NBA Season Predictions for 2022-23
Our panel of NBA experts make their predictions for the 2022-23 season
Introduction
The NBA is a Professional Basketball league in North America The league was founded in 1946 and consists of 30 teams. Each team plays an 82-game regular season followed by a postseason tournament.
The 2022-23 NBA season will be the 77th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The regular season will begin in October 2022 and end in April 2023. The playoffs will then take place from May to June 2023.
This article will make predictions for the upcoming NBA season It will discuss which teams are most likely to win the championship, which players will be the most valuable, and which rookies are most likely to make an impact.
Eastern Conference
It’s hard to believe, but the NBA season is just around the corner. With training camp underway and the preseason games beginning soon, it’s time to start thinking about who will be the contenders and who will be the pretenders in the upcoming season In the Eastern Conference there are a few teams that stand out as potential contenders for the conference title
The Milwaukee Bucks are the reigning conference champions and they are looking to repeat in 2022-23. They have one of the best players in the league in Giannis Antetokounmpo and they also added some valuable pieces in the offseason, including Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton They are clear favorites to win the conference again.
The Brooklyn Nets made a huge splash in the offseason by signing superstar Kevin Durant and trading for All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving They also have a very talented young core led by Jarrett Allen and Caris Levert The Nets are clearly a team on the rise and they will be a force to be reckoned with in the East.
The Philadelphia 76ers made some big changes in the offseason, hiring Doc Rivers as their new Head Coach and trading for All-Star center Joel Embiid They also added some nice complementary pieces, including shooting guard Danny Green and small forward Tobias Harris The 76ers have all of the pieces in place to make a run at an Eastern Conference title.
The Boston Celtics made it to the Eastern Conference Finals last season without Kyrie Irving or Gordon Hayward so they will be even better this season with those two All-Stars back healthy and ready to go. They also added veteran center Al Horford in Free agency and drafted promising point guard Marcus Smart The Celtics look like they could be one of the top teams in not only the East, but also the entire league.
Western Conference
It’s never too early to start thinking about next season, so with that in mind, let’s take a look at how the Western Conference might shake out in 2022-23.
The Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets are obviously the two frontrunners, but there are a few other teams that could make some noise. The Los Angeles Lakers will be looking to defend their title, while the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers could be dark horse contenders.
In the end, though, it’s hard to bet against the Warriors and Rockets. They’ve been the class of the conference for years, and there’s no reason to think that will change any time soon.
NBA Finals
In what is sure to be an eventful offseason, many teams will be looking to improve their rosters via free agency or the trade market. The Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets are currently the favorites to win the NBA Finals in 2022-23, according to Vegas oddsmakers. The Lakers are coming off a championship season in which they defeated the Nets in seven games.
Conclusion
The 2022-23 season is still a long way off, but that doesn’t stop us from looking ahead and making some predictions. Here’s a look at how we think the season will shake out, from the championship contenders to the teams that will be falling short.
Championship Contenders
Los Angeles Lakers
Golden State Warriors
Houston Rockets
Boston Celtics
Milwaukee Bucks
Toronto Raptors
Philadelphia Sixers
Denver Nuggets
These are the teams that we think have the best chance of winning it all in 2022-23. The Lakers and Warriors are obviously the heavy favorites, but the Rockets, Celtics, and Bucks should also be in contention. The Raptors and Sixers are a step below those teams but still have a chance to make some noise come playoff time. Finally, the Nuggets round out our list of contenders as a team that could make a deep run if everything breaks right for them.
Pretenders
Cleveland Cavaliers
New York Knicks
Phoenix Suns
Chicago Bulls
These are the teams that we think will be pretenders in 2022-23. The Cavaliers and Knicks simply don’t have the talent to compete with the elite teams in the league, while the Suns and Bulls are still a few years away from being true contenders.