Fox whether he can be an efficient scorer and lead this team. The biggest question facing the Kings is, do they want to become relevant and a halfway decent team? Or do they want to continue stockpiling lottery picks without any rhyme or reason.

Portland Trailblazers - Damian Lillard, its okay if you want to leave Portland. Get out while you still have time! The Trail Blazers by all accounts have done nothing to entice the All-star guard into wanting to stay and make a run for a championship. They have a new GM, traded away Dame’s backcourt mate CJ McCollum, and essentially waved the white flag. Their best bet is to further strip it down and start fresh. The clock is ticking on “Dame Time” and it’s only a matter of time before Dame becomes the next disgruntled NBA star requesting a trade.

Utah Jazz - Utah is an interesting case. They have essentially a new roster after a summer fire sale in which they dealt Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, their two best players. Trading the two was a smart move and they got a king’s ransom in return. Draft picks are essential for a rebuilding team, and young players with potential never hurt a franchise looking to rebuild. They’ll have Collin Sexton running the point, who will look to continue his elite scoring and play making abilities. They still have Jordan Clarkson and veteran guard Mike Conley. With Danny Ainge now running things, look for the Jazz to head in a new direction, and acquire draft capital in a full rebuild.

San Antonio Spurs - What was once a perennial Western Conference contender, is now a lottery bound laggard. For years the Spurs were a model franchise headed by legendary coach Gregg Popovich. Well, all good things must come to an end. Pop’s days in San Antonio are coming to an end and I doubt he’s got the patience or interest in sticking around for a rebuild. They have some young talent in Romeo Langford and Keldon Johnson; however, they’ll still be one of the worst teams in the league vying for the #1 pick in the 2023 Draft.

Houston Rockets - The future is bright in H-Town. They have a young up-tempo backcourt in Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. Green looks to be every bit the emerging star that we thought he’d be, and Porter Jr. looks to be a capable floor general. They drafted Jabari Smith Jr in last year’s draft and fans are excited to see what he will bring to this young Rockets team. They’ll be bad. They’ll lose lots of games, but they have a direction, cap space, and lottery picks.

Oklahoma City Thunder - Thunder fans were recently dealt a blow when Chet Holmgren, their 2022 prized draft pick and cornerstone piece to the rebuild, severely injured his foot in a summer Pro-Am game. The silver lining to it, is it gives him an entire year to physically prepare himself and get his frame ready for NBA action. The Thunder still have Josh Giddey, who is turning into one of the league’s young rising playmakers, and of course Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who continues to blossom. The question is, just how long will SGA continue to want to stay in OKC? The losing has to wear thin on a player with so much potential.