There are four solid NBA Finals contenders in the Eastern Conference with the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers leading the charge.
The Bucks won the NBA title two seasons ago and Giannis Antetokounmpo looks intent on enjoying another championship run. The 76ers will have a full season of Joel Embiid and James Harden playing together as they attempt to break through.
Recent turmoil involving the suspension of coach Ime Udoka has seen the defending East champion Boston Celtics drop down a notch. Udoka installed a brand of toughness as the club reached the NBA Finals before losing to the Golden State Warriors.
The Miami Heat are primed to be a tough foe after losing to Boston in the East finals last season.
The Brooklyn Nets have turned into a circus act but can’t be ignored with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving still on the roster.
(Teams listed in projected order of regular-season wins)
1. MILWAUKEE BUCKS
Milwaukee’s bid to repeat as NBA champion ended with a second-round, seven-game series loss to Boston. However, any roster with six-time All-Star Antetokounmpo leading the way should always be viewed as a title contender. The two-time MVP averaged 29.9 points and 11.6 rebounds last season. Khris Middleton’s health is something to watch as he sustained a knee injury late last season and isn’t ready for the start of this one after offseason wrist surgery. Jrue Holiday remains a strong fit in the backcourt while offseason signee Joe Ingles should bolster the depth once he completes his recovery from a knee injury.
2. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
Philadelphia hasn’t reached the NBA Finals since the 2000-01 season, and it’s hard to fathom that streak continuing much longer during Embiid’s prime. Embiid led the NBA in scoring (30.6) and averaged 11.7 rebounds last season while being NBA MVP runner-up behind Denver’s Nikola Jokic for the second straight season. The real question for the 76ers is whether Harden can acquiesce to Embiid over an entire season, as an unselfish Harden would give Philadelphia a solid chance at making a deep run. Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris are solid complementary players while P.J. Tucker will shore up the defense.
3. BOSTON CELTICS
It would be hard to find a bigger distraction than indefinitely suspending the coach who guided your team to the NBA Finals, but that is Boston’s reality after Udoka was disciplined for what the team termed a “consensual relationship” with a female in the organization. There’s no way to forecast how interim coach Joe Mazzulla will fare but having stars Jayson Tatum (26.9 ppg) and Jaylen Brown (23.6) and reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart is a great hand to inherit. Offseason addition Malcolm Brogdon is a great fit. However, defensive big man Robert Williams III (knee) recently underwent surgery and will be sidelined for another two months.
4. MIAMI HEAT
The Heat lost to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals last season, two campaigns after falling to the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. Jimmy Butler (21.4 ppg) will again serve as the leading man and he carried the club during last postseason with four games of 40 or more points. Reigning Sixth Man of Year Tyler Herro (20.7) has been craving a bigger role while Bam Adebayo (19.1) excels at both ends of the court. Six-time All-Star Kyle Lowry showed signs of decay last season. There is hope Victor Oladipo can stay healthy and provide a difference-making lift.
5. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
Cleveland won the Donovan Mitchell sweepstakes and could be a surprise threat to make a deep playoff run. Landing Mitchell (25.9) from the Utah Jazz gives the Cavaliers an elite backcourt with Darius Garland (21.7) as his running mate. Rookie of the Year runner-up Evan Mobley (15.0) and Jarrett Allen (16.1) are frontcourt standouts and the Cavaliers have solid veterans in Kevin Love, Caris LeVert and Ricky Rubio to provide depth. One fact hard to forget is the Cavaliers were 35-21 with two months left in the regular season and went 9-19 the rest of the way, counting two play-in setbacks, to miss the playoffs.
6. BROOKLYN NETS
Remember when the Nets were going to win the NBA title with Durant, Irving and Harden as teammates? That era didn’t last long. Harden was traded to the 76ers last February, Durant (29.9 ppg) is back because Brooklyn was unable to satisfy his offseason trade request and Irving (27.4) is infamous due to last season’s unvaccinated status drama. Ben Simmons arrived in the Harden deal and didn’t play in a single game, and there’s no telling if he’s emotionally ready to move on from his Philadelphia struggles. Joe Harris (ankle) was limited to just 14 games last season but he and Seth Curry are potent 3-point shooters.
7. CHICAGO BULLS
Chicago was one of the surprise teams in the NBA when it had a 39-21 record in late February before going 7-15 the rest of the regular season. The Bulls then lost to Milwaukee in five games in the opening round of the playoffs. Zach LaVine (24.4 ppg) and DeMar DeRozan (27.9) are a big one-two punch and Nikola Vucevic (17.6) is capable in the middle. Point guard Lonzo Ball (13.0) underwent season-ending left knee surgery in January but it wasn’t successful. He had a second procedure in September and could miss half the season. Offseason signee Goran Dragic and Alex Caruso will be asked to fill the void.
