The 2022-23 NBA Season kicked off on October 18th. The defending NBA champions, the Golden State Warriors, have started with a bang this offseason. LITERALLY: Draymond Green punched Jordan Poole in the face. But I still have the Warriors repeating as NBA Champions, for reasons we will cover later in the article. As for the rest…
MVP: Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
There are several strong contenders for this season’s MVP award. Nikola Jokic has won two straight MVP Awards, and two All-Star caliber teammates returning from injury. Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., should help boost Jokic’s assist totals. Giannis is still a freak of nature and the greatest talent in the NBA. Joel Embiid averaged a 30-point double-double last season. While LeBron is still an all-world talent, Steph Curry just won his 4th ring and has not regressed an inch. But despite all of these players’ greatness, I do not think any of them will win MVP. Instead, I think that the award will go to Luka Doncic.
With Luka, it’s not if he will win an MVP, it’s when. Luka may average a 30-point triple-double this season while making crucial shots nightly. He carried the Dallas Mavericks to the Conference Finals last year, where they fell to the eventual NBA Champion, the Golden State Warriors. The addition of Christan Wood should increase Luka’s already elite assist totals, and if the Mavericks can compete for a top playoff seed in the Western Conference, Luka will be this year’s MVP.
Rookie of the Year: Keegan Murray, Sacramento Kings
The number one pick Paolo Banchero is extremely talented and he could easily win this award, but I believe Keegan Murray will win it. Murray, the draft’s number 4 pick, is a gifted scorer, averaging 23.3 points per game on 50% shooting from the field and 40% from the three-point line in the Summer League. Those numbers are extremely similar to his college numbers. According to Statmuse, in the NBA Preseason, Murray’s per 36 minutes stats are 26.6 points per game, 7.5 rebounds per game, and 3.3 steals per game while shooting 70.6% from the field and 70% from the three-point line. While Murray is not making 70% of his three-pointers during an NBA season, he has so far shown he is a bucket getter and he has excellent passers as teammates in De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. Don’t be surprised if Murray averages 22-23 points per game this season.
Breakout Player: Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
Tyrese Haliburton was a lottery pick in the 2020 NBA draft and had a successful first one-and-a-half season for the Sacramento Kings, but he was dealt to the Indiana Pacers for Domantas Sabonis. In 26 games in Indiana last season, Haliburton averaged 17.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 9.6 assists, 1.8 steals, and shot 41.3% from the three-point line on 5.3 three-point attempts per game. While this was only a 26-game stretch, it does mean something that almost no players in NBA history have had a 26-game stretch where they scored 17.5 points per game, 9.5 assists per game, and shot 40% from three on 5 three-point attempts per game. He is only 22 years old, and it’s easy to envision him improving even more as he gains experience.
2022-23 NBA Champion Prediction: Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors have been embroiled in controversy over Draymond Green punching Jordan Poole. However, a veteran team coming off of a championship will be able to overcome adversity, and the Warriors arguably have a better team than last year. Steph Curry is still the best point guard in the game, Klay Thompson is still a scoring threat, Andrew Wiggins is a two-way monster, Draymond Green provides IQ and intensity, and Jordan Poole will most likely be the sixth man of the year. They also have former #2 overall pick James Wiseman returning from injury, and second-year players Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody will only continue to improve. Unless the Warriors self-destruct, there is little reason to believe that they cannot become back-to-back NBA Champions.
