A new year means a new eventful calendar for all basketball fans. The National Basketball Association (NBA) presents exciting games each year. Although the first quarter of the year is a continuation of last year’s new season, the change in the year means the league’s most awaited part of the season, the NBA Finals.
The NBA Finals is the final competition of every NBA season. The 2022-2023 NBA regular season started last October and will end in April. Then, the offseason starts with the Playoffs on April 15, and the 2023 NBA Finals will take off afterward. If you’re one of the fans that can’t wait for this new mark in basketball history, here is the necessary information you need to know.
Schedule
Since the 2023 NBA Finals aren’t sooner than June, you can look forward to the NBA Playoffs until then. To help you build the excitement, here is the schedule for the Playoffs that will help determine the players for the NBA Finals. So, keep notes of these important dates to prepare for the Finals.
The winner of these games will earn the seventh seed and advance to the Playoffs.
- April 11, Play-In Game 1: East 7 vs. East 8
- April 11, Play-In Game 2: West 7 vs. West 8
The winner of the following games will play the loser of the East ⅞ game
- April 12, Play-In Game 3: East 9 vs. East 10
- April 12, Play-In Game 4: West 9 vs. West 10
The following games’ winners will earn the eighth seed and advance to the Playoffs.
- April 14, Play-In Game 5: East Loser ⅞ vs. East Winner 9/10
- April 14, Play-In Game 6: West Loser ⅞ vs. West Winner 9/10
After the busy first few weeks of April filling up the seeds right after the regular season, the NBA Playoffs 2023 will officially begin on April 15. Then, the NBA Conference Semifinals will begin on May 1-2, but there are still possibilities that it might move up to April 29-30. After that, events for the NBA Finals will take place.
- May 16-17, NBA Conference Finals
- June 1-June 9, 2023 NBA Finals Games
- If game 5 is necessary, it will take place on June 12.
Where to Watch?
The 2023 NBA Finals will start on June 1, but there is still no definite information on where it will occur. However, if you plan to watch it at home with your buddies and family, you can watch it on Hulu + Live TV or on your favorite sportsbook.
Who Are the Early Favorites?
Out of 30 teams, only 16 teams will get to play in the NBA Playoffs. After this, the remaining 2 teams will get a chance to play in the Finals. As easy as it sounds, the 16 teams are considered the best six teams (as being in the top six) for the season. So, the game’s going to be more challenging than it looks. However, there are already early favorites that you can look into.
Boston Celtics
Last season, they could play in the Finals court but unfortunately lost to the Golden State Warriors. This time, the 2023 NBA odds of the Boston Celtics are relatively good, and he easily became the early favorite for the NBA Finals this season. Throughout the 2022-2023 NBA season, the Celtics have consistently dominated.
The Celtics have spent most of their time at the top of the Eastern Conference this season. However, as of writing this article, the Celtics 49-23 have fallen second to the Milwaukee Bucks 51-20. Aside from that, they are still heavily favored for the 2023 NBA Finals.
Denver Nuggets
Following the Celtics is the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets have also been doing well in the Western Conference and steadily making a gap from the second place. This team is currently in the top one in the Western Conference with a 48-24 record under their name so far. Throughout the season, the Nuggets have displayed their excellent offense and have been deemed one of the best regular-season teams for 2022-2023.
Well, this is something to be expected, as the home of the two-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Nikola Jokic. If you’re a fan of the Denver Nuggets and a follower of Jokic, they have the best chances of securing their spot in the NBA Playoffs. If all goes well, this might become the first championship in which the Nuggets will participate.
Phoenix Suns
Another representative from the Western Conference is the Phoenix Suns. Their last Finals were in 2021, and the team has been experiencing a title drought since then. Although they miserably missed the semi-finals of the Western Conference last year, they’ve been coming strong this year.
Their chances skyrocketed after they were able to acquire Kevin Durant for the team. Even without him, the team maintained its defense and remained one of the most disciplined defenses in the history of the NBA.
Final Thoughts
As one of the most awaited sports events annually, it’s only normal to prepare everything as early as now. If you’re planning to participate as a bettor, it’s best to check out the sportsbook now and perform your research to check more teams. Furthermore, the information above would be helpful during the process. So, what are you waiting for?
