Welcome Back: Catching football fans up on the NBA season

2. The East has a favorite, some flawed contenders, and then everyone else

The Boston Celtics have been the best team in the NBA this season, and it hasn’t been particularly close. They began the year by suspending their head coach Ime Udoka but his replacement Joa Mazzula has been excellent. Jayson Tatum is a legitimate MVP candidate, Jaylen Brown has been great, and they look both deep and dangerous. They’re the title favorites.

After that, a five-team tier of potential challengers awaits. The Milwaukee Bucks have dealt with injuries for much of the year but are just two games back, with the Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Miami Heat all in the mix. One of those teams will join the Celtics in the Conference Finals, but it could be any of them; similarly, two of them have to lose in the first round.

Behind them, the middle of the East is made up of teams needing to make big changes but reluctant to do so. With the NBA Trade Deadline just a week away (Feb 9), the Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards, Chicago Bulls, and Toronto Raptors could all make a major trade or simply stand pat and stick on the treadmill of mediocrity. At the bottom, the Charlotte Hornets and Detroit Pistons are gunning for lottery positioning to try and land Victor Wembanyama, a legendary prospect awaiting the team with the top pick in the NBA Draft.