The 2022–23 NBA season was the 77th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The regular season began on October 18, 2022, and ended on April 9, 2023. The 2023 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 19, 2023, at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City. The play-in tournament was held on April 11–14, 2023. The 2023 NBA playoffs then began on April 15, and ended on June 12 with the Denver Nuggets defeating the Miami Heat in 5 games in the 2023 NBA Finals.
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Retirement On July 21, 2022, J. J. Barea announced his retirement from professional basketball. He won an NBA championship with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011 and multiple gold medals with the Puerto Rican national team. On August 20, 2022, Gustavo Ayón announced his retirement from professional basketball. He played three seasons in the NBA and won multiple titles in the EuroLeague and Spanish League in his 16-year career. On September 3, 2022, Jodie Meeks announced his retirement from professional basketball. He played for seven teams in his 10-year NBA career and won an NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors in 2019. On September 6, 2022, Toure' Murry announced his retirement from professional basketball. He played for three teams during his two-year NBA career, as well as numerous teams overseas. On October 26, 2022, Gal Mekel announced his retirement from professional basketball. He played for two teams during his two-year NBA career. On November 29, 2022, Chandler Hutchison announced his retirement from professional basketball. He played for three teams during his four-year NBA career. On December 15, 2022, Tyrell Terry announced his retirement from professional basketball. He played for two teams during his two-year NBA career. On December 24, 2022, Jon Teske announced his retirement from professional basketball. Teske played three games for the Memphis Grizzlies in 2022. On March 31, 2023, LaMarcus Aldridge announced his retirement from professional basketball. He played for three teams during his 16-year NBA career, earned seven NBA All-Star honors, as well as five All-NBA selections. On May 4, 2023, Keith Langford announced his retirement from professional basketball. Langford played two games for the San Antonio Spurs in 2007. On May 22, 2023, Carmelo Anthony announced his retirement from the NBA. He played for six teams in 19 NBA seasons, earned 10 NBA All-Star honors, as well as six All-NBA selections, led the league in scoring during the 2012–13 season, and was selected to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. On June 2, 2023, Shayne Whittington announced his retirement from professional basketball to become an assistant coach for the Indiana Pacers. He played two seasons for the Pacers as well as several teams overseas. On June 9, 2023, Eugene Jeter announced his retirement from professional basketball to become a player development coach for the Portland Trail Blazers as well as assistant GM for the Rip City Remix. Jeter played one season for the Sacramento Kings, as well as numerous teams overseas.
Draft The 2022 NBA draft took place on June 23, 2022, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Paolo Banchero was selected with the first overall pick by the Orlando Magic.
Free agency With the previous season's NBA Finals ending in June for the first time since 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic began, the period for free agency returned to its normal July 1 starting date, along with the July moratorium period before players could begin signing new contracts.
In July 2022, the Philadelphia 76ers were charged with violating the league's moratorium in free agency discussions with P. J. Tucker and Danuel House Jr. and subsequently had two-second round picks rescinded by the league.
Preseason The NBA often hosts preseason games in non-NBA markets, with the following being played domestically: +DateTeamsArenaLocationReferenceOctober 3Los Angeles Clippers vs. Portland Trail Blazers Climate Pledge ArenaSeattle, WashingtonOctober 5Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Dallas MavericksBOK CenterTulsa, OklahomaLos Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix SunsT-Mobile ArenaParadise, NevadaOctober 6Los Angeles Lakers vs. Minnesota TimberwolvesOctober 7Charlotte Hornets vs. Boston CelticsGreensboro ColiseumGreensboro, North CarolinaOctober 14New Orleans Pelicans vs. Atlanta HawksLegacy ArenaBirmingham, Alabama
International games Preseason contests in the NBA Global Games returned for the first time since the 2019 preseason, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. +DateTeamsArenaLocationReferenceSeptember 30Golden State Warriors vs. Washington WizardsSaitama Super ArenaTokyo, JapanOctober 2Toronto Raptors vs. Utah JazzRogers PlaceEdmonton, Alberta, CanadaOctober 6Atlanta Hawks vs. Milwaukee BucksEtihad ArenaAbu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesOctober 8October 14Toronto Raptors vs. Boston CelticsBell Centre Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Regular season The regular season schedule was released on August 17, 2022.
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
By conference
Notes z – Clinched home court advantage for the entire playoffs c – Clinched home court advantage for the conference playoffs y – Clinched division title x – Clinched playoff spot pi – Clinched play-in tournament spot * – Division leader
International games After nearly three years without an international regular season game due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NBA brought back the NBA Global Games with two regular season matchups: Date Teams Arena Location ReferenceNBA Mexico City Game 2022 December 17 Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs Mexico City Arena Mexico City, MexicoNBA Paris Game 2023 January 19 Chicago Bulls vs. Detroit Pistons Accor Arena Paris, France
Play-in tournament
Only the top six seeds in each conference after regular season advanced to the main rounds of the 2023 NBA playoffs, while the teams ranked 7th through 10th in each conference participated in a Page playoff system tournament from April 11–14, 2023, to determine 7th and 8th seeded teams in each conference making playoffs. To this end in each conference: 1) The 7th place team hosted the 8th place team in the double-chance round needing to win one game to advance, with the winner clinching the 7th seed in the playoffs. 2) Each of the 9th place team and the 10th place team required two wins to advance to the playoffs. The 9th place team hosted the 10th place team in the elimination round, with the loser being eliminated from the contention. 3) The loser in the double-chance round hosted the elimination round game-winner, with the winner clinching the 8th seed and the loser being eliminated.
