5 Eastern Conference teams that could win title

Picture of all the NBA Eastern Conference teams

Like the NBA Western Conference, the Eastern Conference teams are battling for the playoff to compete for the NBA title.

In contrast to the West, the NBA Eastern Conference is in a tight race among the top-4 teams, who are only one or two games apart from each other.

The possibility of the top-4 NBA teams winning the title is unpredictable with every team having a chance to reach the Finals in the playoffs. This race in the Eastern Conference consists of top-tier NBA teams with MVP candidates (Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo) that battle throughout this season.

While the top teams of the Eastern Conference are vying for the No. 1 spot in the playoffs, the seven through ten place teams are also close to moving up or down the playoff standings one to three games apiece.

As the NBA season is almost coming to an end next month, here are five Eastern Conference teams that could win the NBA championship.

Brooklyn Nets

The Nets came into this season as a favorite to win the championship out of the Eastern Conference, but haven’t been the same team from last season with off-the-court drama and injuries to the team’s important players.

Despite the problems, the Nets have this season they are currently in the Play-in Tournament as the eighth seed with a 40-37 record.

Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant were able to produce enough for the Nets despite injuries from Durant as well as Irving’s dilemma with the vaccine mandate.

On the floor, Durant and Irving are one of the best-combined scores this season. They would give the Nets the best chance to contend for the title of how dominant both players could be when available to play.

Irving is always a great scorer with his ability to score anywhere on the court and has the best handles in the NBA. An example of this was against the Orlando Magic this season recording 60 points on 20-31 field goals made.

As for Durant, he was always a lethal scorer with his height and ball-handling ability.

The 6-10 forward could be the best player on the court, but have injuries problems with the noticeable one in game five of the 2019 Finals where he had an Achilles injury.

This season, Durant has shown how dominant he could be when healthy. One of the best games Durant had is dropping 53 points in a battle against the New York Knicks.

The Nets have made changes this season by trading a disgruntled James Harden with Paul Millsap for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, and Andre Drummond. This move could help the Nets retain their spot in the playoff through the Play-in Tournament and to the Finals.

Simmons is currently inactive due to an injury with a herniated disk, but is doing some light on-court workouts to eventually come back on the court.

If Simmons could be available to play by the playoffs with Irving and Durant proving their still capable of performing well in high-stakes games, then the Nets.

Philadelphia Sixers

Joel Embiid (21) (Left) and James Harden (1) (Right) looking at the scoreboard.

The Sixers are considered a top team with Joel Embiid and Simmons at the beginning of the season, but the Simmons news of wanting to get traded made it harder for the team to focus on succeeding this season.

Following the trade, the Sixers would acquire Harden from the Nets and create a talented duo with Embiid. This move made the Sixers a championship-contender team again with Harden and Embiid being another dominant duo in the Eastern Conference.

Harden has the ball-handling ability as well as a proficient shooter when healthy. He has issues with injuries more constantly due to Harden intentionally changing his physique during his debacle with the Rockets.

Despite the injuries problems, Harden immediately makes an impact when joining the Sixers by scoring 27 points with 12 assists in his debut and 29 points with 10 assists in his second game. These performances would make Harden the first player in NBA history to put up at least 25 points and 10 assists in each of his first two games.

As for Embiid, had an MVP performance this season before and after the addition of Harden. He had something to prove that he could be the best player on the Sixers team when Simmons was considered a better player since his rookie season.

Embiid noticeable run this season was in January when he is averaging 34.5 points per game as well as having the most points than minutes in the last four games. Furthermore, Embiid joins Sixers legend, Allen Iverson, as the only player in the franchises’ history to score 25-plus points in 15 straight games.

An example of Embiid’s performance during his 40-plus campaign was versus the New Orleans Pelicans when he dropped 42 points in 32 minutes.

Another example of Embiids MVP moment is when he dropped 50 points and 12 rebounds against the Orlando Magic.

