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Written by Ollie Weisstub, 11/11/2024
A long, detailed article strictly on predictions for eastern conference in the 2024-2025 NBA season with detailed justifications for each prediction
Significant segments:
Why the Magic are the most slept-on team in the whole NBA
How Lamelo could be one of the best players in the East
STANDING PREDICTIONS- My top 4 teams in the Eastern Conference:
#1: Boston Celtics - 62 wins 20 losses
There is no need for a detailed explanation, the Celtics are the defending champs and nothing has happened to negatively impact the team since their title run. Boston seems like just as tough of a team as last season, and they are playing without their star center! The only reason I have Boston winning 2 less games than last year is because of how much progression we have seen from players in the NBA on opposing teams so far and just how talented the league is.
#2: Cleveland Cavaliers - 59 wins 23 losses
While little people expected the Cavs to be even a top 3-4 seed this season, so far they are the only undefeated team in the NBA at 11-0 and have been dominant in most games (Including being up over 40 points against the #1 seed in the Western Conference, giving them their second loss of the year). This Cavs team looks legit, and the progression from Evan Mobley, Darius Garland and Jarret Allen has been phenomenal as they have all proven their potential and started off the year taking huge leaps, or in Darius Garland's case playing like how he was in 2022 going back to when he was an all star, rather than just becoming one. Along with this, Donovan Mitchell has been consistent, proving he can be a star and his connection with Darius Garland is significantly better and they finally play well together. While the Cavs have been nothing but dominant to start the regular season, just two questions remain for this team in my opinion, will their stars and role players rise in the playoffs and is Donovan Mitchell good enough to be the #1 guy on a contending team.
#3: New York Knicks - 54 wins 28 losses
While this is coming from a Knicks fan, I do believe that there is no real argument for the Knicks not being a top team this year purely because of their talent. Even with the mediocre start to the year, I am still confident in them as they still have many of the top role players in the league and a star in Jalen Brunson who is averaging 25 and 7. For NBA fans, there was really only one question for the Knicks going into this season that could change if the Knicks were a top team which was will Karl Anthony Towns fit well- and so far he has been incredible averaging the second most points per game he has in his career at 25, and the most rebounds per game in his career (12.3), which is so far the 4th most in the league.
#4: Orlando Magic - 53 wins 29 losses HIGHLIGHT OF THE ARTICLE!
To me, the Magic are one of the “darkhorse” NBA teams and you shouldn’t underestimate them. There is no reason for the Magic not to win over 50 games this season, and I can prove why. Orlando is a super young team only getting better, with one of the most slept-on rookies from this years draft (Tristan Da Silva), they have an incredibly slept on young-core with Jett Howard, Jalen Suggs, Wendell Carter Jr and more, they added Kentavious Caldwell-Pope during the offseason, and finally, the largest factor, the fact they have Paolo Banchero who to me is one of the most underrated players in the whole NBA, who I think will take a superstar leap this year (which he really already has, averaging career bests in each stat and even putting up 50 points in one of his first few games this year). All of these improvements are factors in this team’s success and rise next year, and we can’t forget they still won 47 games last year. There is absolutely no reason for the Magic to win less than 50 games. So, in my opinion the only argument for the Magic not being the 4 seed is that Indiana, Philly or Milwaukee can also win around 55 or more games (these to me are the only other eastern conference teams with the chance of doing so), but I still don’t see any of that happening. And here's why, starting with why I don’t think Philly will win 55 or more games, The 76ers are an incredibly talented team and before the season started I saw this team as a potential 2 or 3 seed, with their incredibly talented big 3 in Paul George, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey and a solid bench to compliment their starters. But then, we saw the 76ers star players for who they were, and based on the start of this NBA season I can tell the 76ers are not going to be a good regular season team. Joel Embiid is more focused on resting than playing and will play few games this year, Paul George is injury prone and nobody can expect him to play for this team, and finally that leaves Tyrese Maxey to be the guy for this team. So far this year, Tyrese Maxey while he has been able to score very well he has proven that he can’t be the #1 guy on this team as he has shot the ball terribly and can’t really play without a secondary star. With all this considered, an inconsistent Tyrese Maxey, a mediocre supporting cast and probably only 30 this year games will be played where Philly’s big 3 will play together, this team will not be able to play better than the Magic in the regular season. Next there's Milwaukee, which would have been an obvious pick over the Magic due to them potentially having a top 2 duo in the NBA in Dame in Giannis, but the Bucks have started this season off terribly. And this isn’t because of Giannis, who has been incredible, or Dame, who has seen significant improvement from last year. This is because of the coaches, Darvin Ham and Doc Rivers- and maybe a bit of the lack of success is from the fact that Milwauke is a super old team and they have no real young talent to depend on as roleplayers. Even if they did though, simply put, no team with Darvin Ham and Doc Rivers as the two main coaches will play well as they have proven to be two of the worst coaches in the NBA and are now paired together, as they are ruining the bucks. Finally, even though I do like Indiana and their core is exciting, they simply just don’t have a chance at being better than the Magic to me. Most believedTyrese Haliburton had a lucky run last year and won’t ever be that good again and he is doing nothing by proving this by shooting terribly to start the year. Simply this team is not as talented or deep as the Magic and would be lucky to be as good as last year.
Top 5 Eastern Conference Players, with justification.
