NBA Finals predictions: Skip Bayless, Shannon Sharpe make their picks

NBA fans will be treated to a postseason filled with fresh faces and noticeable absences.

For just the second time in the last 17 years, LeBron James will miss the playoffs, and fellow superstars Paul George and Kawhi Leonard could be out of the fold, too. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies vie for their first playoff series wins since 2004 and 2015, respectively.

And on Friday, a day before the playoffs officially begin, Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe made their NBA Finals picks. 

Bayless went against the oddsmakers, predicting that the Miami Heat will defeat Memphis in the championship series.

"The Grizz are going to get back to several Finals, but right now I’ll go with the Heat because I think they are perfectly positioned atop the East," Bayless said on "Undisputed."

Coach of the Year candidate Taylor Jenkins and young phenom Ja Morant have engineered a remarkable turnaround in Memphis, improving the team’s win total by 23 since the last full NBA season in 2018-19.

The Grizzlies enter the playoffs as the 2-seed in the West, boasting the second-best record in the Association. However, FOX Bet has them at +2000 to win the championship.

Still, Bayless raved about the depth and well-rounded nature of the Grizzlies.

"This Memphis team has arrived right before your very eyes," Bayless said. "I'm just looking at the numbers: They're fourth in defense, fourth in point differential, they’re second in points per game and they’re third in pace. And finally, on top of all that, they’re first in the NBA in rebounding. So they're not just run ‘n’ gun, they are a badass bunch."

Similarly, Miami’s regular-season success hasn’t translated to much optimism come playoff time. Despite emerging at the top of the log jam in the Eastern Conference, FOX Bet has its championship odds at +1200.

Bayless believes that the Heat’s defensive prowess and efficient shooting will defy the odds, but still threw in one key caveat: Ben Simmons returning to regular action with the Brooklyn Nets.

"If you can demonstrate by Game 4, 5 and 6 that [Simmons] is making a legitimate contribution on defense, that is the missing link to a championship team," Bayless said.

Sharpe then offered his plaudits to both of Bayless’ finalists, but ultimately opted for a rematch of last season’s Finals.

"I think it’s going to play out again," Sharpe said. "I’m taking the [Milwaukee] Bucks over the [Phoenix] Suns in the NBA Finals."

Phoenix returned the majority of its roster from last season's championship run, with their experience epitomized by the steady stewardship of point guard Chris Paul. Conversely, the Suns' closest competitors, Memphis, are relative playoff amateurs, as Steven Adams and Kyle Anderson are the only players on the Grizzlies' roster averaging more than 10 minutes per game to have won a playoff series. 

Sharpe believes this experience will guide Phoenix past Memphis, Golden State and other Western Conference competitors and into the Suns' second-straight Finals. 

"They've been there before, battle tested in clutch situations," Sharpe said. "Now they're almost unbeatable. And one of the reasons they're so good in clutch situations is because they have Chris Paul, an all-time great point guard. He's always going to get you in the best situation possible."

And in the East, Sharpe believes that Milwaukee's closest competition will come from Boston, but that the Bucks' "Big 3" of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday will guide them through in seven games. 

"Both teams are very, very deep," Sharpe said. "But I think the ‘Big 3’ of Milwaukee will be enough, and with [Bobby] Portis and [Brook] Lopez back, I love what they have done."