Eastern Conference NBA Preview: The East Is Going To Be A Bloodbath Of Epic Proportions
After arguably the longest offseason in recent memory, the new NBA season is finally here. Vibes around the league are high, every fanbase for the most part thinks their team is a lock for 50+ wins, every young player on the roster is going to take a leap, and any potential negative is easily ignored. That's just how things go this time of year.
As we know, that's not going to be the case once the games actually start. For some, it may work out that way, but if there's one thing we know, it's that the NBA season can be unpredictable. When it comes to the Eastern Conference, we're looking at what is set up to be an all-time bloodbath. Gone are the days of the West supposedly being this far superior conference (this was never true btw) with all the movement from the offseason, and I truly think every seed 1-10 is up for grabs and that's before injuries even make their way into the equation. From top to bottom, this is as loaded a conference as I can remember, which is exciting.
So I thought ahead of the season, let's run down how each East team is entering the year and why things may or may not work out. Every single team has reasons for both, and how it all shakes out is what makes it fun. Let's begin.
New York Knicks
2025-26 Regular season: 53-29, 3 seed
2025-26 Postseason: NBA Champions
No team in the NBA enters the season with higher vibes than the New York Knicks. They're the defending Champs who reside at the top of the NBA mountain until someone knocks them off. That's how it works when you're the last team standing in June. At least for this blogger, you've earned my respect for the upcoming season.
It took a while for people to actually believe the Knicks were good, but their regular season profile from last year has me pretty confident that the Knicks should once again be one of the better teams in not just the East, but the entire NBA. In terms of a Finals hangover, that really hasn't been a thing of late in the NBA in the regular season. Following their 2023 title, the Nuggets went 57-25. After their 2024 title, the Celtics went 61-21. Last year, OKC finished 64-18. The foundation of what made the Knicks good is still there, and while there will be a new challenge of playing every night as the defending Champ and getting everyone's best, I don't really see many red flags when it comes to the Knicks season.
There's no reason this team shouldn't have another top 4 offense, top 7 defense, and top 5 net rating, and when you do that and live around the +6.0 net rating line (Knicks where +6.4 last year), that generally translates to around low 50s in wins. That feels right for them, and I think anything outside of a top 3 seed would be a bit of an underachieving season (barring major health issues). They have a system that works for them, proof of concept given their title, and a good mix of high end talent with elite role players. Those teams usually stack wins during the year.
Ultimately, their season will be defined by their title defense, just like all previous defending Champions. No team has gone back to back in nearly a decade. Hell, no team has made it back to the Finals. OKC got close by making the WCF last year, so that's the challenge the Knicks face this year. There is no denying their 2026 run was DOMINANT. But are they the team that is going to break the trend we've seen this decade? That's the question.
I'm not too concerned about all the contract stuff and how the lack of extensions could derail their season. I'm a little concerned about replacing Mitchell Robinson with Andre Drummond, but the Knicks at least to me are one of the teams in this conference who don't have a ton of questions, and any that do exist won't be answered until the Spring.
Boston Celtics
2025-26 Regular season: 56-26, 2 seed
2025-26 Postseason: Lost in Round 1
Obviously I'm a bit biased here, but the Celts enter the season as one of the more fascinating teams in the entire NBA. Last year, they didn't really have expectations given the Tatum injury and the unknowns of the roster, this year is completely different. Now we KNOW the unknowns from last year are legit good. We know that the singular system we saw them play with last year works.
Most will tell you that the roster they are entering the season with is better than the roster they entered last year with. That they removed this "negative" player in Jaylen Brown, added a top 5 player in Jayson Tatum, and improved their depth with the addition of George and Robinson.
As someone who does think this roster is better, to me that means there are no excuses for this team to not be a wagon. The talent is there, the system is there, they shored up their weaknesses and should once again be at the top of the NBA in offense, defense, and net rating. I've already started to see some Celts fans play the "they'll be good in the regular season but not playoffs" game as a way to maybe cope or not have pressure entering the year.
Fuck. That.
I say don't be afraid of the expectations. If you, like me, think this team is better, then stand on it. The way I see it, anything outside of an ECF appearance would be an underachievement. If the new roster "fits" better than the old one, and Tatum is the player we all know he is combined with arguably the best depth in the Conference, then yeah, the expectation should be the ECF. It sure as shit was as they entered the postseason last year, to which they failed in spectacular fashion.
