National Basketball Association

Skip Bayless, Shannon Sharpe make their NBA title predictions

Updated Oct. 18, 2022 5:55 p.m. ET

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Get your popcorn ready, hoops fans. The 2022-23 NBA season has arrived.

The campaign kicks off Tuesday night with a pair of matchups featuring title contenders as the Celtics host the 76ers, while the Warriors begin their quest to defend last season's title with an opening-night matchup against the Lakers.

While Tuesday is just Game 1 of 82 regular-season games for those four teams, that didn't stop Undsiputed's Shannon Sharpe and Skip Bayless from making their early-season title picks.

Sharpe believes that the Warriors will be the last team standing in a Western Conference that, "isn't going to be a pushover." He's predicting they'll have one last rodeo, saying "I believe they know the writing is on the wall and are saying, ‘You know what, let’s go out with a bang.'"

Sharpe predicts Steph Curry and the Warriors will take out the Denver Nuggets to reach the NBA Finals.

"This is a talented team," Sharpe said of the Warriors. "Jordan Poole will only get better. Klay [Thompson] has had a year, so he'll be two years removed from that last surgery, he'll be better. Now, Steph [Curry] can relax … he can play even more free. [Andrew] Wiggins played really, really good. He finally fulfilled that promise they had of him when he was taken with the No. 1 overall pick."

However, Sharpe doesn't believe that the Warriors' last hurrah will end with them celebrating another title. Instead, he predicts the Milwaukee Bucks will take down the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals en route to beating the Warriors and winning the NBA title. 

"I believe they would've made it to the NBA Finals last season had they had Khris Middleton," Sharpe said. "They didn't. They lost in seven games to Boston. I don't believe anybody can stop Giannis [Antetokounmpo]. I don't believe Draymond [Green], [Kevon Looney] or [James] Wiseman can do anything with him."

Bayless told Sharpe that he "can't argue with his picks," adding he believes both the Bucks and Warriors are strong title contenders again. 

"They are flat-out loaded, they're the same, they have continuity," Bayless said of the Bucks. "Giannis has obviously entered his prime as not just a basketball player, but also as a leader of that franchise. He became the face of that franchise, and he's living up to that. I honor that. I respect it. I've been up and down on the coach, but he hangs in and he's impressed me because he's a chip off the [Gregg] Popovich block."

But Bayless doesn't have the Bucks making the Eastern Conference finals. Instead, he's got the 76ers taking down the Brooklyn Nets.

"The harder I look at Philly, the more I like them," Bayless said. "Joel Embiid has entered his prime. He's a flat-out monster. Can he stay healthy? Tyrese [Maxey] has come from nowhere to be a star. I think he might be more valuable than James [Harden] and James looks the part now. They added P.J. Tucker. I want him in my foxhole. I want him to lock down somebody every night and only care about the defensive end. Tobias Harris is always like a semi-star."

In the Western Conference, Bayless believes the Warriors won't be able to overcome the Draymond Green situation. He has them losing to the Clippers in the Western Conference finals.

"The Clippers, I have raved about them all offseason," Bayless said. "I'm going to stick with them to beat Golden State in the Western Conference finals. You want to talk about a loaded team, an experienced loaded team with possibly the best head coach in basketball."

Bayless did share some of his concern for Kawhi Leonard, who missed all of last season to rehab a torn ACL. But he is confident the two-time NBA Finals MVP has enough in him to get through the season and potentially win his third ring. 

"He looked great when I watched him in the preseason," Bayless said of Leonard. "He looked so strong and powerful. He played huge in the bits of preseason I watched. I'll trust that he'll be available for 70-odd games. I'll trust that Paul George will be available as the 1A for 70-odd games."

Bayless didn't say which team would win the matchup between the Clippers and 76ers, but said earlier in the offseason that Tyronn Lue's team has a "great shot" to win the title.

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National Basketball Association

Golden State Warriors

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Skip Bayless

Shannon Sharpe