Grading Every Team In The Eastern Conference
Yesterday we graded all 15 teams in the West, and today we’re doing the same in the East. The East is the inferior conference but they have some good teams. Of course some teams have overachieved and some have underachieved and I will be giving all of them a grade.
(Sympathy may or may not be given)
#1 – Philadelphia 76ers (24-12)
Grade: A
The 76ers have been very good this year but I’m not completely sold. It’s not to take away what they’ve done it’s just that I don’t find it as impressive as other teams, mainly in the West.
The offense is good but not great. Joel Embiid is doing incredible things is likely going to be the MVP as of right now. He has been hitting shots from everywhere and is playing out of his mind. Ben Simmons can’t shoot and that will hurt Philly in the postseason but he does so many things well. Tobias Harris is also have an All-Star caliber year. The 76ers are the 14th best offense in the league. They would be higher but they have a lot of flaws.
They are not a good shooting team. They rank 28th in 3-pointers made per game as they don’t shoot well. Their bench is basically just Shake Milton and maybe some shooting from Korkmaz and that’s it. Philly is 27th in bench scoring as they rely heavily on their starters. They really need some bench depth. They have been rumored to get Kyle Lowry but I would look to try and get some instant offense off the bench.
The 76ers defense is very good. Ben Simmons is one of the if not the most versatile defenders in the league. He is lanky and very physical and it’s tough to get around him. Embiid clogs things up down low and is a very good shot-blocker. Second year win Matisse Thybulle is also a ball-hawk like Simmons. Only defensive liabilities are Seth Curry and Dwight Howard.
The 76ers have some offensive problems and teams will expose the Ben Simmons problem in the postseason. They can’t keep up with some of the better offensive teams in the East like Brooklyn with their lack of shooting. I definitely think they are good but they only win games against poor teams. They are 18-6 against the East but 6-6 against the West. They aren’t as good as they should be. But they’ll still be top dogs in the East because it’s the East.
#2 – Brooklyn Nets (24-13)
Grade: A
The Nets are like the Avengers of the NBA. They just have to much talent and they have proven they can fix their flaws defensively. They are easily the most dangerous team in the East and if they stay healthy it’s really not unlikely they make a Finals run.
Offensively what more can you say? 3 of the greatest scorers of all-time on the same court. KD is 7 feet tall and can shoot like a guard. He has been great since returning from that achilles injury. James Harden has been so good. He is leading the league in assists and is shooting the best he has ever shot the ball. Kyrie Irving is one of the greatest ball-handlers ever and he is also a great iso scorer.
This team also has Joe Harris who is the perfect compliment to this team. I don’t know how he wasn’t selected to the 3-PT competition as he been amazing. He is shooting 51% from 3 on nearly 7 attempts per game. He leads the league in 3-PT% and has a true shooting percentage of 70% which is about 20% higher than league average. Bruce Brown has become a rover and guys like Shamet and TLC are streaky shooters. This is an all-time offense.
Defensively the Nets can be solid if they try. Bruce Brown and Landry Shamet are solid defenders. The Nets usually struggle on defense because of lack of effort. Yes they have personnel issues down low but if they try they can be passable at best on that end.
The Nets have one of the greatest offensive trios of all-time, as all 3 of these guys are all-time scorers. The Nets offense will never be a problem. If they try and defense and can get a center before the trade deadline they will be complete. The Nets are scary if they are operating at full cylinders.
#3 – Milwaukee Bucks (22-14)
Grade: F
OMG? An F? The Bucks are 3rd in the East how can they get an F? I’ll explain. This Bucks team is very good on paper, one of the best in the league. They have all the things you would be looking for in a contending team. There is only one problem and it comes in the shape of one man; Mike Budenholzer. The idiocy this man displays on a daily basis is ruining this team.
Offensively this team is good, 3rd in the league. But there are lots of ways to stop this offense. Let Giannis go down the lane and just stick with the shooters to eliminate drive and kicks. They also build a wall with tall, strong, and lengthy guys to clog the lane. When the 3’s aren’t falling for the Bucks their offense sputters. They run the same sets and they use Giannis the same way over and over. It’s fine because Giannis is just that good but they use him in the same ways.
