The Eastern Conference Is Going To Be A Bloodbath
For years, the Eastern Conference has always been the weaker conference in the NBA. For the first time in years, that may not be the case.
21st-century basketball has been dominated by the Western Conference. Every year, it seemed like the West had the better conference, top to bottom. While the East still contained good teams, they were top-heavy. In recent years, however, that’s changing. The Eastern Conference is, for once, comparable with the West.
And in 2023? Expect a beautifully chaotic Eastern Conference.
2021-22 Wrap-ups
First and foremost, let’s talk about what I got wrong last season. Looking back, all I can say is that it was a forgettable year of predictions for me. Let’s go through the worst of the worst;
- Thought the Hawks would win 57 games
- Put the Knicks as the 5th seed
- Had Brooklyn winning 63 games and being the #1 seed
I’m hoping for better results this time around.
2023-23 Predictions
- Milwaukee Bucks (60-22)
- Boston Celtics (57-25)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (55-27)
- Philadelphia 76ers (52-30)
- Miami Heat (51-31)
- Brooklyn Nets (50-32)
- Atlanta Hawks (47-35)
- Chicago Bulls (46-36)
- Toronto Raptors (43-39)
- Washington Wizards (40-42)
- New York Knicks (38-44)
- Charlotte Hornets (36-46)
- Indiana Pacers (35-47)
- Detroit Pistons (33-49)
- Orlando Magic (30-52)
#1 – Milwaukee Bucks (60-22)
Injuries prevented Milwaukee from making a deep postseason run last season. Tt was clear they lacked the depth to contend last season. So, they added guys like Marjon Beauchamp and Joe Ingles to help the bench. The Bucks remain defensive-oriented – a team you don’t want to face in the playoffs. Giannis Antetokounmpo is a force that still cannot be contained.
Still, it’s risky to bill this team as the best team in the East.
Why?
Health. Last season, their big three of Giannis, Middleton, and Holiday missed 46 games. Put simply, the Bucks weren’t the same when they weren’t fully healthy.
| Bucks Record Without Big 3 | Bucks Record With Big 3 |
| 14-21 (40% W/L)* | 37-10 (79% W/L)** |
**: Milwaukee’s record when the entire big three was playing
When they’re healthy, the Bucks may be the best team in the East. They’re gritty, battle-tested, and talented enough to win a title. We’ve seen them do it before. Let’s see if they can recapture some championship glory in 2023.
#2 – Boston Celtics (57-25)
The Boston Celtics have had themselves quite the offseason. From looking invincible after adding the likes of Brogdon and Gallinari to the Ime Udoka fiasco, there hasn’t been a quiet day in Bean Town since their surprise Finals run.
Ime Udoka’s suspension and Robert Williams’ surgery puts a few dark clouds over the Celtics’ season. But, don’t get it twisted, the Celtics will be just as good as ever.
Their rugged defense propelled them to the Finals. Even with Udoka gone, the Celtics aren’t going to be changing everything up. What worked for them last year will work this year, too. This time around, however, they won’t have to play catch-up in the second half of the season.
The combination of Tatum and Brown on offense combined with that defense is more than enough for the Celtics. While they don’t have the glamour they once did, they will remain one of the best teams in the East.
#3 – Cleveland Cavaliers (55-27)
I don’t know if you remember, but before Jarrett Allen got hurt, the Cavs were going to win 50 games last year. Or come very, very close. As soon as Allen got hurt, that’s when Cleveland’s magical season went off the rails.
The Cavs brought in some reinforcements to make sure something like that wouldn’t happen again. Namely, Donovan Mitchell. You may have heard of him. Adding Mitchell to this young core makes the Cavs one of the best young teams in the league.
Mobley and Allen will anchor the defense, which proved to be tremendous last year. Adding Mitchell makes the Cavs so much more dynamic offensively. It takes the burden off of Darius Garland, who was asked to do too much last season.
This season should be much smoother for Cleveland. I don’t think they’re contenders yet, but they’re on the right path. Cleveland should make the playoffs for the first time since 1998 without the help of some kid from Akron, Ohio.
#4 – Philadelphia 76ers (52-30)
The 76ers had a good, albeit not very consequential, summer. There’s not much you can do to improve your team when you’re paying Tobias Harris all that money. Still, adding De’Anthony Melton and PJ Tucker was nice. But, in the long run, those additions won’t matter too much.