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So what would be a reason it doesn't work?
The sheets are wrong. It's as simple as that. The sheets tell us this team is going to be awesome, they built a roster that can answer every problem etc. In fact, their entire future depends on what the sheets are telling them. Once the real games start, we'll learn just how right or wrong they were.
Detroit Pistons
2025-26 Regular season: 60-22, 1 seed
2025-26 Postseason: Lost in Round 2
How many teams can win 60 games, secure the 1 seed, address some of their roster issues this offseason yet still be overlooked? That's how I view the Pistons. It feels like everyone wants to declare their season last year "fake", and I'm not really sure why. Yes, they were an East leading 26-6 against teams under .500, but they were also an East leading 34-16 against teams over .500. They have two All NBA caliber players and a top 2 defense. Yet when you see different Power Rankings or standings predictions, many don't even have the Pistons as a team to finish in the top 4.
I get it, the back-to-back 7-game series last postseason were tough. They definitely should not have seen a Game 7 in Round 1, but that shit happens. I still think their regular season formula translates to a pretty damn good team, and I do think their offseason additions of John Collins and Isaiah Joe will help their shooting problem. I'm also expecting Cade Cunningham to make a leap in that department as well after showing signs last year of an increased 3PAr, and to me that's the next level for him to reach to truly unlock his ceiling.
So why might it not work?
I'm still a little nervous about a starting lineup that has two non-floor spacers in Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren. It's pretty rare we see teams win with that type of roster build. I'm also not sure Jalen Duren is built for the postseason with such a lack of shot creation coming from your second best player, so that's my question for them. Do they have enough offensive creation around Cade to take some of the load off his shoulders? He's awesome and he's going to get his. Their issue was the fact that outside of Cade, you didn't really have to guard anyone else.
The Pistons play hard as hell and they're physical. That'll win you regular season games. But the postseason is about execution, and that's what the Pistons need to show improvement in.
Cleveland Cavaliers
2025-26 Regular season: 52-30, 4 seed
2025-26 Postseason: Lost in ECF
Let's just all tell the truth. We're all tired of this Cavs team. Every year they enter the season with hype of a contender, and every postseason they show they are very much not a title contender. Frankly, it's either time to shit or get off the pot. They gave Mitchell a supermax, they gave Harden a new deal, they refuse to split up Mobley/Allen and now they'd added Peyton Watson to be the "missing link" wing that I've been told dozens of previous wings were. At some point, we have to see it. Last year they broke through to the ECF, but then got swept. That shit was not competitive, and at this point we're still waiting for Donovan Mitchell to make the Finals. For how he's talked about, the clock is ticking on that one.
One thing that was notable about their season last year was the insane shotmaking from 2024-25 never showed up. You may remember that season in which no Cav ever missed a shot. Once that came back down to earth, the problem signs started to show up. Just 27-24 against teams over .500, only had a +4.1 point differential, and they were worse at home.
So why will this season be any different? Honestly, I'm not sure it will. It feels like this roster is what it is at this point, and that 64-18 team in 2024-25 may have been their best shot to break through. I will say maybe Watson does answer their problems on the wing, and with better health perhaps they're able to get back to that top 3 seed type of team.
Why won't it?
Like I said, because we seem to know who these Cavs are. Good, but not great. Lethal on any given night, but also flawed. But what we do know is they are running out of swings with this roster. At some point, they'll have to pivot, and that could easily be next summer if things don't work out.
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Toronto Raptors
2025-26 Regular season: 46-36, 5 seed
2025-26 Postseason: Lost in Round 1
If you're looking for a popular choice of a team who will take a leap this season, the Raptors are someone you'll hear a lot. I don't think it's crazy after adding Kawhi Leonard, and if we assume normal health for all these teams, then I do think the Raptors have a legit case to make a pretty big jump up the standings.
Here's what I know about the Raptors. They are going to frustrate the hell out of you. The way they defend, they get ALL THE WAY up your ass. They guard 94 feet, they are legit on the perimeter, they're versatile, they're well coached, all of that stuff translates. It's why they had a top 5 defense last year BEFORE adding Kawhi. Now you add his defense to the mix, and there's no reason they shouldn't once again defend at that level.