It’s just give him the ball at the top and drive down the lane, every single time. Maybe instead put him in the post because he’s more of a center than a guard. Maybe put him on the baseline in the dunker’s spot. Make him the screener in pick and rolls to he can get a running start to the rim. Just some ideas.
The defense is very, very bad for the talent they have. Their defense was great last year but it’s not the same. Their defense allows teams to make a lot of 3’s as Milwaukee packs the paint. With guys like Middleton, DiVincenzo, and Jrue Holiday on the perimeter this shouldn’t be happening. The Bucks are 26th in opponent 3-pt makes per game. They are 19th in oppoent 3-pt percentage it’s not good.
Brook Lopez is declining and Giannis isn’t used as a one-on-one defender, instead as a help defender. The Bucks have talented defenders but they aren’t good defensively. Remember Mike Budenholzer the coach? Yeah this is all on him.
No matter their flaws (which are glaring) I expected the Bucks to roll through the regular season like they had the last two seasons and implode in the playoffs like they had the last two seasons. But instead their flaws are catching up to them earlier than ever before. It’s a shame Giannis and Khris Middleton both signed massive extension. Because with Mike Budenholzer they aren’t winning anything.
#4 – Boston Celtics (19-17)
Grade: C
The Celtics were very good in the bubble last year and they added some young and veterans to sure up the roster. It didn’t go as planned. Yes injuries to key plays did hurt them but their new addition haven’t been great. They could have gotten Myles Turner and instead got nothing. They are talented but I don’t know if they’re as good as they were last year.
The Celtics have talent on offense. When he wants to Jayson Tatum can be one of the best wing scorers in the game. He can shoot, handle, and drive and he has the whole package. But sometimes he just settles for jumpshots instead of getting to the rim. Jaylen Brown is a very good scorer becoming an All-Star this season. Kemba returned from knee surgery slow but he ended the year on a tear and Boston will need him if they want to compete.
Marcus Smart is their best playmaker and it’s hurt them that he’s not there. The new additions haven’t been great. Tristan Thompson has been soling but Jeff Teague has been awful as the Brad Wanamaker replacement. Rookie Payton Pritchard has been very good and Robert Williams is breaking out on both ends as he has been able to stay healthy. The Celtics bench is very young and not having a veteran like Hayward really hurts.
The Celtics defense hasn’t been great but a lot of that has to do with not having Marcus Smart for a while. Not having Myles Turner also has that as he would be a Celtic if Boston had just done the trade. Instead they have a big trade exception which is cool I guess. Not like Myles Turner is leading the league in blocks or anything. Boston has good defenders but their young bench does worry me as teams can take advantage of smaller guys like Pritchard or Teague.
Boston will get better with Smart returning but I don’t know if they are as good as they were last year. Jeff Teague and Aaron Nesmith haven’t done much this season and the bench is so young that it’s hard to believe they will be consistent in the postseason. Boston relies so heavily on Tatum, Walker, and Brown that if those 3 guys don’t have things going things might go south. The good thing for Boston is that they are in the Eastern Conference.
#5 – New York Knicks (19-18)
Grade: A+
The Knicks didn’t do too much to their team. They added some decent guys on short contracts and got Toppin and Quickley in the draft. They added D-Rose and a new coach but it’s not like they got a superstar. Tom Thibodeau finally installed a winning culture and this team has wildly overachieved this season.
Julius Randle has turned into an All-Star just one year after all of New York wanted him dead with his spin move. Randle has been a great scorer but his passing is very improved. He’s looking for his teammates more instead of just being a black hole on offense. RJ Barrett has been getting more consistent as he is a solid 2nd option.
The role players like free agent Alec Burks has been solid. Nerlens Noel has been a great defensive backup center to Mitchell Robinson who was playing great until he broke his hand. Immanuel Quickley is a great scorer as is D-Rose as both those guys can give you 20 on any given night. The Knicks offense is inconsistent but it has been better with D-Rose in the lineup. If they can score to compliment their excellent defense they can be very good.
