The Eastern Conference is wide open this year, but each team has a question mark entering the season, which starts on December 22nd.
Last year, the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, and Miami Heat were the top three teams in the conference and no other team was going to challenge them very much.
This year is a different story. Kevin Durant is back and in the Eastern Conference with the Brooklyn Nets; Kyle Lowry and the Toronto Raptors are back; the Philadelphia 76ers look lethal with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid surrounded by shooters.
With that said, every contender has a question mark going into the season.
Atlanta Hawks: Will Rondo Be the Same Guy as Last Year?
Rajon Rondo is going to be missed by the Los Angeles Lakers this season and was one of their most valuable players last season, especially in the playoffs. He took his play to a whole another level in the bubble and fans were seeing some flashbacks of his time with the Celtics.
He now joins a young but talented Hawks’ squad that could make some noise and squeeze into one of the final two spots in the playoffs. If Rondo can be a great leader and perform like he did last season, Atlanta will have a shot at the playoffs.
Boston Celtics: How Will They Replace Kemba Walker at the Start of the Season?
Kemba Walker will miss the beginning of the season with a knee injury, which leaves Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown as the two biggest contributors to the Celtics’ offense.
Marcus Smart now steps in as a starter, and he will be the key to Boston’s early-season success. Smart is more known for his defense than his offense, so as long as he averages 13 points a game like he did last season, he will be able to hold the guard position afloat until Walker returns.
Brooklyn Nets: Will LeVert or Dinwiddie Get More Playing Time?
There are many juicy storylines in Brooklyn because Durant and Kyrie Irving are on the same team, but they are great friends so their chemistry won’t be a problem.
The biggest question mark for the Nets is who will get the majority of the playing time alongside Durant and Irving. Caris LeVert is penciled in as the starter at shooting guard but Steve Nash has told the media that he believes LeVert may be more valuable to the Nets as the primary ball-handler off the bench with the second group.
Spencer Dinwiddie isn’t really seen as a primary ball-handler so he fits better alongside Irving, Durant, Joe Harris, and DeAndre Jordan. Both Dinwiddie and LeVert are great supporting cast players, but it’s unknown who will play more minutes.
Miami Heat: Is a Star Player Joining Jimmy Butler in South Beach?
The Heat are the defending Eastern Conference champions, but some believe they still aren’t the real deal until they add another superstar to be alongside Jimmy Butler.
James Harden has reportedly added Miami to his trade destination list and the Heat have enough to make a deal happen. Miami is comfortable with the team they have. Any team that has Bam Adebayo and Butler on the court has a chance. However, they probably aren’t getting out of the East unless they get another star.
Milwaukee Bucks: Can They Get to the Conference Finals?
Giannis Antetokounmpo is going to be in Milwaukee for a long time after signing his super-max extension, but there are questions on if he can lead the Bucks deep into the playoffs as the only superstar on the team.
Jrue Holiday will help that effort after he was acquired from New Orleans, but other teams such as the Nets have a more complete team.
Philadelphia 76ers: Can Doc Rivers Get More Out of Simmons and Embiid?
Doc Rivers was let go as the head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers after their choke job against the Denver Nuggets. However, the 76ers believe he is the one that can finally get Simmons and Embiid to become a true super-duo in the NBA.
Rivers will be in a better spot in his first season than former coach Brett Brown was in at any time in his tenure because the front office put shooters around Simmons and Embiid. Seth Curry and Danny Green should be able to spread the floor and create more space for Embiid and Simmons to take their games to the next level.
Will the Sixers get past the first and second round? Only time will tell.
Toronto Raptors: Can Siakam Get Back to All-NBA Form Under the Bright Lights?
The Raptors took the Celtics to seven games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, so they were obviously close to getting back to the Conference Finals even without Kawhi Leonard. However, a reason why they couldn’t do so was Pascal Siakam’s performance.
Siakam turned into a star in Canada when they won the NBA Finals in 2019 and should’ve been the best player on his team during their series against Boston, but wasn’t. He played like the All-Star he is during the regular season (averaging a career-best 22.9 PPG), but if you ask him he would say he should’ve played better in their series versus Boston.
Siakam averaged just 14.9 points per game, which was the third-highest point total on his own team behind Lowry and Fred VanVleet. He scored more than 20 points only one time in the seven-game series. In Game 5, he only mustered together ten points.
Remember, the Raptors have the reigning Coach of the Year (Nick Nurse), and Lowry is playing for a new contract. If Siakam can play better in the playoffs, then Toronto has the ability to get to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Washington Wizards: Will the Beal-Westbrook Duo Work?
This is the million-dollar question for the Wizards, who are trying to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2018. Bradley Beal and John Wall were a great partnership for years but Wall’s injuries were a problem. As a result, the front office acquired Westbrook to give Beal a chance to win in his prime.
Westbrook and Beal have one thing in common: they haven’t won a championship yet. Therefore, they are playing with some motivation this season. The only question that remains is how successful will this duo be?
This partnership should work very well, as Beal and Westbrook are both two All-Star players and great teammates. They don’t need to be in the spotlight and run the team, unlike one of Westbrook’s former teammates in Houston.
Deni Avdija and Rui Hachimura should be solid role players, so as long as Beal and Westbrook have seasons close to how they played last year. Then, they could see themselves not only in the playoffs but as a dangerous opponent for whoever plays them in the first round.
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