The 2023-24 NBA season was a memorable one. From individual highlights to league-changing conspiracy theories to hilarious interactions with fans, coaches, and even DJs, a lot happened.
I’ve highlighted my eight favorite moments below (in no particular order). Of course, my list is entirely subjective. I’d love to hear more about what you’ll remember—leave a comment! And please don’t forget to like and share my posts; I appreciate those of you who are habitual “likers,” as every bit of positive feedback helps me defeat the Algorithm Dreadful. Don’t be shy about hitting that heart button, leaving a comment, or sharing, and thanks a ton to those of you who already have!
1) Steve Kerr hates techno
After a loss in Phoenix, Steve Kerr put on his best Grumpy Old Man suit and complained about the in-arena music.
“In this building, you can’t hear anything because it’s like a club,” Kerr said at his post-game press conference. “It’s like a South Beach club out there. What are we doing? I’m being dead serious. I couldn’t hear anything. It’s thumping techno club music. Can we just have a basketball game anymore?”
While the phrase “techno club music” coming from Steve Kerr’s mouth was amusing enough, the Suns’ in-house DJ took it a step further:
(The music is Benny Benassi’s classic record “Satisfaction,” in case you’re wondering.)
Kerr responded by showing up to the next game against the Suns with a smirk and noise-canceling earphones, explaining that “hundreds” of people had sent him the song.
Might want to pack those every time you visit the Suns in the future, Steve. I suspect you’ll be hearing this remix a lot more.
2) The uniqueness of Wembanyama
Wembanyama was the most hyped rookie in years, and he more than delivered. I was roundly mocked for making a Defensive Player of the Year case for Wemby halfway through the season, so allow me to fill some smug superiority that he finished second in the eventual DPOY voting while leading the league in blocks and “holy sh*t!” moments.
Wembanyama finished his season as a far more effective defensive than offensive player. However, he still shot 38% on a high volume of pull-up threes, averaged four assists despite a woeful supporting cast, flashed uncanny ballhandling, and showed off the full dunk package:
Having a Quetzalcoatlian wingspan is helpful, of course, but saying Wembanyama is good simply because he’s long does a disservice to his intelligence and skill. If you’re like me, you may need to watch this clip twice to figure out where the hell the ball went:
My favorite thing about Wemby was watching him expand his skills in real time. Every week, he unveiled a new move or showed a greater understanding of the NBA game. It’s impossible to be hyperbolic about his potential.
I’ve written plenty about Wembanyama this season and will write plenty more in the coming years. Here’s to our future basketball overlord.
3) Max Strus, Kyrie Irving, and Luka Doncic game-winners
The Dallas Mavericks found themselves on both sides of my three favorite buzzer-beaters from the season.
First, we had The Max Strus Game. In a wild back-and-forth contest, the Cavaliers found themselves down 10 with 3:57 to go. Then Strus stook over, making four triples in just 67 seconds to get Cleveland within one point. The teams battled back and forth from there, culminating in the sequence you see here:
This was the second-longest game-winner of the play-by-play era, only surpassed by Devonte’ Graham’s shot from a few years ago.
The Strus heave was even more miraculous because it came right after giving up a backbreaking go-ahead layup that put the Mavs up one — if he doesn’t make this shot, there is no overtime.
The Mavericks felt much better about the outcome of a tilt against Denver a few weeks later. In a potential playoff preview (oops!), the two teams traded haymakers before Kyrie Irving dealt the knockout blow with his ridiculous lefty running hook shot:
And if we’re talking Mavericks’ game-winners, we must include Luka Doncic’s nasty stepback on Rudy Gobert to win Game 2 against Minnesota in the Western Conference Finals:
Dallas not only had an awesome season culminating in an NBA Finals appearance but also provided us with the tableau for three of the season's most remarkable shots.
4) The entire Knicks-76ers first-round series
Per ESPN, five playoff games since 1997 have featured a comeback of five or more points in the final 30 seconds; Games 2 and 5 of this series both hit that mark. Five of the six games finished with a final margin of seven or fewer points.
A hindered Joel Embiid dropped 50. Jalen Brunson scored at least 39 points in each of the series' last four games. There were controversial reffing decisions, fantastic individual performances from stars and role players alike, and even shocking injury announcements, like Embiid’s admission halfway through the series that he was suffering from Bell’s Palsy.
I’ve heard a lot of people complaining that this was a boring playoffs overall, and I’d quibble with that. It feels like a hindsight-driven reaction to the Celtics’ dominant run. There are always incredible moments in any playoffs; it just so happens that they were more concentrated in a handful of series this year.
5) The decline in whistles
At this point, the decreased number of penalty stoppages (of all kinds, not just fouls) that started before the All-Star break has been well-documented. I don’t have much to add here quantitatively, but qualitatively, it ruled.
Most importantly, for the first time in years, defenders could actually absorb the blow from a moving offensive player without an automatic blocking foul. The season’s second-half changes resulted in a more streamlined, enjoyable viewing experience with less referee involvement. Games were faster-paced and shorter. Counterintuitively, the lack of whistles resulted in noticeably less complaining from players — they couldn’t take the time to whine if the ball was headed back the other way.
I’m not sure what will happen next season. There is a concern that the increased physicality may have led to more injuries, although it’s hard to prove this with such small sample sizes, and the league did face a bit of a backlash for the clandestine nature of the changes. But I hope it sticks. Regular-season NBA games haven’t been this smooth in a long time.
6) Boban, man of the people
Team in-game production staffs are always looking for ideas to keep fans engaged with the game. One classic is giving away free food if an opposing player misses both free throws in the fourth quarter.
And you know what? It works. It might be a 30-point blowout, and people will still get a thrill when an opponent misses the front end of a free throw set.
So imagine the crowd’s reaction when Boban Marjanović missed a free throw in a meaningless win over the Clippers in the last game of the season, proceeded to inform the crowd, “I got you,” and then clanked the second on purpose.
Actually, you don’t have to imagine. Here it is:
Truly a legendary performance from one of the NBA’s most beloved vets.
7) The In-Season Tournament
It feels like forever ago, but the In-Season tournament was an absolute blast. I loved the disgustingly garish courts, the players (and coaches!) played (and coached!) like they cared, and the games did feel different. We had actual December storylines, not just Trade Machine art and social media drama!
Looking back, the IST was the Indiana Pacers' coming-out party. The Pacers stormed their way through the single-elimination tournament before ultimately falling to the Lakers, who were led by a very motivated LeBron James.
The IST was a massive hit among media and diehard fans, although it’s unclear whether most of the general NBA fandom cared much. But the league knew it would take years to develop into an actual event, and they hit the ground running.
8) The Anthony Edwards miss-and-block
The most jaw-dropping play of the season wasn’t a buzzer-beating shot or monster dunk. Instead, it was this sequence in which Anthony Edwards missed a crucial free throw but salvaged the game with a dome-bruising block of Aaron Nesmith:
Edwards smashed his head on the rim (!!), causing a scary, off-balance fall, but bounced right back up to celebrate as time expired.
This season, Edwards showed new levels of two-way productivity while leading the Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals. His ability to take another leap will be one of next season’s most important storylines, but he is already the NBA’s unquestioned leader in highlights.