Philly will once again be driven by their stars. We’ve come to expect Joel Embiid to be one of the most dominant scoring threats in the league. We’ve also come to expect his yearly injury struggles. It is what it is. The question is, how much help can the 76ers give him?
James Harden is the wildcard for this team. If his offseason workout pictures pay dividends, then I could see this team entering the upper echelon of the East. But, if we see the same old sluggish Harden who is scared to shoot the ball? Well, let’s not bring up last year’s postseason implosion.
#5 – Miami Heat (51-31)
The hits just keep on coming with this team. Not only did Miami not try to get younger to alleviate the stress on their veterans, the Heat repeated history. Apparently, Pat Riley is handing out money like Jesse Pinkman is handing out blood money.
$130 million dollars for Tyler Herro? That guy? Really? The same dude who is somewhat unusable in the playoffs because he can’t play defense or beat defenders off the dribble regularly? That Tyler Herro? Just one year after their Duncan Robinson extension mess, they did the same thing with Herro.
Jimmy Butler’s dreads aren’t going to save this team. The Heat will be a playoff team again because they’re not that bad, but they’re certainly not in the top tier of the Eastern Conference anymore. The East has more competition at the top this year. Miami can’t expect to waltz into a top-four seed with this roster. They just can’t. In their current state, my expectations for the Heat are very, very tempered.
#6 – Brooklyn Nets (50-32)
I don’t know what to think of the Nets. Despite all their drama, their roster actually doesn’t look half bad heading into this season. As always, having the likes of KD, Kyrie, and Ben Simmons will lead to success.
But, more than that, the Nets look competent. Brooklyn’s defense remains shaky, but I like their bench pieces. Joe Harris and Seth Curry are two of the best perimeter players in the league. Royce O’Neale was a nice addition on the wing. When healthy, TJ Warren is a microwave scorer.
We know what the Nets can’t do. They still don’t have a center, and that’s going to hold them back. They’re far from championship contenders, but that doesn’t mean they still can’t make something of their drama-filled situation.
Kyrie Irving can play in every game he chooses this season. If Ben Simmons can stay healthy, the Nets will have one of the best trios in basketball on the floor to anchor them. Now, the only question is, how and when will everything fall apart for this team?
#7 – Atlanta Hawks (47-35)
I was unreasonably high on the Atlanta Hawks last season. I don’t think any of us expected them to be that mediocre last year. While their defense still raises some eyebrows, it’s safe to say they improved from last season.
Most importantly, the Hawks had to get less reliant on Trae Young. While he had a statistically historic 2022 campaign, stopping Young meant you stopped the Hawks. So, Atlanta added another All-Star in Dejounte Murray to ease the burden.
This Hawks team isn’t one I’m ready to give up on. But, there are just too many question marks. I still don’t know what De’Andre Hunter is. The same goes for Onyeka Okungwu, who seems pigeon-holed with Clint Capela on the roster.
Make no mistake, the Hawks will be better than they were last season. Still, there are some red flags with this team for the future.
(Note: I still don’t understand why they traded away Kevin Huerter)
#8 – Chicago Bulls (46-36)
The Chicago Bulls are an enigma. On the one hand, we saw them struggle at the end of last season, albeit with an injured roster. Chicago’s lack of size was glaring, and they didn’t have the depth to contend with a team like Milwaukee in the playoffs.
On the other hand, we saw them lead the East with their small-ball lineup. While we can’t expect another scoring outburst from DeMar DeRozan again, this team is far from bad. In fact, I think they’re being severely overlooked in the East.
Sure, they still lack the size and depth to contend. But I think the Bulls could turn some heads this season. The scoring duo of Lavine and DeRozan remains one of the best in the league. If the Bulls give Lavine the reigns to the team, I think they’ll be better off.
Injuries plagued the Bulls all year. They’re a flawed team, but staying healthy was half the battle for them last season. That and getting consistent production from an aging Nikola Vucevic.
#9 – Toronto Raptors (43-39)
The Toronto Raptors won 48 games last season. This season, their core remains unchanged. Siakam, VanVleet, Trent, Barnes, and Anunoby is one of the most well-rounded lineups in the NBA. So, why am I expecting some regression in 2023?
