The New York Knicks are fresh off their championship run, and if you’re asking who owns the East right now, they’re still the team to beat. Our crew here at Seattle On Tap just put together their early Eastern Conference power rankings, and while there’s some agreement at the top, things get spicy real fast, especially when it comes to the Celtics.
The Champs Lead The Pack, But The Sixers Are Coming Hard
When we polled the staff on their top five Eastern Conference teams, Ian Inangelo and Trevor Hass both agreed on the New York Knicks as the undisputed number one. Ian flat out said nobody’s stacking up to the champs at this moment, despite other teams making massive additions. Trevor echoed that, saying the Knicks deserve to be the favorite until further notice. But don’t sleep on the Philadelphia 76ers. Both Ian and Trevor put them at number two, and for good reason: they scooped up Jaylen Brown and LeBron James! That’s a monster haul. Ian did mention their big man position still scares him, and Trevor rightly pointed out a lot is riding on the health of both LeBron and Joel Embiid. The Miami Heat, with Giannis, were also in Ian’s top three. He called them a boom or bust team based on Giannis’s health, but believes this year he’s doing everything to stay on the floor. Trevor’s a bit more pessimistic on the Heat, thinking they’ll be better than people expect but still lose in the first round.
Cade Cunningham’s Pistons And The Celtics Question Mark
Detroit’s Pistons are getting some serious love too! Ian put them at number five, completely believing in Cade Cunningham to drag a seemingly mediocre roster to a top five seed. Trevor had the Pistons even higher at number three, calling them solid but not quite championship-ready. And then there are the Boston Celtics. Ian still believes they’re a top four team because of their core, with Jayson Tatum looking incredible last year after injury. He admitted losing Brown shouldn’t be understated, but thinks a full season of Tatum as the number one option will be great, especially since Tatum is a Top 5-10 player when healthy. Trevor also placed the Celtics at number four, acknowledging they’ll be in the mix but will definitely miss Jaylen Brown.
Is Boston Even Top Five Anymore? One Writer Says NO WAY!
Hold up, though. Not everyone thinks the Celtics are a lock for the top of the East. Steve Hooper came in with a total contrarian take, throwing some serious shade at Boston. He’s not even sure the Celtics are a top five team in the Eastern Conference anymore after they traded Jaylen Brown for what he called “pennies on the dollar.” Ouch! For Steve, it’s a pretty clear top three: the Knicks, Sixers, and Pistons. That’s it for him. He’s clearly not buying into Boston after that trade.
So, heading into the new season, the East looks like a wild ride. Will the Knicks hold their crown? Can the Sixers’ new super team stay healthy? And is Boston really on the outside looking in, or will Tatum step up and prove the doubters wrong? This fall is going to be epic, and we cannot wait to see how it all shakes out on the court.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Celtics Blog.
Leave a Reply