Injuries and roster changes rocked the Eastern Conference last year, giving the conference standings a much different look than in recent years. Many teams made blockbuster roster changes that are sure to shake up the landscape in the east. With the NBA tipping off this Friday, I’ll be breaking down my predictions for the top six teams in the conference for the 2024-25 season.
Last year the Pacers made a surprising run at the Eastern Conference finals prior to being swept by the eventual champion Boston Celtics. The Pacers were led by all-star point guard Tyrese Haliburton before he began to struggle in the latter portion of the year. The Pacers managed to retain Pascal Siakam this offseason, meaning Indiana’s star duo is intact. The Pacers didn’t make any changes in the off-season, but they expect development from their young role players in Obi Toppin, Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith. The Pacers will be fighting to stay out of the play-in tournament in the East; last year, they finished in a three-way tie at 47 wins with the Orlando Magic and the Philadelphia 76ers.
Cleveland finished last year as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference at 48-34. After a hard fought seven game series victory over the Magic in the first round, their season was ended by the Celtics in five games. Cleveland kept together their group of star players, all-star guards Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell, and their front court duo of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Things will not look drastically different from last year for the Cavs, as they didn’t make any notable roster moves in the off-season. The Cavs made a change at head coach, replacing J.B. Bickerstaff with Kenny Atkinson, which could shake things up. The No. 5 seed will be very competitive for Cleveland, rivaling teams like Indiana, Miami and Orlando for the lower East seeds, but it’s a challenge I think they are well equipped for.
Milwaukee has fallen out of the Eastern Spotlight since their 2021 NBA Finals run. Last year, the Bucks paired former MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo with Damian Lillard, a duo many expected to dominate the league, drawing comparisons to Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. Milwaukee finished as the third seed in the East with a record of 49-33. After the shocking change at head coach, the Bucks hit a hiccup in the road. Just 43 games into his tenure as coach, the Bucks fired Adrian Griffin despite having a 30-13 record. He was replaced by Doc Rivers, who led the team to a subsequent 17-19 record. The Bucks were bounced in the first round to the six seeded Pacers, a disappointing end to a season with such high expectations. A sudden change in coaching, along with a new star duo, was bound to throw things off for Milwaukee. With time to gel together this off-season, I see no reason why Milwaukee won’t find themselves in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
Philadelphia had their season derailed with the mid-season injury of former MVP Joel Embiid. In the 39 games he played last year, he was an early favorite for the MVP race. He averaged 33 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. He will be back this year alongside six-time All-NBA Team member Paul George. George adds a three-level scoring ability and has been one of the best two-way forwards in the league throughout his career. With the emergence of Tyrese Maxey last year, who averaged 29.8 points per game, the 76ers have put together one of the most impressive trios in the league. Veterans Andre Drummond and Eric Gordon help round out the 76ers roster, and there are high expectations for their first-round pick, Jared McCain. Embiid and company will be looking to get back to the top of the east this season.
The Knicks stole the show this offseason. Just a week before the season started, they traded away Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to bring in one of the best offensive centers in the NBA, Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns is an obvious upgrade for the Knicks, filling in the center role left empty by Isaiah Hartenstein. Randle is coming off injury and usually comes up short in the playoffs. While DiVincenzo has lost most of his role in the offense with the addition of Mikal Bridges. Town’s ability to stretch the floor will be huge for the Knicks, as it will open up the paint for Jalen Brunson in isolation. The Knicks were poised to be Boston’s toughest challenge on their road to the NBA Finals before they were plagued by the injury bug in the playoffs. This year, the Knicks pose an even greater threat to the Celtics, as they look to usurp the throne in the East.
As the reigning NBA Champions, Boston is the team to beat in the Eastern Conference this year. Boston has been atop the East in recent memory, finishing in the top three in each of the last four years. Last year, the Celtics finished with a 64-18 record, finishing 14 games better than the runner-up Knicks. When facing teams in the East, they boasted a 41-11 record. Boston is maintaining their entire roster from the championship run, which gives them an advantage over the rest of the conference with the assurance of continuity. There is no team in the NBA with better chemistry, which is evident on the court. A net rating is a statistic that measures how much better or worse a team performs when a player is on the floor. Celtics players accounted for five of the six best net ratings in the NBA. With the dynamic duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown leading the way, expect another big year out of Boston.