The difference will be offensively. Barnes sliding into the #2 role should do wonders for him, and I think everyone on the roster is going to benefit from Kawhi's gravity. You throw in a leap from CMB there as well, and there are plenty of reasons to buy the hype around the Raptors. Plus, I think they flip one of RJ Barrett/Quickley at some point, maybe for a big.
So why won't it work? I have some questions about their shooting, and I definitely think they need to upgrade the center spot, but really the biggest thing for them will be Kawhi's health. That feels like the obvious answer, but Kawhi is the swing factor. Without him, they should be the same team we saw last year. Feisty, but not a contender. With Kawhi healthy? They have enough to make serious noise.
Atlanta Hawks
2025-26 Regular season: 46-36, 6 seed
2025-26 Postseason: Lost in Round 1
The Hawks fascinate me. I know I'm probably the only non-Hawks fan that feels that way, but it's true. On paper, I feel like they should be pretty good. I feel like this roster has a little bit of everything
But what I also know is anytime we finally think the Hawks are ready to make a jump, they never make the jump. Year after year they remain in the middle of the pack on offense, defense, and net rating. They win somewhere in the low to mid 40s and either make the Play In or lose in Round 1. Since their ECF run in 2020-21, the Hawks have either missed the playoffs or lost in Round 1. It's what they do.
At the same time, am I crazy for liking that starting 5? I think you could do worse than that depth. So why can't the Hawks be pretty good this year, especially if Dyson Daniels remembers how to only be kind of shitty as a shooter instead of a complete disaster? I like the defense of NAW/Daniels/Dort, I think Aaron Wiggins and Kispert will help with the shooting, and Kingston Flemings showed promise over the summer. Is it crazy to think they can go from 14th offensively to 10th, and 10th defensively to say, 6th? If so, then this team should flirt with high 40s/low 50s.
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So why won't it work?
Because they're the Hawks, and they seemed destined for mediocrity. Sorry if that offends, but until they prove otherwise, that's how I'm going to view them no matter how much I like the individual pieces of their roster. Jalen Johnson needs to take a leap as a true #1 and not just someone who farms PRAs with no impact, and if he doesn't then the Hawks are cooked.
Philadelphia 76ers
2025-26 Regular season: 45-37, 7 seed
2025-26 Postseason: Lost in Round 2
The Sixers enter the season as a team where you have to just completely throw away what we saw last year. You add Jaylen Brown and LeBron James to this team and nothing we saw last year matters. They're a completely new team with new expectations. Now? It's win the title or your season was a failure. Sorry, those are the expectations of a superteam. Embiid cried and cried about how he never had one, well now he does. The time has come to win.
Why will it work? Because historically, talent has mattered in the NBA. If you can all get on the same page and have collective buy in, there's no reason why the Sixers shouldn't be awesome. I feel like people are trying too hard to suggest that this won't work, and don't put enough stock into the possibility that it will. If it does? They have the potential to be devastating. The talent of the starting lineup, their ability to stagger things and give guys nights off while still having multiple All NBA caliber players on the floor, everyone is healthy, the list goes on and on.
Offensively, this group should be among the best teams in the league. They are relying on that shotmaking being the difference, and given their talent there's certainly a world where their offense is too overpowering for opponents to handle.
Why won't it work? Everyone will point to health, and that's valid, but that's not here I'm going. I'm looking at their rebounding and their defense as HUGE questions heading into the year and what ultimately could do them in. In the playoffs, you HAVE to defend and rebound. Without it, you will not win the title. That is proven. The Sixers took a hit in both of those departments over the summer, and to me that will define their season. Can they defend and rebound at a high enough level compared to the other contenders? Once the shots stop falling, then what? How do they plan to maximize the margins?
Orlando Magic
2025-26 Regular season: 45-37
2025-26 Postseason: Lost in Round 1
Here's the harsh reality around the Magic as they enter this season. This is it. They either make real progress this season, or this roster is being blown up. They are simply way too expensive to continue being a Round 1 type of team.
They went ALL IN to bring in Desmond Bane to be the "missing piece", and you'll never believe this, but that didn't change shit. They are already dealing with Anthony Black extension issues, and with Franz/Paolo both on rookie maxes, it's only a matter of time before the team has to make a decision on that pairing as well. It's true that the Magic have been boned by injury luck when it comes to their stars, but that's a factor moving forward.
The Magic are another one of these teams that have just floated around the middle, which in the NBA is the worst place you can be. Not good enough to contend, but not bad enough to tank.
