Evaluate the size of the East in terms of Contenders (Celtics, Cavs, Knicks), Dark Horses (Hawks, Bucks, Magic), Pretenders (Pacers, 76ers, Heat), and Tankers (Nets, Hornets, etc.)
ORLANDO — The first week after Christmas is a symbolic time on the NBA calendar in that it's usually when things start to get noticed.
Adam Silver's play-in tournament dampened the momentum a bit. What's the point if 20 out of 30 teams make the postseason and the other five struggle? — But Christmas remains a reliable marker for identifying competitors, imposters, and more.
With that in mind, here's the Eastern Conference stock report.
With just over a third of the season left, the Knicks are a legitimate threat to the NBA Finals for the first time in over a decade (stats and records available through Dec. 26).
contestants
Celtics (22-8)
The defending champion will occupy the top spot until someone knocks him out.
They entered this season with a clear goal of not succumbing to the post-title fatigue and hangover, and got off to a 16-3 start.
However, he hasn't been feeling well lately and has been missing 3-point shots.
If there's a weakness in the NBA's best rotations, it's that the Celtics rely too much on Trae.
Cavaliers (26-5)
Kenny Atkinson has been a miracle worker on this roster, and perhaps it's time to stop waiting for the Cavaliers to come back down to Earth.
Boasting one of the NBA's top-class offenses, they entered Friday's high-profile showdown with the Nuggets on a five-game winning streak.
It's also very deep, with 10 players playing at least 18 minutes on average.
Knicks (20-10)
They've won 15 of their past 19 games, and while their starting lineup may not be as talented as Boston's, they're still in the conversation.
New York's offense is incredibly efficient, and Tom Thibodeau is starting to shine in the “D” behind wingstops OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges.
dark horse
Magic (19-13)
Despite injuries to top players Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, they've been more than admirable, forcing over 17 turnovers per contest while using one of the East's best defenses. .
It makes you think about the possibility of a completely healthy roster.
Hawks (16-15)
Much more dangerous than their record suggests, Trae Young finally seems to have found the right balance between filming and delivering.
It will be a tough battle for any team in the playoff series.
Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels are legit.
Sixers (11-17)
Based on this, based on pure talent and off chances, the Sixers will be healthy enough to compete throughout the playoffs.
Looking at the performance of the top two players, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey rank among the top duos in the East behind Boston. In fact, they just beat Boston on Christmas.
But Embiid is also the most unreliable MVP of this era.
Bucks (16-13)
Despite the major holes on the roster and coach, the Bucks still have Giannis Antetokounmpo, the best player in the East, and at 30 years old, they don't want to waste another season.
Milwaukee got off to a terrible start, winning 11 of 13 at one point, but just lost to the mighty Nets, and to be fair, both Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard missed the game.
Pretender
Heat (15-13)
The NBA's best coaches have limited access to rosters right now.
And this is the end of the road for the Heat, trying to make Tyler Herro a star while dealing with the headaches of mercurial Jimmy Butler.
The famous “heat culture” won't get you past the first round unless you make some dramatic trades.
Pacers (15-16)
After reaching the conference finals last season, Tyrese Haliburton's steep decline continued and his numbers dropped overall.
The current Pacers have the feel and look of an average team with terrible defense.
Piston (14-17)
It's a shame to put the Pistons in this category, but nowhere else.
They're playing better than expected, but they're not ready to compete for anything outside of the playoffs just yet.
Detroit is very young and Cade Cunningham is a star.
Bulls (13-18)
I don't understand why top executive Arturas Karnisovas still keeps his job, even though the Bulls remain the most mismanaged organization in the NBA.
Maybe this is the trade deadline — finally — and he pivots to a rebuild, since Chicago is hopelessly on its way with the second-worst defense in the East.
tanker
Hornets (7-23)
LaMelo Ball missed a lot of games, but what else is new? – and Charlotte is on its way to losing at least 50 games for the third consecutive season.
The Hornets probably haven't started a campaign think tank, but it's already there.
Nets (12-18)
Cam Thomas is doing his best to spoil Sean Marks' Capture the Flag match, but organizations tend to find a way to lose when that's the goal. Dennis Schroeder unloading peanuts reveals his obsession with tanks.
Raptors (7-24)
Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett are not big stars, and the Raptors are realizing that every day.
The next step is to obtain compensation for Jakob Poeltl, Chris Boucher and Bruce Brown.
Wizards (5-23)
Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole will be the leading scorers, making this team expected to be the worst in the NBA.
The problem for Washington ahead of the trade deadline is that no one wants a player on a bad contract.
And the Wizards have a lot of those guys.