While the offense sometime struggles the defense has always been there. The Knicks are the 2nd best defense in the league and they have been very good this season. Mitchell Robinson and Nerlens Noel are great down low. Julius Randle is physical and guys like RJ Barrett are solid. The Knicks defense are the best team in the league at defending the 3. The Knicks don’t force a lot of turnovers they just play really good defense and that is the main reason they are 5th in the East.
The Knicks offense has to be decent if they want to be good and contend in the East. With D-Rose the Knicks average 110.6 points per game. Without him they average 102.8. D-Rose has helped them a lot but they need production from Barrett and the bench if they want to go really far. The Thibodeau hire has been excellent as maybe the Knicks won’t be a laughing stock anymore.
#6 – Miami Heat (18-18)
Grade: C
The Heat have also dealt with injuries but they ended the first-half strong to get back into the playoff race. The Heat definitely had some games they could have won and while healthy I don’t know if they can beat teams like the Nets. But if they can just stay healthy we can see if this team can make another Finals run.
The Heat offense isn’t as good as last year however they still can be good. Jimmy Butler is a physical slasher and Bam Adebayo is a paint beast. The Heat have shooters like Avery Bradley and Duncan Robinson and pure scorers like Nunn, Dragic, and Herro. They have offensive capabilities but the shooting isn’t as good as it was in the bubble. The Heat are the 25th ranked offense in the league as they have struggled due to injuries.
I don’t believe the Heat offense is that good but it’s not 25th. Miami. The Heat are shooting 35% from 3 which is in the bottom-10 of the league. They just haven’t been hitting shots. If they were able to hit more 3’s they would be better offensively.
Defensively the Heat has been a mess at times mainly due to so many different lineups. But they still have the 7th best defense in the league as least they can rely on that. Butler and Adebayo are great defenders. Although Avery Bradley has played just 10 games this season he’s a good defender. Precious Achiuwa is solid. Guys like Herro, Nunn, Robinson, and Dragic can be targets for defenses as they aren’t great defenders. But the Heat have their defense to rely on when the offense struggles.
When healthy the Heat can definitely be good. I don’t know if they can beat teams like Philly or Brooklyn with their lack of shooting but they are better than what they were in the first half of the year. They ended the first year strong and if they can be healthy they have a chance to gel as a team. The Heat might not have the bubble to get them to finals again but a deep playoff run isn’t out of question.
#7 – Charlotte Hornets (17-18)
Grade: A+
The Hornets are not supposed to be here and yet they are. They added guys like Gordon Hayward and Lamelo Ball and boom they are here. The Hornets haven’t made the playoffs since 2016 and they have a chance to do it this year thanks to their very good offense.
Gordon Hayward was paid $30 million dollars a year, and he’s been worth it. He’s returned to All-Star Hayward level as he had his best year since 2017 with Utah. Terry Rozier was also handed a massive contract in 2019 and we all thought he was overpaid. But he’s been having a great year and really separated himself from Devonte Graham, who the Hornets don’t need.
But Lamelo Ball has changed this team. He was coming off the bench but as a starter he has been amazing. In 15 games as a starter Ball is averaging 21 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds. He has been shooting well and turned this Hornets offense into an elite offense. The Hornets have averaged 118 points per game with Ball as a starter as he has clearly been the Rookie of the Year this season.
The bench is also solid. Malik Monk went from not playing to being one of the best 6th men in the league. In the month of February he averaged nearly 17 points per game. Miles Bridges has been great off the bench as well. This Hornets team is loaded offensively. The same cannot be said about the defense.
The Hornets defense isn’t great, especially when Lamelo Ball took over. They might score 118 per game but they allow 117. So it’s a +1 differential. The Hornets for the year are decent defensively but they’ve winning via shootout in the last few weeks. Their defense has to be better if they want to win. If they want to win they’d better no play Graham with Rozier and Ball as that lineup is very bad defensively.
