What’s At Stake For Each Eastern Conference Playoff Team

As the regular season reaches its conclusion, teams from first all the way to tenth in the Eastern Conference standings continue to fight for their spot in the postseason. While each team has different expectations for the playoffs, hoping to have their offseason transactions payoff and having their buy-in decision earlier in the season not end with them coming up short when it matters most. From the Boston Celtics at the top of the conference all the way down to the dogfight between the Brooklyn Nets and the Atlanta Hawks for the final play-in spot, teams will fight until the end for the best spot in the postseason. We took a look at each team currently in playoff or play-in contention and singled out one thing they are looking to make good on in this year’s playoffs.

#1 Boston Celtics: Our Dominance Is Not A Coincidence, We Are Coming For The Championship

The Celtics have been the far-and-away top team in the NBA for this entire season. To put that in context, they have clinched the conference before any other team has clinched a playoff berth. That hasn’t happened since the Golden State Warriors did so during their historic 73-9 season back in 2015-16. Led by the dynamic duo Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, nicknamed the J’s by the Boston faithful, the Celtics boast the balance on both ends of the floor that most teams chase and never capture. A lot of that balance comes from the ancillary starters, with the trio of Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White and Jrue Holiday representing the best two-way threesome in the NBA, regardless of star power. That mix gives Boston the best chance they’ve had in years to finally get over the hump.

` #2 Milwaukee Bucks: The Damian Lillard Trade Is Going To Pay Off When It Matters Most

This campaign from the perspective of Giannis Antetokounmpo might be the quietest MVP-caliber season that anyone could possibly have. He has been the most physically dominant player in the NBA since Shaquille O’Neal, and he shows off his length and athleticism off on both ends of the floor. His improved defensive play has keyed the strong second half that the Bucks have enjoyed as the playoffs approach. Down the stretch of the season, the Bucks seem to control the non-Boston side of the Eastern Conference bracket, but in order to have success, they’ll need Damian Lillard to step into a leadership role, especially in tight games. There isn’t a lot of worry, however, because Lillard is one of the few players in the league that play their best when the lights are at their brightest.

#3 Cleveland Cavaliers: Last Year’s Playoffs Are Not An Indication Of Our Limited Potential

Looking back at last year’s first round playoff series against the New York Knicks, the Cavaliers were much better on paper and were favored in their matchup. Then the ball went up and the Cavs were pushed around and beat up by the duo of Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle. This season, Cleveland’s players have shown a commitment to playing tough, especially on the defensive side of the floor. That puts them in a great position, as they stand to draw an unconventional opponent in the first round, whether it is the young Orlando Magic or the high-octane offense of the Indiana Pacers. Donovan Mitchell’s presence and playoff performance gives the Cavaliers an advantage, but they’ll have to go deep into the playoffs in order to persuade him to stay in Cleveland colors.

#4 Orlando Magic: We Are The Eastern Conference Version Of The Oklahoma City Thunder

The Orlando Magic continue to fly under the radar, outshone by larger storylines from bigger cities, but they are no joke as the season draws itself to a close. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner provide the offensive one-two punch that the Magic need to stay close, but what sets them apart is their defensive prowess. Looking up and down their roster, they have a ton of defensive versatility in players like Jonathan Isaac and Jalen Suggs. They’d have to draw the right opponents in order to make a deeper run, but their desire to win and maturity on the court is that of a team that is a lot older than they are. Regardless, this is the first year of many in which Orlando is going to be right in the middle of contention in the East.

#5 New York Knicks: We Have As Good A Chance As Anyone… As Long As All Of Our Players Play

No team is a better embodiment of their coach’s Bible than the New York Knicks. They are every bit as scrappy, nasty and cutthroat as Tom Thibodeau wants them to be, and that has taken them far. Finally, the front office has given him what the team needs to be successful in the postseason; depth, and lots of it. Thibodeau doesn't have to play six players over 40 minutes per playoff game anymore, and in concept, that stands to help the team as a whole. All Thibodeau has to do now is actually deploy a different strategy. If he can, the Knicks can go far. If not, maybe last year was an aberration.

