We’re just days away from the 2022-23 NBA season. So, judging by what we’ve seen thus far from the offseason and how the teams have fared through training camp, we feel quite comfortable sharing our NBA preseason predictions 2022.
NBA preseason predictions 2022
The NBA is where amazing happens, and this season won’t be the exception to that rule.
We expect there to be plenty of surprises and excitement, and while that makes going on a limb to make a prediction a tough task, we still believe at least half of these will come true.
Suns are a first-round exit
If you read our NBA preseason predictions 2022-23, then you may know we’re not too high on the Phoenix Suns this season.
Yes, they’ve been one of the best teams in the league for two years straight, but their latest statements, body language, and overall narratives around the locker room are quite worrisome, to say the least.
Monty Williams and Deandre Ayton don’t talk to each other. Devin Booker seems more concerned about proving people wrong than hooping, and Chris Paul isn’t getting any younger. They should still be a top five team in the West, but we predict another postseason meltdown and an embarrassing first-round exit this season.
Warriors trade Draymond Green
Yes, you’ve read that right. The Golden State Warriors will move on from Draymond Green in the aftermath of his punch on Jordan Poole. He failed them as a leader again, just like he did in the 2016 NBA Finals with his suspension and then by confronting Kevin Durant right in the middle of a game.
Green knows he’s not getting the extension he wants, so he might well force his way out of the Bay area. Some may even think that all the fuss about the fight with Poole, and even the leaked video, were a part of Rich Paul’s plan to get him to the Los Angeles Lakers. He’s sneaky and slick, so it wouldn’t be shocking.
Zion plays 70+ games
Zion Williamson has faced plenty of criticism for his poor eating habits and being out of shape, but he’s slimmer than ever now. He seems motivated to prove his critics wrong, and we believe he’s going to make at least 70 appearances this season while averaging north of 27 points on 50% from the floor.
The former first-overall pick is one of the most physically imposing players to ever set foot on a basketball hardwood, and his unmatched athleticism will help him turn a lot of heads. We also expect him to be an All-Star, an MVP candidate, and a top five player in terms of points per game next season.
Timberwolves have three All-Stars
Our NBA preseason predictions 2022 have the Minnesota Timberwolves as a top five team in the Western Conference, although we’re still not fully convinced in Rudy Gobert‘s ability to coexist with Karl-Anthony Towns in the paint. That could either go very well or very bad, but they’ll need to find ways to make it work.
Anthony Edwards is a blossoming star and is going to take yet another leap forward in his career. He’ll be an All-Star for the first time and will be joined by Towns and Gobert. The Timberwolves will win close to 50 games in the regular season and then choke in the first or second round of the playoffs.
Lakers are a Play-In team
The Los Angeles Lakers were one of the most intriguing teams entering our preseason power rankings. Some believe they could go back to the top of the world and be the best team in the West, while others predict them to be as bad as they were last season. We actually side with the latter group.
Father Time spares no victims, and LeBron James has struggled with injuries as of late. That could happen again, and this team won’t be good enough to compete without him, especially considering how injury-prone Anthony Davis is as well. That alone is reason to think they’ll be a play-in team more than a playoff lock.
Joel Embiid wins MVP
Joel Embiid is one of the top basketball players in the world, yet he doesn’t get enough credit and praise as such. That will change next season when he leads the Philadelphia 76ers to the best record in the league and wins his first career MVP award.
Embiid will have the best scoring support of his career with James Harden and Tyrese Maxey around him. He’s perhaps the best pick-and-roll scoring big man in the league, and he’s been healthy for the most part of the past couple of seasons.
Nets fall in the second round
The Brooklyn Nets are the team to beat in the Eastern Conference, at least on paper. However, they’ve proved over and over that paper doesn’t win any basketball games, and their egos, poor coaching, and lack of defensive discipline continue to be massive red flags.
SPORTSBOOK | SIGN-UP OFFER |
BetMGM | |
FanDuel | |
BetRivers | |
Unibet | |
PointsBet |
The Nets feature three guys who refuse to be held accountable and whose talent is only topped by their lack of character. They’ll look great one day and borderline amateur the next one, and that inconsistency will send them home in the second round of the playoffs.
Knicks miss the Playoffs
We have got some terrible news for New York Knicks fans. Our NBA season predictions 2022-23 have them missing the playoffs, and they may not even be a play-in team unless they get rid of Tom Thibodeau as early as the first month of the season.
Thibs isn’t the right guy to lead that roster, and it’s not like they’re stacked with talent, either. They need to find a new home for Julius Randle, although that might be tricky considering how much he’s still owed. It could be a long season in the Big Apple.
Spurs get the first-overall pick
Our projected win totals for the 2022-23 NBA season have the San Antonio Spurs as the worst team in the Association, and it won’t be close at all. Gregg Popovich will use that big brain of his to find new ways to lose basketball games and have the best odds to get the first-overall pick, and it’ll work.
The Spurs will get another foundational piece in Victor Wembanyama, joining David Robinson and Tim Duncan as first picks of the Popovich era. Moreover, we believe Pop will also call it a day after this season, making the Spurs one final gift in Wembanyama before taking a different role with the front office.
Giannis wins the scoring title
And last but not least, our NBA award predictions 2022-23 have Giannis Antetokounmpo taking home the Scoring Title this season. Why? Well, it’s quite simple: Because he’s never won it.
Giannis has already won MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Most Improved Player, but he’s never led the league in scoring.
The Greek Freak has improved his jump shot, and we already know he can dominate and bully his way to the rack like no one else in the Association. So, we expect him to take things up a notch next season and average north of 31.5 points per game to be this year’s Scoring Champion and continue adding more bullet points to his Hall of Famer résumé.