Significant segment:
How Lamelo Ball could be a top 3 player in the eastern conference
#1: Jayson Tatum
29 PPG , 6 RPG , 7 APG
(points per game) (rebounds per game) (assists per game)
I really don’t see any debate on a better Eastern Conference player, there truly isn’t much to explain. Boston is almost guaranteed to have the best record in the NBA, and Tatum has been and will be there #1 guy. I think Tatum is a lock for All NBA 1st Team, and he will probably finish at least top 6 in MVP voting, but he is most likely to be #2-3 due to his expected team success. It is totally possible Tatum could win MVP, but it depends as Luka, Jokic, Giannis, Shai and Stephen Curry all have an argument if they put up good stats and they are on winning teams.
#2: Giannis Antetokounmpo
31 PPG , 11 RPG, 4 APG
(points per game) (rebounds per game) (assists per game)
Giannis is the only player who could be a better player then Tatum in the east, but it is unlikely he is even if he puts up better numbers because of his team success. Giannis will definitely put up great stats and could even be an MVP, but only if the Bucks step up and are a top 4 seed in the east which I don’t believe will happen. Giannis I believe will finish on All NBA 1st team, and he has a floor of being around 6th in MVP voting but I think he is one of the 4 favorites to win, but this could totally sway if certain players like the ones I mentioned above can carry their team to top seeds.
#3: Lamelo Ball
29 PPG , 6 RPG 9 APG
(points per game) (rebounds per game) (assists per game)
HIGHLIGHT OF THE ARTICLE!
Because of his constant injuries, and poor team success, everyone has forgotten about Lamelo Ball and how he is one of the most talented players in the league. While some may find this a stupid take, I believe a healthy Lamelo could be one of 3 the best players in the NBA, not even just the east. Yes, I said that. He has started off the season averaging career highs in all stats but assists (he is still one of the best passers in the NBA), and he has been putting up the most ridiculous highlights you could ask for on a daily night basis. He has been superbly clutch and he is shooting with the highest efficiencies he has ever had in his career, and his efficiency is remarkable for the ridiculous shots he takes. As you can tell, Lamelo is a player I am very high on. To me, it doesn't matter how bad the Hornets will be, it will most likely not be Lamelos fault and he is one of the best players in the NBA. I don’t think Lamelo will finish the year with any major awards, accept an All-NBA appearance ranging anywhere from first to third team and possibly a Most Improved Player award, depending on how consistent he is and if players like RJ Barret and Gradey Dick who are frontrunners for the award will be as good as they currently are. No matter how incredible Lamelo is this year, he will not be near an MVP because the Hornets won’t be a top 7 team in the East and MVP is partially a team-based award. Finally, Lamelo could win Clutch Player of the Year, but once again, that is a rather random award.
#4: Paolo Banchero
27.5 PPG , 9 RPG 7 APG
(points per game) (rebounds per game) (assists per game)
Paolo Banchero is one of the league's most underrated players in my opinion, and I believe he will be the top guys on a top team in the east. He has an insane ceiling and he has been playing out of his mind so far this year. I believe Paolo Banchero will be on the All NBA second team and won’t accomplish any other major accolades. There isn’t much to say for Paolo or why he will be this high.
#5: Jalen Brunson
27 PPG , 2 RPG, 7 APG
(points per game) (rebounds per game) (assists per game)
Jalen Brunson is one of the best point guards in the league, and the Knicks are one of the best teams in the east, so I think that his success is inevitable this year. He may not put up the superstar stats he did in the playoffs last year because of the additions of Karl Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges who will be scoring a lot and they will be taking the ball out of his hands, but I still think he will perform incredibly well and there is no doubt he will be one of the best players in the east. I think Jalen Brunson will make the All NBA 3rd team, and has no other real opportunities for awards other than possibly Clutch Player of the Year, but that could really go to anybody.
Honorable Mentions and why they didn’t make the top 5:
Joel Embiid: Embiid is a player a lot of people consider the best player in the Eastern Conference, and I also believe he is at least top 3 and could even be #1, if he played basketball and wasn’t one of the worst playoff droppers in the NBA. All the players I listed above Embiid are probably not as good as him, but I trust them to be more impactful to their respective teams then Embiid, as he may play less than 40 games this year. That is how I justify how good they will be, as for example I believe Jalen Brunson will play the majority of the games this season and contribute to a successful team as the #1 option, and rise in the playoffs, whereas Embiid will play limited games, put up awesome stats and fall off in the postseason. Even as a huge Jalen Brunson fan, obviously I don’t believe he is better than a healthy basketball playing Embiid, but this season Jalen will be a better player if Embiid keeps up his constant injuries and rest.
Darius Garland and Donvan Mitchell: Both these Cavs stars could 100% be on the list if the Cavs maintain there current momentum, I just don’t see Donovan Mitchell taking such a leap and being better than someone like Jalen Brunson, especially because the Cavs are balanced so there isn’t much room for Donovan to be a 25 point per game or higher guy. Finally, even as a huge Darius Garland fan it would be ridiculous to expect him to average something like 30 and 11 this year and I just don’t see him being on this list just like Donovan Mitchell, unless maybe both or either of the two maintain all-star stats while the Cavs are a 60+ win team.
Jaylen Brown: While you could argue because of the Celtics guaranteed success Jaylen is easily a top 5 player in the eastern conference, I just don’t think individually he is better than the guys listed above him and he will at most maintain the stats he put up last year as he is on the most loaded team in the whole NBA, and those stats just aren't super-star numbers- I mean, he didn’t even make All-NBA last year.
Tyrese Maxey,Tyrese Haliburton, Cade Cunningham Damian Lillard and Scottie Barnes: I grouped these players together because I had to include them in the honorable mentions, as all these guys have been great and I like them, but all of them simply are not on the list because there is little to no argument that any of them are better than the players above them.
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