#6 Indiana Pacers: In The Playoffs, You Have To Play Our Game, Not Yours

Indiana’s offense has been absolutely electric, despite a quieter second half. Their trade deadline addition of former Raptors power forward Pascal Siakam has improved their defense and given them the switch ability that they need in the playoffs. The interesting thing that the Pacers bring into this year’s playoffs is the fact that their playstyle is the opposite of what normally takes place in the postseason. They want to get out and run in transition, not grind out 20-plus second long possessions in the half court. They are reminiscent of last year’s Sacramento Kings and will try to lure teams into shootouts for as long as they play in the playoffs.

#7 Miami Heat: As Long As We Get Into The Playoffs, Jimmy Will Take Us To The Promised Land

Even though they have been hampered by injuries and find themselves distant from the top of the standings in the East, the Heat are as threatening as everyone else. They have one of the best resumes of any playoff team and are led by a guy who turns from an Average Joe to Micheal Jordan in the postseason. Jimmy Butler has got the best leadership skills in the league right now, taking the torch from Chris Paul. He might not be the best scorer or defender in the league, but he might just be one of the smartest, which lends itself to him being in the right spot at the right time, every time. This year, though, he might need Bam Adebayo to blossom into the best player on the Heat in order for them to go as far as they feel they can go.

#8 Philadelphia 76ers: We Might Be In The Play-In, But We Aren’t On Par With Our Peers

The 76ers welcomed back their centerpiece Joel Embiid on Tuesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder and his impact was felt, as he poured in 24 points and led the Sixers to a win against the young Thunder squad. His presence automatically makes his team dangerous because before he went down with his injury, he was the runaway favorite to repeat as the MVP and there might only be two or three teams with a good answer for him defensively. The stickler for Philadelphia, as it always tends to be, is health. If their best players can stay on the floor, their potential could see them go all the way to the Finals and if they get there, they should be favored in every matchup, except against Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets.

#9 Chicago Bulls: Our Years of Mediocrity Are Over, For Better Or Worse

The Bulls have been stuck in this range for the last several seasons, and strangely, they seem to be okay with their mediocrity. This rubs most fans the wrong way, even those within Chicago. Fans there have been put through the wringer as supporters after being spoiled with success in the 1990s with the Jordan era. For this year’s team, they will go as far as DeMar Derozan takes them, because seemingly nobody else on their roster can be consistent on a bigger stage. Unfortunately for the Bulls, Derozan’s heroics can only take them so far. A small section of fans hope that the Bulls fail miserably in the play-in games so that they finally embrace the truth that has been screaming at them for years; they need to rebuild and think multiple years ahead.

#10 Atlanta Hawks: This Team Can Win, As Long As We Play Like Trae

After the Hawk’s run to the Eastern Conference finals back in 2021, Trae Young has become one of the most divisive players in the entire league. His playstyle favors a younger team that wants to get out and run, throwing lobs left and right and buying in defensively to hide Young as much as humanly possible. Their inconsistencies this season have come as a result of Dejounte Murray and Bodgan Bogdanović wanting to slow things down and play in the half court. That change in style puts the Hawks in a bad spot because it robs them of the opportunity to attack defenses that aren’t set. Being malleable in the playoffs is a strength, but at some point, you need to be great at what you are good at, and that is what the Hawks need to do.

#11 Brooklyn Nets: Our Team Is One Move Away, But Going In The Right Direction

There has been chatter surrounding the Nets all season, demanding the team to trade away their older pieces and begin a rebuild. The team has remained dedicated to playing competitive basketball, with most of that drive coming from interim head coach Kevin Ollie and young leader Mikal Bridges. Neither wants to throw the towel in on the season, but they could be out of contention by the time this article goes up. Regardless, the Nets are one of the leading candidates to have a bounceback season next year, even though they have a lot of unknowns. The biggest question? Ben Simmons. If he comes back, watch out for Brooklyn, who projects to be a defensive monster with a healthy Simmons. If he doesn’t make a return, they need to cut or move him, just to rid themselves of the apparent headache.