The Hornets hit homes runs in the last few years. Drafting guys like PJ Washington and Malik Monk who has become a great 6th man. Lamelo Ball has been incredible as a starter and there is no need for Devonte Graham who needs to be traded for picks or something in the frontcourt. But if the Hornets offense continues to play like this they will win and they will likely make the playoffs.
#8 – Toronto Raptors (17-19)
Grade: C+
The Raptors lost some key guys to free agency this summer but I still expected them to be decent. While they did start very poorly they rebounded well but I don’t think they are the same team from the last two seasons.
Offensively Toronto can be explosive when they want to. Pascal Siakam started off the year strong but now he’s leveled out to play like a border-line All-Star. Fred VanVleet is averaging a career-high and even at the age of 34 Kyle Lowry is solid.
The Raptors supporting cast features a flamethrower in Norman Powell. Chris Boucher is having a career season as he is the perfect stretch big man. OG Anunoby is a great wing defender and shooter. The Raptors are the 10th best offense but defense has been their problem at times this season.
A team led by Nick Nurse likely won’t have too many defensive problems but the personnel has made the Raptors defense average instead of great. The losses of Gasol and Ibaka down low were huge. Aron Baynes is a liability just one season after being great for Phoenix. His 3-pt shot is gone and he looks like a shell of his former self. Alex Len was a bust pickup and the Raptors don’t have a center. While they have managed to give Joel Embiid his two worst games of the year I doubt they could beat big teams like Philly in the playoffs.
The Raptors will remain decent because of their good offense where they have a lot of weapons. However their interior is very, very bad and I just don’t see them making another deep run. I think that it’s time to move off of Lowry and start fresh with Siakam and VanVleet. They need to rebuild the interior if they want to go back to where they have been in the last couple of seasons.
#9 – Chicago Bulls (16-18)
Grade: A-
The Bulls have been building a nice young core over the past few years and now they finally have a somewhat competent coach and look where they are. Zach Lavine has turned into an All-Star and this Bulls team has looked promising at times this season.
Offensively when healthy the Bulls have weapons. Zach Lavine is an All-Star and one of the most efficient scorers in the league. Lauri Markkanen has been hit hard by Covid and a shoulder injury but he’s been having a very good 4th season after being terrible last year. Wendell Carter is solid and while Coby White isn’t what the Bulls need he is solid.
Otto Porter has turned into an old man with his back issues but he can be decent (not on that massive contract). Rookie Patrick Williams has exceeded my expectations and has a chance to be a nice two-way player. Off the bench you have Thaddeous Young who can do it all. He is strong and physical and very good playmaker and a good post defender. The bench for the Bulls is very good and it helps them be the number 15 offense in the league. The defense isn’t that good however.
The Bulls defense is 21st in the league as they aren’t too great defensively. Guys like Thaddeous Young and Wendell Carter are very good defenders. Lauri Markkanen isn’t great and Zach Lavine is ok. Coby White is ok and while Patrick Williams is good he’s still a rookie. The Bulls have struggled on that end but they can be decent.
I view the Bulls as a wildcard. They haven’t hard Lauri Markkanen for large portions of the year and if they want to make of the top-10 playoff seeds they’ll need him back. They have a decent roster and I definitely can see them at least making the play-in. I still think they need a real point guard instead of Coby White is more of a shooting guard, but he’ll do for now.
#10 – Indiana Pacers (16-19)
Grade: D
This team started the year off very well and they were playing well. But with TJ Warren playing just 4 games this year and newly acquired Caris Levert from the James Harden deal had kidney cancer and has yet to play for Indiana. The Pacers ended the first-half of the year on a skid and they are barely in the East playoff picture.
The offense was very good but they need a boost with Levert and Warren hopefully coming back during the 2nd half of the year. Domantas Sabonis is an All-Star and Malcolm Brogdon is solid. But it hasn’t been enough. Myles Turner isn’t consistent offensively and guys like Justin Holiday and Doug McDermott are streaky.
Aaron Holiday, Justin’s brother, has been disappointing this year after looking really good last year. I think that if the Pacers want to improve their 18th ranked offense they just need to get healthier because relying on average role players hasn’t been working.