If Harden and Embiid with the Sixers’ dark-horse player Tyrese Maxey could produce well in the playoffs like in the regular season, then they could be a threat against other big teams in the postseason.

Boston Celtics

Jayson Tatum (0) could finally take that next step for the Celtics to go to the Finals.

The Celtics are an interesting team this season with having a turnaround season after an inconsistent first half of the season.

Following the Celtics’ win against the Indiana Pacers, they clinch a playoff spot for the eight-straight season as well as are in the mix to potentially get the first seed.

The current standing in the Eastern Conference where the teams from the Heat to the Sixers are in a close race.

Tatum is the main reason for the Celtics’ clinching the playoffs with how he performed during the regular season. He is currently having the best scoring season (27.1) in his career.

The ability to create separation by posting up and the crossovers make Tatum a factor for the Celtics heading into the playoffs. This is shown by Tatum during the Celtics’ run in March that boost the team into the top-5 standings for the playoffs.

The game was against the Celtics’ division rivals the Nets where he erupted for 54 points.

Overall, the Celtics can be a factor in the playoffs against any Eastern Conference teams if Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Marcus Smart could step to help Tatum with producing additional points in the playoffs.

Milwaukee Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) (Middle), Khris Middleton (22) (Left), Jrue Holliday (21) (Right) posing in Bucks uniform.

The Bucks are one of the favorites to reach the Finals after already winning the NBA championship last year.

The defending NBA champions are still performing at a high level this season with how well Antetokounmpo and other players have been playing.

With the size as well as the ability to defend every position, makes the Bucks a formable opponent against any team. this has been possible with the rotation of Bucks’ head coach Mike Budenholzer.

Brook Lopez, Bobby Portis, Antetokounpo, Serge Ibaka, and other lengthy Bucks players would defend any skilled players inside the paint or behind the arc.

Along with the defensive scheme, Antetokounpo’s MVP performance this season with how will he defend the ball, decision making with passing the ball, as well as, improved his ability to shoot the 3-pointer.

This was displayed versus the Nets in an overtime game in which Antetokounpo scored 44 points as well as surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the Bucks’ all-time leading scorer.

If the Bucks’ defensive scheme and Antetokounmpo can contribute to the team’s run in the playoffs, then the Bucks have a chance to repeat as champions this season.

Miami Heat

Kyle Lowry (7) (Middle), Bam Adebayo (13) (Left), and Tyler Herro (14) (Right) are on the court together.

Lastly, the Heat are considered a top-5 team to look out for with the team being No. 1 in the Eastern Conference standing.

This is because of how the Heat’s roster depth could withstand the injuries the team faces constantly with players like Jimmy Butler, Lowry, Herro, or Adebayo not being able to play.

Gems like Gabe Vincent, a returning Victor Oladipo, or Caleb Martin could take over a game when head coach Erik Spoelstra needs someone to step up.

The Heat could make a deep run in the playoffs if it could translate against teams like the Bucks or Nets.

As for Jimmy Butler, he would have to show the player that can take over any night which he did in the past like Butler’s performance in the 2020 Bubble Finals against the Lakers.

Adebayo could have the same impact as Butler, Lowry, and other Heat players on the roster with how he could be a mobile defender and create his shot anywhere in the paint or perimeter. Furthermore, Adebayo would have to display superb defense against the big men in the playoffs like an Embiid or Antetokounmpo.

If the Heat’s roster depth, Heat, and Adebayo produce exceptional during the playoffs, then the Heat could come back to the Finals and potentially rewrite the loss to a championship win.

Conclusion

Overall, each of the five Eastern Conference teams has reasons why they could be a serious contender to win the NBA championship this postseason.

The aspects of player, coaching, and the raw ability they possess are factors that could be valuable to possibly make a deep playoff run.

It’s going to be an unpredictable playoff for the Eastern Conference with anyone having a chance to win the title as the NBA season continues.