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So why will it work? Well, for starters they may now have a coach who actually knows what he's doing. At least that's the last button to push before the roster reset. Maybe all of their struggles were coaching related, and now Sean Sweeney will save them with what he learned working with the Spurs. If not? Then their GM is going to hammer the rebuild button and offload money.
Another team that "should" be better on paper, but I have concerns about their shooting and big-man depth, and I don't love the creation outside of Franz.
Charlotte Hornets
2025-26 Regular season: 44-38
2025-26 Postseason: Missed the playoffs
For about the final 4 months of the NBA season, the Charlotte Hornets were one of the best teams in the NBA. I know that sounds crazy, but it's true. Starting January 1st, they had the #1 offense in the NBA, the #5 defense, and the #1 net rating. Their 33 wins were the 4th most. Sure they missed the playoffs after losing in the Play In, but there were real signs of actual progress.
Then as we know, they punted on all that progress and traded LaMelo Ball for Naz Reid. It's hard to know what to expect from this group now that their primary offensive engine is gone, but I have to say I'm not overly optimistic. Especially since we're already hearing about injury issues with both Coby White and Kon Knueppel.
So why might it work? Their approach. If there's one thing Charles Lee learned while being on Joe Mazzulla's staff during their 2024 title, it's that Mazzulla Ball works. You watch the Hornets play and you can see that approach even without LaMelo. This team is going to shoot A TON of 3s. They're going to play fast and they're going to get their 3PAs up and let math do the rest. We've already seen it in the preseason, where the Hornets actually outshot the Celts from deep in terms of volume. That's a formula we saw them utilize last year and I don't see much changing this year either. If anything, I see them leaning more into it.
Why won't it work? Because frankly, I'm not sure they have the talent to truly compete with the rest of the conference without LaMelo. I think they knew that they were maybe punting on the short term for a better future after making that move, so regression feels like it's in their future.
Miami Heat
2025-26 Regular season: 43-39
2025-26 Postseason: Missed the playoffs
Much like the Sixers, I think you have to throw out the majority of what we saw from the Heat last year. When you bring in Giannis, everything about your team changes. The Heat will be changing their system and how they play to now fit Giannis and his skillset, their depth is different after restocking the shelves following the Giannis trade, so I don't really care what they looked like last season.
The Heat are also another team that people seem to be trying way too hard to discredit or suggest that they'll suck and that things won't work. That's not how I see it at all, really.
My view on the Heat is pretty simple (assuming normal health, which we do for every team in these things) Last year, the Heat ranked 14th in defense with a 113.6 DRTG. They had a 111.3 DRTG in 1,192 minutes of Herro/Powell both off the floor, and now add Giannis (and an older Klay etc). I think it's fair to assume they finish with around a 111-112 DRTG, which last season would have ranked 4-10th (112.5 was 5th)
The question is where you think they settle offensively (last year 115.8 ORTG). Giannis teams have been around 115-117 ORTG the last few years, but that was under Doc. 117 was good for 10th last season. A 117 ORTG / 112 DRTG has MIA at around a +5.0 net. A +5 net tends to translate to a 48-52 win range in most cases. A little better offense or defense and that has them closer to +6 or higher, which is when you get to 53+ wins. I think the 2026 Rockets are a good comp (117.5 ORTG / 112.1 DRTG / +5.4 net / 8th offense / 6th defense / 52 wins
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Why won't it work? The shooting doesn't translate, and the creation issues are real. You can see a world in which the P&Rs with Bam/Giannis are a wonky fit and overall their spacing isn't quite good enough. I think Gianis helps raise their floor, but for the Heat to hit their ceiling it's going to require everyone else around them producing at their best possible level, which is tricky. That's why I think that Rockets comp makes sense, because I think the Heat could run into a lot of the same issues that plagued that team offensively as well.
Milwaukee Bucks
2025-26 Regular season: 32-50
2025-26 Postseason: Missed the playoffs
Alright let's just be honest, we all know this team is most likely going to finsih with one of the worst records in the NBA. I'd love to spinzone that for Bucks fans out there, but we all know what stage they're in. They are in the initial stages of a rebuild, and when that happens you lose…..a lot.
