As the all-star break has come and come, we can now safely say we are in the home stretch of the 2021-22 NBA season. If you look at the Eastern Conference, it has been a pleasant surprise as the overall balance of the conference has been second to none this season.
Not only do you have unfamiliar teams in Miami, Chicago, and Philadelphia leading the way, but the top eight seeds are all separated by fewer than 10 games as this conference will be wide open in the final two months. At this point, anyone can win it all in the Eastern Conference as each and every one of them has gone through their struggles this season.
With that being said, it is crunch time as the NBA playoffs will begin in less than two months. With so many teams in the position to succeed this will be the most exciting finish that the Eastern Conference has had in quite some time and that alone is great for basketball. Here is how I feel things will shake out in the East.
1. Philadelphia Sixers (Current Seed 3): Despite having a disgruntled Ben Simmons all season and mostly role players who have thrived in Doc Rivers’ system, the Sixers have been playing some of their best balls lately and have risen to the No. 3 seed in the East. That may just be the beginning as the Sixers struck gold by trading for James Harden and parting ways with Simmons.
Not only will that trade help the Sixers offensively, but Joel Embiid has been playing at an MVP level all season and will now have one of the best scorers in the game with him. That alone makes them the best inside-out combo in the conference and a team that will be a force to be reckoned with over the coming months.
2. Chicago Bulls (Current Seed 2): Seeds 2-5 could go either way, but I am going to be a little biased here by picking the Bulls as the No.2 seed. Despite dealing with a massive COVID outbreak and virtually every player on the roster hurt this season, the Bulls have emerged as the best team in the East posting a 38-21 record.
Keep in mind they have done this without a healthy roster all season. Granted guys like Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso, Patrick Williams, and others will remain out for the next several weeks, this team is going to get healthy and that should come right around the postseason. With DeMar DeRozan and Zach Lavine teaming up to make a lethal scoring combo, the sky is the limit for this team should they get healthy at the right time.
3. Milwaukee Bucks (Current seed 5): The Bucks are the defending NBA champions, and they added to an already great roster by acquiring Serge Ibaka. However, they didn’t get off to the best start this season and that is a reason why they are in the position they are in. However, with Giannis playing at the level he is playing and a better surrounding cast this is a team that shouldn’t be taken lightly.
This is the time when the Bucks need to be playing their best ball and I feel they will do that at the right time. It may not be enough to overtake the top spot in the East, but they will still be considered one of the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference.
4. Miami Heat (Current seed 1): Miami has been one of the stories in the league this season, but that shouldn’t come as a shock. Erik Spolestra remains one of the best and most underrated coaches in the league and his team thrives off that narrative. Don’t get me wrong, Jimmy Butler is the leader of that team, but with guys like Tyler Herro, Kyle Lowry, and Bam Adebayo the Heat have a scary scoring tantum that can compete with anyone.
You also have to consider P.J. Tucker as the ultimate X-Factor as we have seen him lock down some of the best players come the postseason. It is possible that Miami could wind up as the top seed in the Eastern Conference, but they are just not as star-heavy as other teams. Even if they fall to the fourth seed, there is not a single team that will want to face them come to the playoffs.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers (Current Seed 4): Perhaps the biggest surprise in the Eastern conference this season has been the Cavaliers. Anchored by the tallest starting lineup in the game where they have three players standing 6-11 or taller, this team has emerged as a matchup nightmare and has risen to the occasion because of it.
Currently the fourth seed and second place in the Central behind Chicago, this team has matched up well against some of the best in the game and they should continue to match up well when you look at their size advantage. This is a team playing with house money at this point as they have surpassed any expectation put on them so far.
6. Brooklyn Nets (Current Seed 8): Perhaps the biggest an anomoly and toughest team to figure out right now is the Brooklyn Nets. On paper, this was a team that was almost a shoe-in for the NBA finals given that Kyrie Irving, Harden, and Kevin Durant were all ready to go. Since Irving can only play on the road, Harden was dealt in favor of Simmons and Durant is nursing an injury.
That alone is the main reason why this team went from the top spot in the East all the way down to eighth. Irving will be the crucial piece for this team over the next few weeks as he will need to fill in for Durant. No one knows when Simmons will be back, but Durant will be back in March. Once that happens this is a team that no one wants to see especially if you are a top seed in the East.
7. Boston Celtics (Current seed 6): You want to talk about a team turning their season around, the Boston Celtics would be it. Anchored by a near 10-game winning streak, the Celtics not only got back in the playoff hunt but have gotten away from the play-in for the time being.
With guys like Jaylon Brown and Jason Tatum leading the way, Boston has plenty of offensive firepower to put up against the best teams in the East. Now it comes down to what Ime Udoka can do in his first year as coach. So far, he has done well and the team has adjusted accordingly. Can he finish the job and get into the playoffs?
8. Charlotte Hornets (Current Seed 9): Another surprising team although not at the same level as Cleveland would be the Hornets. Currently sitting on the playin bubble, this is a team talented enough to not only make a run but could give some of the top seeds a battle. LaMelo Ball is the start of this team, but don’t overlook Gordon Hayward or Miles Bridges.
This is a team that has done a great job assembling young pieces to get better in every facet and ultimately had to take some bumps along the way to get where they are now. I really like this team as next year’s version of Cleveland.
9. Toronto Raptors (Current seed 7): The Eastern Conference is all about surprises this season and the Raptors are one of them. After parting ways with Lowry this offseason, no one expected a ton from this team. Instead, here we are in February and the Raptors have gotten into the playin tournament with a chance of playing their way out of it.
Pascal Siakam, Fred Van Vleet, and OG Anouoby are going to get the most attention on this team, but it has been the bench that has stepped up for this team. I am not sure if they have what it takes to get out of the playin, but they are still good enough to get into the field.
10. New York Knicks (Current seed 12): Speaking of surprises, the New York Knicks have been surprisingly bad this season after making the postseason last year. However, this team is talented enough to make a run and they should be making a run come the second half of the season.
Guys like Julius Randle and Kemba Walker have had good seasons, but other players on the roster need to step up. Mitchell Robinson is one of those players as is Nerlans Noel. Derrick Rose is also one of those guys who has played well at times but still has been inconsistent. Considering Tom Thibedeau is their coach it comes as a significant surprise to see the team playing as bad as they have. Although behind both the Hawks and Wizards right now, that should change over the final month of the season.
