The NBA play tips disconnected tonight, but we're already looking guardant to the postseason -- and to a large milestone for an all-time great.
Four months ago, the Golden State Warriors jumpstarted their dynasty with a six-game Finals triumph implicit the Boston Celtics. And portion our adept sheet places the defending champs among the contenders to scope the Finals again successful 2023, we weren't arsenic benignant to the Celtics.
Many of the votes were formed for the squad Boston ousted successful past season's epic seven-game Eastern Conference semifinal series: the Milwaukee Bucks.
In the Western Conference, the LA Clippers were a trendy prime among our panel, and rightfully so. The elite two-way duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George is steadfast and starring 1 of the league's deepest teams.
What astir LeBron James' pursuit for the all-time scoring title? James is 1,325 points down Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's mark, truthful we should expect the grounds to beryllium breached immoderate clip adjacent the 2022-23 season's 2nd half.
Our experts are crunching the numbers and opening their calendars to foretell erstwhile past volition beryllium made, arsenic good arsenic revealing their picks for East finals, West finals and NBA Finals champs.
MORE: What to cognize for '22-23 | LeBron's way to the scoring record
East Finals
Jerry Bembry: Bucks implicit Nets successful 6
Tim Bontemps: Bucks implicit Celtics successful 6
Jamal Collier: Bucks implicit 76ers successful 6
Nick DePaula: Bucks implicit 76ers successful 6
Nick Friedell: Bucks implicit Celtics successful 7
Kirk Goldsberry: Bucks implicit Heat successful 6
Israel Gutierrez: Heat implicit 76ers successful 6
Tim Legler: Bucks implicit 76ers successful 7
Andrew Lopez: Bucks implicit 76ers successful 6
Tim MacMahon: Bucks implicit 76ers successful 7
Bobby Marks: 76ers implicit Bucks successful 7
Dave McMenamin: Bucks implicit 76ers successful 6
Kevin Pelton: Bucks implicit Celtics successful 6
Jorge Sedano: Bucks implicit Heat successful 7
Ramona Shelburne: Bucks implicit 76ers successful 7
André Snellings: Bucks implicit 76ers successful 7
Marc J. Spears: Nets implicit 76ers successful 7
Ohm Youngmisuk: Bucks implicit 76ers successful 6
Final tally: Bucks 15, 76ers 1, Heat 1, Nets 1.
West Finals
Jerry Bembry: Clippers implicit Warriors successful 7
Tim Bontemps: Clippers implicit Warriors successful 6
Jamal Collier: Clippers implicit Warriors successful 7
Nick DePaula: Warriors implicit Clippers successful 6
Nick Friedell: Warriors implicit Nuggets successful 6
Kirk Goldsberry: Warriors implicit Clippers successful 7
Israel Gutierrez: Nuggets implicit Mavericks successful 7
Tim Legler: Warriors implicit Suns successful 6
Andrew Lopez: Clippers implicit Warriors successful 7
Tim MacMahon: Warriors implicit Clippers successful 6
Bobby Marks: Clippers implicit Warriors successful 6
Dave McMenamin: Clippers implicit Nuggets successful 5
Kevin Pelton: Clippers implicit Warriors successful 7
Jorge Sedano: Warriors implicit Clippers successful 7
Ramona Shelburne: Grizzlies implicit Clippers successful 7
André Snellings: Warriors implicit Lakers successful 6
Marc J. Spears: Warriors implicit Clippers successful 7
Ohm Youngmisuk: Clippers implicit Warriors successful 7
Final tally: Clippers 8, Warriors 8, Grizzlies 1, Nuggets 1.
NBA Finals
Jerry Bembry: Bucks implicit Clippers successful 6
Tim Bontemps: Bucks implicit Clippers successful 6
Jamal Collier: Bucks implicit Clippers successful 7
Nick DePaula: Bucks implicit Warriors successful 6
Nick Friedell: Bucks implicit Warriors successful 7
Kirk Goldsberry: Bucks implicit Warriors successful 7
Israel Gutierrez: Heat implicit Nuggets successful 7
Tim Legler: Warriors implicit Bucks successful 6
Andrew Lopez: Bucks implicit Clippers successful 6
Tim MacMahon: Bucks implicit Warriors successful 6
Bobby Marks: Clippers implicit 76ers successful 6
Dave McMenamin: Clippers implicit Milwaukee successful 6
Kevin Pelton: Bucks implicit Clippers successful 6
Jorge Sedano: Bucks implicit Warriors successful 7
Ramona Shelburne: Bucks implicit Grizzlies successful 6
André Snellings: Bucks implicit Warriors successful 7
Marc J. Spears: Warriors implicit Nets successful 6
Ohm Youngmisuk: Clippers implicit Bucks successful 7
Final tally: Bucks 12, Clippers 3, Warriors 2, Heat 1.
When volition LeBron interruption the all-time scoring record?
Jerry Bembry: March 17 vs. Mavericks
Tim Bontemps: Jan. 28 astatine Celtics
Jamal Collier: Feb. 11 astatine Warriors
Nick DePaula: Jan. 31 astatine Knicks
Nick Friedell: Feb. 11 astatine Warriors
Kirk Goldsberry: Feb. 9 vs. Bucks
Israel Gutierrez: March 5 vs. Warriors
Tim Legler: Feb. 26 astatine Mavericks
Andrew Lopez: Feb. 15 vs. Pelicans
Tim MacMahon: Feb. 26 astatine Mavericks
Bobby Marks: Feb. 11 astatine Warriors
Dave McMenamin: March 5 vs. Warriors
Kevin Pelton: March 12 vs. Knicks
Jorge Sedano: Feb. 9 vs. Bucks
Ramona Shelburne: March 31 astatine Timberwolves
André Snellings: Jan. 31 astatine Knicks
Marc J. Spears: Feb. 9 vs. Bucks
Ohm Youngmisuk: Feb. 9 vs. Bucks
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