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
Playoffs
The playoffs began on April 15, 2023.
Bracket
Statistics
Individual statistic leaders Category Player Team(s) Statistic Points per game Joel Embiid Philadelphia 76ers 33.1 Rebounds per game Domantas Sabonis Sacramento Kings 12.3 Assists per game James Harden Philadelphia 76ers 10.7 Steals per game O.G. Anunoby Toronto Raptors 1.9 Blocks per game Jaren Jackson Jr. Memphis Grizzlies 3.0 Turnovers per game Trae Young Atlanta Hawks 4.1 Fouls per game Jaren Jackson Jr. Memphis Grizzlies 3.6 Minutes per game Pascal Siakam Toronto Raptors 37.3 FG% Nic Claxton Brooklyn Nets 70.5% FT% Tyler Herro Miami Heat 93.4% 3P% Luke Kennard L.A. Clippers/Memphis 49.4% Efficiency per game Nikola Jokić Denver Nuggets 38.0 Double-doubles Domantas Sabonis Sacramento Kings 65 Triple-doubles Nikola Jokić Denver Nuggets 29
Individual game highs Category Player Team Statistic Points Damian Lillard Portland Trail Blazers 71 Donovan Mitchell Cleveland Cavaliers Rebounds Ivica Zubac Los Angeles Clippers 29 Assists James Harden Philadelphia 76ers 21 Steals De'Anthony Melton Philadelphia 76ers 7 D'Angelo Russell Minnesota Timberwolves Blocks Brook Lopez Milwaukee Bucks 9 Three pointers Damian Lillard Portland Trail Blazers 13
Team statistic leaders Category Team Statistic Points per game Sacramento Kings 120.7 Rebounds per game Milwaukee Bucks 48.6 Assists per game Golden State Warriors 29.8 Steals per game Toronto Raptors 9.4 Blocks per game Brooklyn Nets 6.2 Turnovers per game Golden State Warriors 15.7 Fouls per game Detroit Pistons 22.1 FG% Denver Nuggets 50.4% FT% Philadelphia 76ers 83.6% 3P% Philadelphia 76ers 38.7% +/− Boston Celtics +6.5
Awards Beginning with this season, the team who finished with the best overall regular season record would receive the Maurice Podoloff Trophy, named in honor of Maurice Podoloff, who served as the commissioner of the NBA from 1946 to 1963. The Podoloff Trophy was originally given to the NBA's Most Valuable Player of the regular season until . The MVP trophy was then renamed in honor of Michael Jordan, a five-time winner and often considered the greatest player in league history. A new award, the Clutch Player of the Year Award, was also introduced to honor players who best come through for their teammates in the clutch. This trophy was named after Jerry West.
The league also announced updated trophy designs for the Coach of the Year Award, Defensive Player of the Year Award, Executive of the Year Award, Most Improved Player Award, Rookie of the Year Award, Sixth Man of the Year Award, Sportsmanship Award, and the Teammate of the Year Award. The Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player, Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year trophies were then renamed in honor of Hakeem Olajuwon, George Mikan, Wilt Chamberlain, and John Havlicek respectively.
Yearly awards + 2022–23 NBA awards Award Recipient(s) Finalists Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid Giannis Antetokounmpo Nikola Jokić Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. Brook Lopez Evan Mobley Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero Walker Kessler Jalen Williams Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon Bobby Portis Immanuel Quickley Most Improved Player Lauri Markkanen Jalen Brunson Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Clutch Player of the Year De'Aaron Fox Jimmy Butler DeMar DeRozan Coach of the Year Mike Brown Mark Daigneault Joe Mazzulla Executive of the Year Monte McNair Koby Altman Calvin Booth Justin Zanik NBA Sportsmanship Award Mike Conley Jr. Boban Marjanović Darius Garland Bam Adebayo Harrison Barnes Jalen Brunson Twyman–Stokes Teammate of the Year Award Jrue Holiday Community Assist Award Brook Lopez Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award Stephen Curry Chris Paul Jaren Jackson Jr. Tre Jones Grant Williams NBA Hustle Award Marcus Smart NBA Conference Finals Most Valuable Player Award Nikola Jokić NBA Conference Finals Most Valuable Player Award Jimmy Butler
All-NBA First Team: F Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks F Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics C Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers G Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
All-NBA Second Team: F Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat F Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics C Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets G Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers G Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
All-NBA Third Team: F Julius Randle, New York Knicks F LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers C Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings G De'Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings G Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
NBA All-Defensive First Team: F Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies F Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers C Brook Lopez, Milwaukee Bucks G Jrue Holiday, Milwaukee Bucks G Alex Caruso, Chicago Bulls
NBA All-Defensive Second Team: F O.G. Anunoby, Toronto Raptors F Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors C Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat G Derrick White, Boston Celtics G Dillon Brooks, Memphis Grizzlies
NBA All-Rookie First Team: Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz Bennedict Mathurin, Indiana Pacers Keegan Murray, Sacramento Kings Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder
NBA All-Rookie Second Team: Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons Tari Eason, Houston Rockets Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons Jabari Smith Jr., Houston Rockets Jeremy Sochan, San Antonio Spurs
Players of the Week