8. TORONTO RAPTORS
The Raptors were vastly improved last season but don’t have enough firepower to make much noise in the postseason. Scottie Barnes (15.3 ppg) won Rookie of the Year honors and forms a solid trio with Pascal Siakam (22.8) and Fred VanVleet (20.3). OG Anunoby (17.1) also has improved in recent seasons while first-round pick Christian Koloko is an intriguing prospect. Toronto added Otto Porter Jr. as a free agent while holdover Gary Trent Jr. is capable of solid shooting explosions on occasion. Coach Nick Nurse guided this team to 48 wins last season before the Raptors lost in the first round to the 76ers in six games.
9. ATLANTA HAWKS
Atlanta was a surprise Eastern Conference finals entrant two seasons ago but was eliminated in the first round by the Miami Heat last season. High-scoring Trae Young (28.4 ppg, 9.7 assists per game) will have some adjustments to make as new backcourt mate Dejounte Murray (21.1 ppg, 9.2 apg) also is a player who operates best when handling the ball. The Hawks have a solid group of players to mix with the duo in Clint Capela and John Collins in the frontcourt and productive wings De’Andre Hunter and Bogdan Bogdanovic. Atlanta dealt former first-round pick Kevin Huerter to the Sacramento Kings in the offseason.
10. NEW YORK KNICKS
New York has missed the playoffs in eight of the past nine seasons but at least the play-in tournament gives the club hope. Julius Randle (20.1 ppg) and rising RJ Barrett (20.0) are the star attractions, but Jalen Brunson (16.3) was added as a free agent to run the offense and he might become the most valuable player of the team. Perhaps the biggest secret is that Evan Fournier (14.1) made a career-high 241 3-pointers, fourth-most in the NBA last season. The Knicks parted ways with the likes of Kemba Walker, Taj Gibson, Nerlens Noel and Alec Burks after last season.
11. CHARLOTTE HORNETS
The Hornets brought back Steve Clifford for a second stint as coach in one of the more unforeseen moves of the offseason. Clifford had two winning seasons and went 0-2 in playoff series in his first stint from 2013-18. He gets to coach LaMelo Ball (20.1 ppg) this time around, though the club’s best player will miss the beginning of the campaign with an ankle injury. The status of Miles Bridges (20.2) remains uncertain as he has been charged with three felonies stemming from a domestic violence incident in late June and the Hornets reportedly let his qualifying offer expire. Terry Rozier (19.3) is solid but Gordon Hayward (15.9) remains a health risk.
12. WASHINGTON WIZARDS
Bradley Beal (23.2 ppg) remains the big draw for the Wizards but he hasn’t been part of a winning playoff series since the 2016-17 season. Entering his 11th season, Beal’s health will be watched closely after he played just 40 games last season before undergoing wrist surgery. Kristaps Porzingis averaged 22.1 points in 17 games after being acquired from the Dallas Mavericks but is now 27 and hasn’t reached the elite level forecasted for him. Kyle Kuzma (17.1) is a solid piece and Washington made some good moves by acquiring Monte Morris and Will Barton from the Denver Nuggets and selecting Johnny Davis with the 10th overall pick.
13. INDIANA PACERS
Indiana is going through a rebuilding phase after dealing Domantas Sabonis to the Sacramento Kings at last season’s trading deadline and sending Brogdon to the Celtics in the offseason. Top-notch shot blocker Myles Turner (12.9 ppg) was almost dealt to the Lakers in the offseason and the Pacers are still hoping to move him. Tyrese Haliburton (17.5) is the lead man with rookie Bennedict Mathurin (selected sixth overall) expected to be one of the main contributors. Chris Duarte (13.1) excelled as a rookie and is a key piece for Indiana. Buddy Hield (13.2) also could be on the move soon.
14. DETROIT PISTONS
Detroit is 63-157 over the past three seasons and isn’t ready for the next step. But there is optimism over the futures of Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey. Cunningham (17.4 ppg) was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft and Ivey was the No. 5 pick in the 2022 draft. Ivey figures to be one of the top rookies this season. Saddiq Bey (16.1) made 10 3-pointers and scored 51 points in one game last season. Marvin Bagley III (knee) will miss the start of the season but will get a long look after the trade of Jerami Grant to the Portland Trail Blazers.
15. ORLANDO MAGIC
Orlando is collecting young talent and the payoff isn’t coming this season. No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero will likely make a big impact as he joins Cole Anthony (16.3 ppg), Franz Wagner (15.2), Wendell Carter Jr. (15.0) and Jalen Suggs (11.8) as the core players. Carter is the oldest of the group at just 23 years ago. Suggs needs to improve his shooting as 36.1 percent from the field — including 21.4 from 3-point range — won’t cut it for the long term. Terrence Ross, Gary Harris and Markelle Fultz — the latter was the No. 1 overall pick by the 76ers in 2017 — are contributors.
–By Mike Sullivan, Field Level Media