Even though Nick Nurse can scheme his way out of a lot of Toronto’s problems, there are some things that he can’t control. Like, for instance, the Raptors have little to no playmaking on their roster. They ranked 29th in assists and relied heavily on winning in isolation situations.
It’s hard to maintain success in the NBA with that recipe. Statistically, the Raptors were one of the worst isolation teams in the NBA last year. They were highly inefficient despite running more isolations than almost everybody else.
Another reason for pessimism this year? The lack of depth, specifically at guard. Toronto doesn’t have a lot of competent backup guards to fill minutes. Last season, Malachi Flynn fell by the wayside, not earning a spot in the rotation.
That, along with them losing their vaccination superpower, leads me to believe some regression is in store for the Raptors this season.
#10 – Washington Wizards (40-42)
In protest of this franchise, I’m just going to cut to the chase;
They’re going to be mediocre
#11 – New York Knicks (38-44)
The New York Knicks are headed for another long-term rebuilding project. After a promising start, the new front office led by Leon Rose seems as incompetent as the previous regimes. Until James Dolan sells this team, the Knicks are cursed.
So, this meant that the Knicks are continuing to shell out cash like it’s going out of style. They gave RJ Barrett his rookie scale extension, which is cool,? I guess. New York also handed Jalen Brunson way too much money this offseason, outbidding nobody but themselves.
The Knicks still have the terrible Randle and Fournier contracts on deck, too. New York has one of the most bloated teams in the league. They’re helpless. It’s almost impressive that they’re managed to be this bad for as long as they have. Such is life for basketball in the big apple.
#12 – Charlotte Hornets (36-46)
A fall from grace is the best way to describe this team’s current situation. For two straight seasons, the Hornets couldn’t play defense and imploded in the play-in tournament. Now, they’re not going to sniff the postseason with how their offseason went.
Miles Bridges is no longer on the team. This team simply lacks the perimeter defense needed to survive in the NBA. To their credit, drafting Mark Williams in the first round could solve their hole at the center position.
But that won’t tip the needle for this team. Steve Clifford isn’t the coach for this team. This team went from being young and sexy to young and undesirable. Lamelo Ball can only do so much for this team that has been circling the drain for a few years now.
I know it’s crazy to say, but maybe it’s time to rebuild, MJ?
#13 – Indiana Pacers (33-49)
The Indiana Pacers, for some reason, still haven’t traded Buddy Hield and Myles Turner. Until they do that, they can’t officially have started their rebuild. Nevertheless, Pacers fans will enjoy the likes of Tyrese Haliburton and Benedict Mathurin for years to come. That duo is the current face of this franchise.
Assuming the Pacers do trade Hield and Turner, they’re going to suck. That’s to be expected. But, if the Pacers keep those two veterans around until the deadline, the Pacers won’t be a tank-fest for the entire season. That’s probably the most optimistic thing I’ll say about this team all year.
This will be the first year we get to see the Pacers’ new young core in action. Let’s see how they kick things off.
#14 – Detroit Pistons (30-52)
Last season, it wasn’t hyperbole to call the Pistons one of the worst rosters in recent memory. Outside of Cade Cunningham and a few others, that roster was barren. Detroit knew they had to add a lot more talent to start ramping up this rebuild.
They arguably had the draft night of the year by snagging Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren in the lottery. Those two guys will help the Pistons greatly in the short and long term, especially Ivey. His scoring prowess should fit right alongside Cunningham perfectly.
Speaking of Cunningham, Pistons fans should be very excited for his sophomore campaign. He’s going to have a much easier time getting things done offensively. Detroit’s rebuild is in the right hands and, by the looks of it, off to a strong start.
#15 – Orlando Magic (28-54)
The Orlando Magic are too diluted for me to tell what they are or what they’re trying to be. They have so many unique young prospects it’s kind of overwhelming. While they are more talented on paper than the Pistons, the Pistons have a lot more figured out in their rebuild.
Orlando’s frontcourt is talented but crowded. How will Bamba, Carter, Wagner, and #1 overall pick Paolo Banchero fit together? The same goes for the frontcourt. It will take a long time for this team to figure out what works.
The Magic need to start picking a direction. If Paolo Banchero ends up being the superstar some think he can be, they need to find out quickly. Collecting young talent like they’re infinity stones can only work for so long.
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