Shannon Sharpe sees Milwaukee Bucks taking on Golden State Warriors in 2023 NBA Finals
Former NFL player and NBA analyst Shannon Sharpe has the Milwaukee Bucks and the Golden State Warriors going head-to-head in the 2023 NBA Finals. Sharpe gave his big prediction on which team will win it all on the eve of the start of the 2022-23 NBA season.
On "Undisputed," alongside co-host Skip Bayless, Sharpe first assessed the Warriors' chances this season:
"The original big three with Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Steph Curry, I think everybody realizes that this is the last year of that in existence. Draymond is going to move on.
"The writing is on the wall. They know, okay, you know what, let's go out with a bang. Let's make it five. That puts us with Kobe Bryant. That puts us one behind Michael Jordan. Who knows, another two or three years, we might even get six."
Sharpe believes the Dubs have a really deep roster, which is why he is betting heavily on them. He said:
"Skip, this is a talented team. Jordan Poole will only get better. Klay has had a year, so now he will be two years removed from that last surgery, Skip. He'll be better.
"Steph can relax. He says, Look, you'll saw what I did. I got a Finals MVP now to go along with those two regular season MVPs. I got four rings. He's going to play even more free.
"Andrew Wiggins played really, really good. He finally fulfilled that promise they had of him when he was taken number one overall, Skip. Those young guns - Wiseman looks really, really good. Moody, Kuminga - Skip, they loaded. They are loaded."
Speaking about which teams will eventually make it out of the Western and Eastern Conferences, Sharpe continued:
"The West is loaded. Now the Nuggets get Murray back. They get Porter Jr. back to go along with the two-time reigning MVP, Nikola Jokic. They traded for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. They'll be a little better on the defensive end.
"But for me Skip, I'm going to say the Warriors and the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals and in the East, I just don't see anyone doing anything with Giannis.
"Giannis averaged 30-12-6 in 33 minutes last year. Middleton's going to miss the start of the season, but I believe they would have went to the NBA Finals last year had they had Khris Middleton. They didn't and they lost in seven games to Boston."
Sharpe concluded by giving his prediction for the new season:
"I'm going to take the Bucks over the Warriors in the NBA Finals because I don’t believe anyone can stop Giannis. I don't believe Draymond or Looney or Wiseman, they can't do anything with him."
.@ShannonSharpe reveals who he has in this year's NBA Finals:
"I'm taking Celtics vs. Bucks in the ECF and Nuggets vs. Warriors in the WCF…The Bucks will beat the Warriors in the Finals because I don’t believe anyone can stop Giannis." https://t.co/Sv7awdEwnf
How well are the Warriors placed to repeat?
Despite Shannon Sharpe picking the Milwaukee Bucks to win the 2023 NBA Finals ahead of the Golden State Warriors, the Dubs are well placed to once again get their hands on back-to-back titles. With two of the best shooters in the league, one cannot rule out the Warriors repeating. Even in his second-best scenario, Sharpe has the Warriors coming out of the West.
Meanwhile, looking at the Bucks, given that Giannis Antetokounmpo participated in EuroBasket 2022, head coach Mike Budenholzer may limit his star player's minutes to start the regular season. Additionally, Khris Middleton will be unavailable at the start of the season for the franchise. This could well mean that the Bucks cede homecourt advantage to the Warriors in the Finals based on their regular-season record.
That, coupled with the Warriors' depth and their sharpshooters, could dismantle anything that the Bucks and Giannis throw at Golden State.