The Miami Heat built a great roster this season and should be able to snag a top spot in the Eastern Conference. That being said, they will have some tough competition.
While Miami did make significant improvements, so did a lot of other teams. The majority of teams in the East actually got better going into this season.
Teams such as the Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics, and New York Knicks all arguably got better this summer. This should lead to a serious battle for playoff spots this year.
What record will every team in the Eastern Conference have at the end of the season? Who will finish where, who will make the playoffs, and who will end up falling short?
Predicting the Eastern Conference standings to see where the Miami Heat land
15. Cleveland Cavaliers (24-58)
With all the drama surrounding Collin Sexton, it’s no surprise that the Cavs are going to be one of the worst teams in the East. Add in the fact that they have a major frontcourt logjam, and things aren’t looking too good in Cleveland.
14. Orlando Magic (27-55)
Depending on their injury situation, the Magic might not be horrendous this year. That being said, it’s still the Magic, so let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
13. Detroit Pistons (31-51)
The Pistons could actually end up surprising some people. They have a solid young team and could make some noise if everything clicks with their new core.
12. Washington Wizards (32-50)
Losing Russell Westbrook will definitely hurt Washington’s record this year. Unfortunately, it might be Bradley Beal’s last year in the city, too.
10. Toronto Raptors (36-46)
The Raptors will be back in Toronto this season, but it might not lead to much regular-season success. Kyle Lowry leaving will hurt them big-time in the record column.
Predicting the Eastern Conference standings to see where the Miami Heat land
10. Indiana Pacers (40-42)
The Pacers have always had a solid amount of talent on their roster. Domantas Sabonis is an All-Star caliber player, and they have a ton of solid depth surrounding him.
It’s boom or bust for Indiana this year, but adding Rick Carlisle helps their chances. If they start off hot, they could be play-in bound, if not, though, they could look to blow it up at the deadline.
9. Charlotte Hornets (40-42)
The Hornets surpassed a lot of people’s expectations last season. That being said, there’s some stiff competition in the Eastern Conference now.
It will be interesting to see if LaMelo Ball can take the next step this season. Regardless, Charlotte might go through some growing pains with their young core.
8. Chicago Bulls (42-40)
The Bulls made a ton of great moves this offseason. They added Lonzo Ball, DeMar DeRozan, and Alex Caruso to an already solid roster.
The chemistry might not be there from the jump, but they should play well as a team. The East just has too much talent this year, so clinching the playoffs is no easy task.
7. New York Knicks (45-37)
Adding Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier is great, but the rest of the East improved, too. Walker still has injury concerns and while Fournier is a great offensive option, it’s easy to argue that the Knicks got worse on defense.
Another jump from RJ Barrett could skyrocket the ceiling of the Knicks. Until then, however, they will be fighting to stay out of the play-in.
6. Atlanta Hawks (45-37)
Atlanta is coming off of an amazing playoff run. That being said, whether or not they can carry that success over to this season is yet to be seen.
Trae Young cemented himself as an elite NBA point guard, but the East is just so competitive this year. The Hawks will be one of around five teams competing to avoid the play-in.
Predicting the Eastern Conference standings to see where the Miami Heat land
5. Philadelphia 76ers (46-36)
It’s quite possible that the Philadelphia 76ers get a solid package in return for Ben Simmons, but that is yet to be seen. Until that situation is resolved, it’s tough to judge Philadelphia’s record this year.
Joel Embiid can carry them to the playoffs by himself, but they may not be the dominant regular-season force they were last year. It all depends on what they get in return for Simmons.
4. Boston Celtics (46-36)
Despite losing Walker and Fournier, the Celtics might have actually improved this summer. They replaced Walker with Schroder, Fournier with Richardson, and added some solid depth on top of that.
These moves will allow Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to completely control the show. They’ll battle with Philadelphia, Atlanta, and New York to secure a playoff spot.
3. Miami Heat (49-33)
The Miami Heat had an amazing offseason, and it should lead to a much better season than last year. The big three of Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler, and Bam Adebayo has the potential to be elite.
Lowry will help shore up some of their offensive issues while Butler and Adebayo continue to hold it down on defense. The Miami Heat are set up to compete for a top-three seed in the East.
2. Milwaukee Bucks (51-31)
Coming off of an NBA championship, the Bucks will be looking to have another great regular season. Considering they have a very similar lineup to last year, they should be able to do just that.
Giannis Antetokounmpo will be in MVP conversations, as well as DPOY conversations. They have the star power and depth to be a top seed in the East.
1. Brooklyn Nets (54-28)
Barring injuries, the Nets will be the best team in the Eastern Conference. Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving make up the most talented big three in NBA history.
It will be extremely tough to take them down, in general, this year, let alone in the East. They are the team to beat this season in the Eastern Conference.