Predictions for the 2022-2023 NBA Season
The 2022-23 NBA season began on October 19th, and although it’s only been a few weeks, I think it’s safe to say we are in for yet another fun and exciting season. In this article, I’ll be giving you some of my predictions for what will happen during the season.
The Milwaukee Bucks win the NBA Championship, and Giannis Antetokounmpo wins Finals MVP.
The Bucks won the NBA title in 2020-21, and last season looked poised to repeat as champions. In the first round of the playoffs, however, All-Star forward Khris Middleton suffered an MCL sprain and was out for the rest of the playoffs. The Bucks still won their first-round series against the Chicago Bulls and took the Boston Celtics to seven games in the second round, but without Middleton they were not able to get past the Celtics.
This season, the Bucks have jumped out to a 6-0 start even without Middleton, who is still out with injury. Antetokounmpo has been awesome as usual, averaging 33.8 points and 12.8 rebounds per game, and the Bucks look like one of the best teams in the league. Once Middleton returns, he will provide the Bucks with the boost they need to get past the Celtics, Warriors, or any other top contenders, and win the NBA Championship.
Luka Doncic wins 2022-23 NBA MVP: Mavericks star point guard Luka Doncic has gotten off to a great start to the 2022-23 season, averaging 36.7 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per game. Thus far, opponents of the Mavericks have adopted a strategy of sticking closer to the Mavericks’ other players and helping less, allowing Doncic to score more while having to involve his teammates less. This strategy has allowed Doncic to put up very impressive stats thus far, and if this continues, he will finish the season with some amazing numbers and have a good chance to win MVP.
Furthermore, with guard Jalen Brunson leaving for the New York Knicks, Doncic will have even more opportunities to put up a lot of points, rebounds, and assists for the Mavericks. Lastly, Doncic led the Mavericks to the Western Conference Finals last season, and I think they are poised to be one of the top seeds in the Western Conference this year and finish with a good record. As team success is an important consideration in choosing the MVP, this will help Doncic’s MVP case. These reasons are why I predict that Luka Doncic will win his first NBA MVP in the 2022- 23 season. New York Knicks will make the NBA Playoffs in 2022-23.
After a successful 2020-21 season in which the Knicks went 41-31 and earned the four seed in the Eastern Conference, the Knicks had a disappointing 2021-22 season, finishing 37-45 as the 11 seed in the Eastern Conference. I predict that in 2022-23, the Knicks will rebound from last season and return to the playoffs. I am a Knicks fan, so I may be somewhat biased, but I legitimately think this team has a pretty good roster and that they will win enough games to get a playoff spot.
So far this season, they jumped out to a 3-1 start but have lost their last two games, currently having a 3-3 record. Julius Randle, Jalen Brunson, and RJ Barrett, the Knicks’ top three players, have all been solid, averaging 18.3, 18.2, and 17.7 points per game, respectively. I think at least some of these averages will go up, and the Knicks’ young role players like Obi Toppin, Immanuel Quickley, Cam Reddish, Mitchell Robinson, and Isaiah Hartenstein will get better and better throughout the season. This, along with the Knicks’ defense, which, under coach Tom Thibodeau, usually does a good job limiting their opponent’s offense, will bring the Knicks back to the playoffs in 2022-23.