The East has only gotten weaker
NBA fans and pundits felt that the East had reached new lows years ago. It’s even worse now.
With the likes of Paul George, Jimmy Butler and Paul Millsap departing for the West this summer, the East has lost several All Stars. The conference is wide open.
Gordon Hayward signed with the Boston Celtics, but how much of a difference will that ultimately make? LeBron and company are the favorites to win the conference once again, but they’ll likely see new competition once the playoffs begin.
The Chicago Bulls are out, and so are the Indiana Pacers.
The no. 1 seed in the East won a mere 53 games last season, while the Warriors, the winners of the West, won 67 and cakewalked their way through the postseason, defeating the Cavaliers in five games to win their second title in three years.
Aside from the Celtics and Cavaliers, spots three-through-eight are wide open. Miami should compete for the fourth or fifth seed, maybe even the third if everything clicks.
While they may not have an established superstar (depending on the Kyrie Irving talks,) the Heat have proven time and time again that if you play together and move the ball (a la San Antonio,) you can be successful.
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It’s time for Spoelstra and company to make a valiant return to the postseason, and failure to do so may cause drastic changes in the near future.
No need to worry, that’s not how it’s going to happen.
Miami will be in the postseason, and they will get beyond the first round.
Mark my words, screenshot this. Take that to bank.
See you in the 2018 playoffs, Heat fans.