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The National Basketball Association is the United States of America’s most popular basketball league (and possibly the most popular basketball league in the world). It is one of the four major leagues in the States, and among them is ranked third in terms of revenue.
The 2022/23 NBA season is just around the corner, and many fans, both casual and dedicated, as well as many punters are preparing for it. Bookmakers, both online and land-based, have already set up the odds and have chosen their favorites to win the finals.
While the top of the list is held by the usual suspects, there are quite a few teams that many are hoping might surprise this season. In this article, we are going to take a look at five NBA teams that might just come out as the black horse of the 2022/23 season.
The Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets have a surprisingly good shot of standing above the competition in 2022. During the 2021/22 season they had an interesting roster, which mainly shone thanks to their offensive versatility. The team also had quite a few stand-out players, whose showings have been recognized, not just by the public and by the sports media, but also by online betting apps, that have set up some odds bearing these players in mind.
LaMello Ball is most likely fresh on everyone’s mind, as he earned himself the Rookie of the Year award with his spectacular showings. Many consider Ball to be a great candidate for leader in the team’s future. Apart from LaMello, Terry Rozier was another standout, clenching numbers to rival the all-stars.
The Portland Trail Blazers
Every year, like clockwork, punters and fans will hear the same phrase from some fans. “This will be the year of Portland.” Well, this time, these fans might be right. Damian Lillard is making a comeback in 2022, and he might just be performing better than ever, thanks to his surgery.
Earlier in the summer, the Trail Blazers were trying to acquire Julius Randle, which, unfortunately for them, seems to have gone south. However, there is still a chance for them to get Randle to join during the season. For anyone interested, all trades as of now are here, ready to be viewed.
Toronto Raptors
Due to the circumstances that the Raptors were put in in 2019, the team has suffered quite a bit. Their move to Tampa Bay, Florida proved quite unfortunate, and it certainly took some adjusting for them to make a comeback. On top of that, their top player, Kyle Lowry left the team, leaving the franchise without what many consider to be their best player.
However, it seems that the comeback is just around the corner. The Raptors have added quite a few great players to their roster, including Scottie Barnes and Goran Dragic. They’ve also shifted their strategy to favor some great players, meaning that they might show off quite a bit of spunk in the coming season.
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets have certainly disappointed fans in the past couple of years. They have continuously underperformed, even though the team features some great players, most notable among them being the two-time MVP winner, Nikola Jokic. The team has certainly been having a rough time of it in the past few years.
However, this all might change in 2022 and 2023. After all, the Nuggs have been playing without their two foundational players, Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray. According to schedules though, these two will be playing for the team in the next season.
With the trio of Jokic, Porter Jr. and Murray at the helm of the team, the Denver Nuggets are certainly a team to watch out for once more. Nuggs fans are excited, at the very least.
Golden State Warriors
Last on our list, we are looking at the Golden State Warriors. Headed by Stephen Curry, who has shown that he can still play on the level of an MVP, the Warriors have a very good chance of clenching the win this season. Steve Kerr has shown quite a bit of positivity when it comes to the next season of the NBA.
But it isn’t just Curry that carries the Warriors. They have quite a few players that might change the course of the season for the team. Draymond Green is one of the best defensive players today and Klay Thompson is making a comeback. With all this in mind, the Warriors have a good chance to surprise.
Conclusion
For fans of the NBA, these are the five teams that might surprise you this season. If you are interested in other sports, potential NFL surprising teams can be seen here, and there is quite a large increase in the popularity of soccer in the USA.
