There\u2019s nothing better than being in the Eastern Conference this NBA season.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Western Conference is completely more challenging, top to bottom, so I wanted to rank which teams in the East I think are actually contenders.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Most of these teams are realistically pretenders, but a few teams in the East are still very much the real deal.<\/p>\n
#1 Detroit Pistons: Pretenders<\/h3>\n
This Detroit team is a great watch; however, I find it hard to believe that anyone really thinks this roster is ready to contend in the playoffs. Cade Cunningham is one of the best players in the sport, and Jalen Duren has taken a significant leap<\/a>, playing at an All-Star level. That doesn\u2019t change that this roster is poorly constructed for postseason success.<\/p>\n Cunningham shoots it at just 31% from the outside, and Duren\u2019s style of play won\u2019t be exceedingly successful in the playoffs. Then, on the other end of the court, since you desperately need spacing, Duncan Robinson will need to get significant playoff minutes, and if he\u2019s not a flamethrower on offense, having defenses pick him apart might not make it worth it even to play him.<\/p>\n I hope Detroit tries to add another superstar to this lineup to elevate it to the next level. I know he won\u2019t help with spacing issues, but if you could find a cheap way to take on Ja Morant from a desperate Grizzlies front office<\/a>, I would be open to believing you are actually contenders.<\/p>\n The Bulls aren\u2019t pretenders in the same way as the Pistons are. Actually, I think this Bulls team is better than people give it credit for. Billy Donovan is once again showing why he\u2019s one of the best coaches in the league.<\/p>\n That doesn\u2019t mean the Bulls also don\u2019t have a chance in hell of making it anywhere close to the finals. Between Josh Giddey, Nikola Vucevic, Ayo Dosunmu, and Matas Buzelis, the Bulls honestly have an interesting core. This team plays at a great pace and can surprise good teams with their hyper offensive threat.<\/p>\n However, if they run into a team with any inside threat on defense, I think they\u2019ll really be slowed down on offense. Additionally, I\u2019d be interested in seeing how their offense would translate into the playoffs, where the pace of the game typically slows down.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The main argument against this Cavaliers team has been their inability to translate regular-season success into postseason success<\/a>\u2014that, of course, and their dual small guard and big man lineups.<\/p>\n However, if you\u2019ve watched this team since Kenny Atkinson took over, I\u2019m not sure how you couldn\u2019t believe in them at least a little bit. When the whole team is healthy, their offense can reach historic levels.<\/p>\n That has cost them a little bit on the other end, but I\u2019m not as concerned about that due to Evan Mobley\u2019s game-altering presence on defense. Outside of Victor Wembenyama, there\u2019s no one more impactful on the defensive end in the league. I believe the injuries this team has dealt with in the playoffs over the last few seasons are fluky, and this is the year they at least make it to the Eastern Conference Finals.<\/p>\n It\u2019s as simple as this. If Giannis Antetokounmpo is on your basketball team, it\u2019s likely he\u2019s the best player on the floor, especially in the Eastern Conference.<\/p>\n The team around him, unfortunately, isn\u2019t great, but I still think Giannis has at least one more historic playoff run while he\u2019s still guaranteed to be in Milwaukee.<\/a><\/p>\n The positive is that I believe this year\u2019s supporting cast is more ready to compete than the last few years. The loss of Brook Lopez is an addition by subtraction. People love to hate on Myles Turner, but he\u2019s a no-doubt upgrade over Lopez from last season.<\/p>\n Ryan Rollins is currently taking an absolutely shocking leap this year, and might give Giannis at least one other player he can lean on to get a basket without the offense set for them. Giannis is one of those very few guys in the league you can rely on at any moment to take over an entire game, and even a series.<\/p>\n This Knicks team can obviously win a series, but I think there\u2019s just something off with this Knicks team this year. Outside of Jalen Brunson turning into an animal in the playoffs, what\u2019s going to be the identity of this New York team?<\/p>\n I just can\u2019t trust Karl-Anthony Towns to play smart enough defense in the playoffs to consistently avoid foul trouble, which would allow me to think this team can make the finals.<\/p>\n I also don\u2019t love the other pieces they have. If Mike Brown can find a way to get someone else to hit shots consistently in the playoffs, I\u2019ll believe in New York. For now, I still feel as though Tibs was able to just get a little more out of this roster. This prediction is more of a hot take, as I\u2019m not much of a Mike Brown believer. He\u2019s never been able to fully fix a team at any point in his career, and I don\u2019t think this roster is talented enough to do it for him.<\/p>\n#2 Chicago Bulls: Pretenders<\/h3>\n
#3 Cleveland Cavaliers: Contenders<\/h3>\n<\/section>\n
Nov 7, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) shoots the ball against the Washington Wizards in the second half in an Emirates NBA Cup game at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images <\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n
#4 Milwaukee Bucks: Contenders<\/h3>\n
#5 New York Knicks: Pretenders<\/h3>\n<\/section>\n
Nov 2, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) drives to the basket against Chicago Bulls forward Isaac Okoro (35) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images <\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n
#6 Philadelphia 76ers: Contenders<\/h2>\n