Defensively the Pacers are solid. Myles Turner is an elite shot-blocker, leading the league in blocks. Domantas Sabonis is a guy you would think would be a good defender however he’s a liability. Malcolm Brogdon and Justin Holiday are solid. But guys like Doug McDermott are not good defenders. TJ Warren is a solid defender on the wing and Caris Levert is average. The Pacers defense has been their most consistent side of the ball this season.
The Pacers just have to get healthy. Warren and Levert are two very good scorers on the wing and they can provide some scoring help for Sabonis and Brogdon. I don’t think that Indiana can contend with the top tier East team however if they can get healthy they at least have a chance.
#11 – Atlanta Hawks (16-20)
Grade: C-
The Hawks have been disappointing this year. Yes they have dealt with a lot of injuries. But they have a very good roster and they are in this position. The scapegoat was Lloyd Pierce although it seems like he had lost the locker room. With an experienced coach and luck with health the Hawks can turn their year around.
The Hawks offense has a lot of talent and they can be deadly. If Trae Young can get going he’s deadly as a shooter, driver, and passer. He is a very talented scorer. The frontcourt duo of Capela and Collins is very dynamic. Capela is a paint beast and excellent rebounder. Collins can space the floor and if much more athletic.
Free agent signing like Rondo and Gallinari haven’t been great but we know how good they can be. Bogdan Bogdanovic had a knee injury but he can shoot. De’Andre Hunter was having an excellent season on both ends before getting knee surgery. Cam Reddish is very inconsistent but he has talent. Kevin Huerter has been solid. The Hawks have a lot of players but they just haven’t been healthy enough to play together that much.
Defensively the Hawks have some good defenders. Guys like Capela and Hunter are very good defenders. Kris Dunn, another free agent signing, hasn’t played a minute this season due to injury and he’s a great defender. But guys like Young, Huerter, Gallinari, and Bogdanovic are targets. Reddish has the frame but he’s still developing. Sometimes the Hawks struggle on this end as most of their guys are one-sided.
The Hawks can be good but their offense has to be rolling, which is can be because they have so much talent. Trae Young has to be aggressive as he makes this offense hum. Guys like Gallinari have to be better after getting paid $20+ million. Hopefully Bogdanovic can get back to form after getting hurt and Hunter can comeback. This Hawks team has talent, it’s just a question if they want to use it.
#12 – Washington Wizards (14-20)
Grade: C+
With the addition of Westbrook I expected this team to be better. But they dealt with Covid and injuries to start the year and Bradley Beal was basically on his own. But as Westbrook got healthier the Wizards played well and ended the season strong. They have talent and they know how they need to play in order to win.
On offense you have that dynamic backcourt. Bradley Beal is one of the best scorers in the league and he is very deadly. Westbrook isn’t a scorer but he does a lot of things for this team. If he’s hitting shots he’s dangerous. Then you have some good young talent. Rui Hachimura is solid and can score with his mid-range jumpshot. Before getting injured for the year Thomas Bryant was playing great.
Davis Bertans got paid a lot (a little too much) however he is shoot 38% from 3 this season. Robin Lopez has been solid. Scott Brooks is misusing rookie Deni Avdija. Instead of letting him be the secondary playmaker he’s a spot up shooter just standing still. Not the best way to use him. I don’t think Scott Brooks is the best coach but Washington’s offense isn’t the problem. The defense is.
The defense to start the year was awful. However to end the year the Wizards were above average. They were playing with energy and caring about every single possession. They don’t exactly have great defenders. However if they play with energy they give themselves a chance to win games.
I think that the Wizards can make the playoffs. They have a solid roster and avoiding any injuries/Covid they can be solid. They need production from their backcourt and some support from the role players. If Washington plays with energy like they did down the stretch of the year they will be able to give themselves a chance to sneak into the postseason.
#13 – Cleveland Cavaliers (14-22)
Grade: C-
The Cavs have looked very promising and very crappy this year. They started the year off having one of the best defenses in the league and they were above 0.500. Then things went back to normal with 10 straight losses for Cleveland that put them out of the playoff picture. But they have looked promising this season and they have a future.