At the same time, there are some reasons for excitement. Brayden Burries looked awesome all summer. Ryan Rollins is absolutely a candidate to take a legit leap and get himself into the MIP convo. There's the eventual Tyler Herro trade package to look forward to as well. And who knows, maybe Kel'el Ware actually works out now that he's playing for a different team and not for a coach that clearly hated his guts. He'll be allowed to make mistakes and grow, which should help him.
But overall? Yeah, this team is going to stink. Sorry if that offends.
Chicago Bulls
2025-26 Regular season: 31-51
2025-26 Postseason: Missed the playoffs
For years, the Bulls were another one of those teams that were stuck in NBA purgatory. And while they are still a ways away from contention, they've officially turned over a new leaf. A new coach, a new front office, a new face of the franchise in Caleb Wilson, at the very least this roster gives Bulls fans hope for the future.
I fully expect them to flip Norm Powell/Nic Claxton/Jalen Smith by the deadline, so to me this season isn't even about their win total or anything like that. It's all just about the development of Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis. That's their future. As someone who owns Buzelis stock, I think he's poised for another leap, which is exciting. It helps when you're one of these purgatory teams to at least have some young exciting prospects to root for, and that's exactly what Wilson and Buzelis are.
My guess is Tiago Splitter will have them playing fast and taking a bunch of 3s like his Blazers team did, and while this may not be the best defensive team we've ever seen, at this stage all you're looking for is highlights, which is something the Bulls should have in spades when it comes to their two young guys.
Brooklyn Nets
2025-26 Regular season: 20-62
2025-26 Postseason: Missed the playoffs
Finally, the tanking years are over for the Nets. Or so, that's what they're saying. Now, they can finally focus on trying to win, and I'm intrigued to see how this goes. I do think people just openly shit on the Nets and don't really watch or pay attention to what they're actually doing on the court, so it wouldn't surprise me if they were better than many think. One thing that was true about playing them last year was that even though they lost all the time, they played HARD. They were annoying to play against, which I do think is important in establishing a culture.
Egor Demin showed real flashes last year and is someone I think is about to take a real leap in Year 2. MPJ can still get buckets at an elite rate, and either he stays long term or he gets flipped. I'm not saying this is going to be a top 6 seed or anything, but I do think this will be Year 1 of their upswing. Like the Bulls, you're just looking for signs of positive growth from your young guys. I can see a world where they maybe up their wins to the 30s just because of how hard they play. Plus I like Jordi Fernandez as a coach, so there's that as well.
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Indiana Pacers
2025-26 Regular season: 19-63
2025-26 Postseason: Missed the playoffs
Tyrese Haliburton is back. That's all you need to know. The Pacers are the most logical guess for a team that is going to make a massive leap back into contention, and I see no reason why that shouldn't be the case. Hali looks great, they have a legit center in Zubac, a system that we know works, good depth, elite coaching etc. Let's not forget, this team was 1 game away from winning the title before Hali's injury. They then had the season from hell last year where the entire roster got hurt. This is the easiest bounce back candidate you could ever have, and really anything outside the top 4 or top 5 seeds would be a little surprising to me.
Why won't it work? Zu doesn't have a bounce back year, the defense stays middle of the pack or worse, and their big man depth is a little thin. I don't really have any concerns over Haliburton, plus I'm not really interested in putting those bad vibes into the universe. He'll be awesome, the question will be if this team can reclaim their magic of 2024-25. It's easy to assume they will, but that's not always how things work in the NBA. Sometimes you just miss your window.
Washington Wizards
2025-26 Regular season: 17-65
2025-26 Postseason: Missed the playoffs
Much like a few of the teams in this blog, you can pretty much throw away everything about what we saw from the Wizards last season. Now, the tanking is over. AJ Dybansta has arrived, Trae Young and Anthony Davis will actually play, and they should get some solid internal growth from their other young guys like Sarr, George, Tre Johnson etc.
When you have such a drastic roster overhaul and no longer have the direction to lose all your games, common sense tells you that the Wizards will be better. How much better? Is the Play In a fair baseline? And not only that, but the top half of the Play In If they get normal health, why can't that be the ceiling?
Why won't it work? Obviously health around Young/AD are huge factors, but outside of that I'd say just the inexperience. Young teams don't often win at this level, so of either of those guys miss any sort of long stretch, things could get ugly.
If you made it this far, shoutout you. The East is going to be a bloodbath this season, and I cannot wait to see how it shakes out.