One narrative that has dominated the NBA landscape this season is that the Eastern Conference is “wide open” and that any of the teams in the top nine could make the Finals, a notion the Detroit Pistons are challenging more each day.
It’s not an outlandish idea, as the East is fairly balanced and there is only a 1.5 game gap between the 3rd seed and the 9th seed, so technically, everyone is in with a chance. A three-game winning or losing streak in the East is enough for big movement in the standings, and with so much season to go, it is far from settled.
There does seem to be a clear hierarchy that has yet to be challenged in the East, though there are still teams that you can’t dismiss this early in the season.
The Pistons and Knicks are the cream of the Eastern Conference
There is a 2.5 game gap between the 1st place Pistons and 2nd place Knicks after the latter have won five straight, including the NBA Cup championship over San Antonio. This was enough to have some, including one famous national pundit, declare that the Knicks were “clearly the best team in the East.” The word “clearly” shouldn’t have been included here, as there is nothing clear about it when the Pistons are in first place.
But until the Pistons knock off the Knicks, New York is the team to beat, which I think is a fair assessment.
There is a large gap between the Pistons/Knicks and everyone else, as every team after them has serious and obvious flaws.
Toronto has been a surprise team, but no one is really scared of them, especially after they've lost six of their last 10 games.. Same with Boston, who can shoot the 3-ball, but can’t defend or rebound, so when they aren’t hot, they are very beatable.
The Magic can’t score enough, the 76ers can’t stay healthy enough and the Hawks and Heat are missing ingredients that would make them truly scary in a playoff series. That could change, especially with the Hawks, who are missing Trae Young and have played a ton of road games.
That leaves the 9th seed Cavaliers, a team that put the belt to the Pistons early in the season. They are just 15-13 after losing to the Bulls last night, but they have way too much talent to write off in December, especially when Darius Garland has been hurt and is not 100 percent.
The Cavs have not been playing with the freedom and joy they were playing with last year, but I would not be shocked to see them near the top of the East by the time the season is over, as they are more talented than every team in front of them, possibly even including the Knicks and Pistons.
The East is balanced, but it is not “wide open,” at least not right now, as the Pistons or Knicks are clear frontrunners until further notice.