The offense isn’t great but they have some talent. Collin Sexton is a good scorer but nothing else. Darius Garland has been really good this year after struggling last year. He and Sexton are an interesting fit with them both being undersized guards and only one of them is a good playmaker. Other than there isn’t much offense. Andre Drummond is terrible and likely won’t be with the team for long. Kevin Love is aging. Rookie Isaac Okoro is mostly a defender for now. Jarrett Allen is a paint beast. They need more offense down the road.
Defensively the Cavs have a future. In the backcourt they are very undersized so they have surrounded those two with great defenders. Rookie Isaac Okoro has been solid defensively this season. Larry Nance before getting injured was great in the passing lanes. Jarrett Allen is the best young rim protector in the league. The Cavs have a future on this end.
I like what the Cavs have been doing. They gave up a pick swap that wasn’t even theirs (Milwaukee) and they got one of the best young defenders in the league in Andre Drummond. Isaac Okoro is a very solid defender and can be a very good one in the future. The Cavs backcourt is explosive. If they can get off of the massive Love and Drummond contracts they can really start rebuilding. They’re off to a good start so lets see how they can screw this up.
#14 – Orlando Magic (13-23)
Grade: Injuries
The Magic started this season 6-2 with one of the best offenses in the league. Then Markelle Fultz tears his ACL and is done for the year after starting what was looking like his best season of his career. Aaron Gordon suffered a bad ankle injury and is going to miss more time in the 2nd half of the year. Evan Fournier has dealt with back issues. Rookie Cole Anthony had a rib issue This team has just been hit so hard by injuries.
The Magic offense has struggled with all the injuries as they aren’t very deep. Nikola Vucevic is an All-Star again as he a very versatile scorer. Evan Fournier is good when healthy and he’s a solid 2nd option. Aaron Gordon was ok at best. Terrence Ross is very streaky but can be good. Cole Anthony was solid as a starter. If the Magic were healthy they would be better on this end.
Defense is also not one of the Magic’s strong suits. The Magic are 20th in defense as they don’t have a lot of good defenders. Al-Farouq Aminu is solid but he’s aging. James Ennis is solid but he’s also 30. The Magic need some defenders and soon. All of their recent pickups have been offensive oriented. With the likelihood of them picking high in the draft they need some defense.
Curse to the injury gods. Well at least it’s not 8th place this year for Orlando.
#15 – Detroit Pistons (10-26)
Grade: C
I like the direction Detroit is going in. They got some great pickups this offseason and their draft picks have been solid. They have finally decided to rebuild after shipping off Drummond in 2020 and D-Rose this year. They bought out Blake Griffin so now the rebuild can officially restart.
They paid big bucks for Jerami Grant, $20 million over 3 years. Thus far it’s been worth it. Jerami Grant was an All-Star caliber player this year averaging better than 20 per game. Delon Wright and Mason Plumlee have also been very impactful in their first year with the team.
The Pistons got 3 rookies in the first round this year and another one via trade. With their first selection they got Killian Hayes who hasn’t been great. He was inefficient and only played in 7 games before getting a hip injury. Tyrese Haliburton was on the board.
Isaiah Stewart was their next selection and he’s been solid. He is a big body down low and a solid rebounder. He is very raw and it’ll be interesting to see how he progresses. The last pick was Saddiq Bey and I loved this pick at the time and still do.
Bey is very NBA-ready and he’s proved that this year. Bey shoots 39% from 3 and averages nearly 10 points per game. He has defensive potential to be above-average. He is one of the my favorite rookies and I love that Detroit got him.
One thing I would do this summer is fire Dwane Casey and hire Kenny Atkinson. Atkinson went to a Nets team with lots of young talent and built them up to be a playoff team. A similar things could happen here. The Pistons really had a good offseason. Adding Grant, Bey, Wright, Stewart, and Plumlee have all worked out. Hayes had a rough start but he could become good. It’s been a good start for Detroit to kickstart this rebuild.
What Are Your Grades For The Eastern Conference So Far? Leave A Comment Down Below!
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