First Week Finals: Way too early picks for the NBA’s next Eastern Conference champ

The Eastern Caveats

The race for the top six spots in the NBA’s East could be a literal free-for-all this season. Add the Philadelphia 76ers and Indiana Pacers into the mix, and any of these six teams could realistically finish in almost any spot among the Conference’s elite. This season above all others, there are the finest of lines when it comes to rest and team development. It’s impossible to know where each organization values their regular-season accomplishments in proportion to their ultimate end-of-year goals. Teams with less roster shake-up, coaching changes and aging stars would seem to be able to start strong this season.

The Indiana Pacers are an example of this. Their continuity, outside of a coaching change, has led them to a hot start and their growth together has them eyeing the East’s upper echelon. They have three players averaging over 20 points per game with T.J. Warren not among them at only 15.5 so far. Malcolm Brogdon looks primed for his first All-Star bid. Domantas Sabonis looks primed to enter All-NBA discussion. And Victor Oladipo looks primed to make a lot of money if he still plans on leaving after the season. More reason to make the most of this one and the Pacers, so far, are doing just that.

Less an example of that are the Philadelphia 76ers who have imposed their defensive will on teams so far and have ushered in some new progress for a stalled process. Although their core of Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris remained intact, the Sixers brought in significant new pieces from the front office to the hardwood and so far the results have been really good. Seth Curry has been a great pick-up and off to career bests in a number of categories as well as fitting in right from the start. Embiid looks focused and determined to make an All-NBA team that he was upset that he missed out on last season. Harris is reunited with Doc Rivers who helped develop Tobias as an eventual max player and he is responding similarly well to his old coach now in Philadelphia.

These teams are not higher because the ones above them have more of a proven track record or in the case of the Brooklyn Nets, the expectations that come with KD and Kyrie joining forces under the coaching of one of the most widely-respected point guards to have played in the NBA. As stated, it would not be a surprise to see any of these six anywhere in the standings. Even the Atlanta Hawks are trying to re-establish themselves as a playoff team, adding interesting and effective veterans to their talented young core. The NBA’s Eastern Conference may be more competitive from top to bottom than it has been in years. This bodes well for us as fans, excited to see our teams breakthrough into the playoffs or break out into the Finals, but not so well for those of us trying to predict who the real beast of the East is in the early part of this NBA season.