As the NBA season ramps up, we’re beginning to see certain teams separate themselves from the rest of the pack. Both conferences are playing out as many expected. The Western Conference is extremely cluttered with most teams only separated by a few games. A short losing streak out West could drop you several spots in the standings. The East, on the other hand, is once again top-heavy with a trio of familiar squads leading the pack. With less than 40 games to go in the regular season, who deserves to be considered the favorite to come out of the East?
Most would point to a Celtics team that currently boasts the best record and point differential in the NBA. Boston has looked dominant from the opening tip. The C’s added two new starters — Jrue Holliday and Kristaps Porzingis — seamlessly and raced to an 11-2 record to begin the year. Moving off of long-time Celtic Marcus Smart opened up more opportunities for Derrick White who has blossomed into a two-way stud. It seems like second-year coach Joe Mazzulla is pushing all the right buttons this year. And, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are capable of going toe-to-toe with any duo in the league.
Not too far behind the Celtics in the standings are the Bucks, who shockingly fired their coach after a 30-13 start to the campaign. Adrian Griffin was brought on to succeed Mike Budenholzer (who led the team to the ’21 title) after the latter’s act began to run a bit stale in Milwaukee. Damian Lillard was added in the offseason, forming one of the most potent pairs in the league with two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
However, Milwaukee’s offseason changes tanked its defense. The Bucks are a bottom-5 defensive group this year after finishing fourth in defensive rating last season. Griffin’s scheme was cited as an issue, and he was ousted as a result. Doc Rivers was plucked from the commentary booth, and will now return to the coaching ranks attempting to help this Bucks team reach their full potential. Rivers’ playoff shortcomings are well-documented, though he was likely added due to his ability to gel with star players.
Then there’s Rivers’ former team, the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers have disappointed in the playoffs year after year. Though, the city of Philadelphia hopes ’24 is a bit different. Joel Embiid is playing as well as any player in the league and could be hoisting his second regular season MVP trophy by season’s end. Tyrese Maxey has blossomed into a star since the departure of James Harden. However, it does feel like another piece needs to be added for the Sixers to stake a claim as the best in the East.
And, then there’s the Heat — the team that has won the Eastern Conference twice in the last four seasons. Miami went on a memorable postseason run last year, reaching the NBA Finals as an 8-seed. Jimmy Butler can turn it up in the postseason, and they gained a ton of firepower with the recent trade for Terry Rozier. Nobody gives his team an advantage every night quite like Erik Spoelstra, who has consistently led overachieving clubs beyond expectations.
Elsewhere in the conference, the Knicks and Cavaliers have played extremely well as of late. New York has looked excellent since adding OG Anunoby, while the Cavs remain a top seed despite dealing with numerous injuries to their stars. Though, it’s difficult to buy into any team given how both of their seasons ended last year. We’ll need to see it in the postseason a bit more before labeling either as a “contender”.
That leaves us with four teams to select from. The Celtics are the early favorite, as they boast the most well-rounded starting lineup in basketball and a true MVP candidate in Jayson Tatum. Milwaukee will be intriguing to watch under Rivers, though a mid-season coach change hardly ever pans out. Joel Embiid is recently coming off a historic 70-point outing, but his playoff history is extremely murky. Can he keep up this torrid pace through the playoffs? The Heat cannot be counted out, even if they sneak into the postseason as one of the lower seeds.
We’re giving Boston the early nod, but don’t be surprised to see the power shift a few more times throughout the regular season. With at least four legitimate contenders in the East, the remainder of the NBA season will be an absolute treat to watch.
