Throughout his illustrious career, NBA superstar LeBron James is used to making history. But becoming a part of the first NBA father and son duo--playing on the same team with his son Bronny--is easily one of his greatest accomplishments. Setting the stage for the rest of the season, LeBron and Bronny made their debut on the court together on Sunday (Oct. 7) as the Los Angeles Lakers took on the Phoenix Suns at the Arcisure Arena. Bronny, who was celebrating his 20th birthday, checked into the game during the second quarter and joined LeBron in the historic moment. Although Bronny went scoreless, LeBron put up 19 points with 8-of-12 shooting and looked to be in good mid-season form. On Oct. 22, the father and son duo will play in their first televised game when the Lakers play the Minnesota Timberwolves.

After coming up short on several occasions, the Boston Celtics won the 2023-24 championship. In a dominating playoff performance, the Celtics won their league-leading 18th title. Following a successful campaign, it would seem like the Celts would be resting on their laurels. But the team is more motivated than ever. With Jason Tatum’s lack of playing time at the Summer Olympics and Jaylen Brown’s snub from the same team, the Celtics are coming into the season with a chip on their collective shoulders that head coach Joe Mazzulla loves. When asked about the pressure of being the defending champions of the league, Mazzulla had an interesting response during Media Day. "If you look at the animal kingdom, some of the strongest animals don't defend; they're the most aggressive, and they attack the most," he told the media. "Whether you've won or haven't won, your mindset can't change." With Tatum, Brown Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, and Kristaps Porziņģis all set to return, the Celtics are looking to be the first team since the 2017 and 2018 Golden State Warriors to win back-to-back chips.

Dynasties are hard to build and even tougher to maintain. If any team in the league knows about this reality it is the Golden State Warriors. Led by the brilliance of Stephen Curry, the Warriors have won four championships in the last decades. But this season will be the most difficult for the squad. Curry’s running mate Klay Thompson signed with the Dallas Mavericks in the off-season, questions of whether Draymond Green can stay on the court following several suspensions, and the team's current roster construction cause us to question if the dynasty can withstand. While the Warriors are not favorites in the highly-competitive Western Conference, if basketball pundits and fans have learned anything, it is to never underestimate “Chef Curry.” 

To say that the In-Season Tournament was a success last year would be an understatement. According to reports, the tournament averaged 4,580,000 viewers and was the most-watched non-Christmas NBA game during the regular season on any network in almost six years. In stunning fashion, Lakers won the inaugural NBA Cup, now known as the Emirates NBA Cup. Not only were the ratings through the roof but it gave players more court time instead of coasting to the playoffs. As the tournament goes through changes and gets better, the In-Season Tournament will become a hallmark of the NBA for years to come. Who will win the Cup this year?

One of the more anticipated aspects of the season is the battle for league MVP. Universally regarded as the best player in the league, Denver Nuggets Center Nikola Jokić won the award last season and took home the trophy 2020–21 and 2021–22. This season, “The Joker” will have plenty of competition as he looks to join the rarefied air of NBA legends such as Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michel Jordan, and LeBron James who have four or more MVP titles. This season, Jokić will be facing former MVPs Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid along with the likes of Jason Tatum, Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Luka Dončić. The 2023-24 MVP race has the potential to be one of the best ones in years.

During the offseason, several marquee players will be playing for new teams. Klay Thompson took his talents to the Mavericks after spending his entire career as a Warrior. Paul George is leaving his hometown of Los Angeles to join the Philadelphia 76ers. Karl-Anthony Towns was traded to the New York Knicks in exchange for Julius Randle. DeMar DeRozan is now a Sacramento King and Russell Westbrook has joined the Nuggets. With this many strategic moves, each team is attempting to position themselves to make a run at the chip.