2025-26 NBA Season Preview: Eastern Conference Tiers, Plus East and NBA Finals Predictions

Everyone keeps talking about the “weaker” Eastern Conference, but two years ago the Celtics were a dominant force on their way to the title, and last season the Pacers pushed the Thunder to seven games in the NBA Finals and left us with one of the biggest “what ifs?” in NBA history.

This season, no one is giving the Eastern Conference a chance. Underestimate these teams at your peril. Which teams can not only make it to the Finals but threaten the Thunder, the Nuggets or anyone from the West? Let’s divide the East into levels.

COMPETITORS TO THE TITLE

1. Knights
2. Ornaments

COMPETITORS OF THE SECOND CIRCLE

3. Magic
4. Hawks

PLAYOFF OR BUST

5. Dollars
6. Pistons
7.76ers

TEAMS OF HOPE

8. Heat
9. Celtic
10. Birds of prey
11. Bulls
12. Pacers
13. Hornets

BINDING LOTTERY

14. Magicians
15. Networks

Eastern Conference Finals

The Cleveland Cavaliers defeat the New York Knicks

NBA Finals

The Denver Nuggets defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers

Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers pushing the Thunder into the Finals last season was a great story, but I don’t see anything like this happening again. I like Cleveland to win the East thanks to their defense and balanced scoring (I think they learned hard lessons in last year’s playoffs), but it doesn’t matter if it’s the Cavs or the Knicks. Denver and Oklahoma City – whatever team comes from the West (I chose Denver) – they are simply better than anyone else in the East. Specifically, if the challenge is Cleveland and OKC, East and Cavaliers are in trouble (two similar teams in style and design, but the Thunder are simply better at everything).

My prediction is that Nikola Jokic will get the second ring. What Denver lacked a season ago, the front office addressed this offseason (somewhere Michael Malone is frustrated and shaking his head). Cameron Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas will play crucial roles (this team won’t fall off a cliff when Jokic sits down, like previous years).

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There is a clear line drawn to the east, the top two teams looking a good step or two ahead of the rest of the pack. The Cavaliers won 64 games last season and learned the hard way what it takes to win in the playoffs, now they have a deep and talented roster. They need to stay healthy (no Darius Garland to start the season) and Evan Mobley needs to take another step forward on the offensive end, but I expect those things to happen. New York feels they just need to improve on the edges, and Mike Brown can bring a little more ball and player movement to New York to facilitate that, with a bench he can trust. The Knicks, led by the feisty Jalen Brunson and the sharp-shooting Karl-Anthony Towns, are still a team fully capable of taking the next step towards the NBA Finals.

• Orlando is the only team that could spoil the Knicks/Cavs party. A team that already seemed ready to make the leap behind Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and an elite defense. Now they have added Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones to fill the necessary gaps in shooting and have a floor general. Like almost everyone, I’m excited about Orlando, but they have to prove it on the field and then they’ll learn lessons on how to win in the postseason.

• Atlanta is the other team that has a chance to crash the party, but a lot more things have to go right. At the top of the list: Kristaps Porzingis needs to stay healthy, which is never a given. Beyond that, the question becomes: can Quin Snyder meld a roster with many new parts — Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Luke Kennard and a healthy Jalen Johnson — and find chemistry in a roster built to take advantage of Trae Young’s skills. This is a make-or-break season in Atlanta. If Young and this roster can’t compete at a high level, what do they focus on?

After the first four, there is a decline in the East.

• Milwaukee has Giannis Antetokounmpo — still one of the five best players in the world — and replaced Damian Lillard with Myles Turner, but are there enough two proven stars to make this team a contender? I don’t want it.

• Many fans and experts expect Cade Cunningham and Detroit to take another step forward this season, but I’m skeptical and expect more of a stalemate (Jaden Ivey missing the first month of the season doesn’t help).

• The 76ers could be a contender if all goes well for them, but with a limited Joel Embiid to start the season – plus Paul George and Jared McCain out with injuries – it’s hard to be truly optimistic. Embiid will reportedly play opening night but will be limited to minutes and won’t play back-to-back games – that’s the key, if Embiid isn’t back to anywhere near his MVP form, none of this is working.

• Miami may be above its weight, but the way it’s built, it’s not a top-six threat.

• Boston and Indiana are two of the hardest teams to project: elite teams that will spend the season (or, with the Celtics, at least most of the season) without their best player. Both teams didn’t just lose their star, Boston is without Porzingis and Jrue Holiday now, Indiana is without Turner. Both of these teams still have top-tier players on the roster, but how far can they go without their 100% stars? Maybe I’m too short on them to start the season, but how high can you be?

• Bulls and Raptors are teams we may be underestimating, but I’m not convinced. Toronto has a decent amount of talent – ​​Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley – but a lot of it overlaps. There are smart basketball minds that think this is a playoff team in the East. I need to be convinced. Chicago locked up Josh Giddey this summer and has some talent around them with Coby White, Matas Buzelis and rookie Noa Essengue, but this is a team that’s retooling on the fly and isn’t ready to compete with the big boys. Also, look for them to trade Nikola Vucevic during the season.

• There is a pattern with the bottom three teams in the conference. Charlotte and LaMelo Ball will have fun but will lose a lot of games. The Wizards have some interesting young talent – ​​Tre Johnson, Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington – but they will lose a lot of games. Cam Thomas and Michael Porter Jr. will score a lot of points for Brooklyn, but the Nets will lose a lot of games.