3. Cleveland Cavaliers
Coming into this season, everyone saw the Cavaliers as a good team. No one could've predicted the leapfrog they'd take as an Eastern Conference powerhouse and the top seed—a big jump from last season's fourth seed. The Cavaliers introduced Kenny Atkinson as their new head coach entering the season, which has paid massive dividends.
The Cavaliers hit the 60-game win mark this season. The last time they won 60+ in a season was the 2009-10 season when LeBron James won his second MVP award. This team is special. One of the many reasons for the Cavaliers' assault on the NBA is the offensive progression of their young star, big Evan Mobley.
Mobley, 23, has always been an elite talent. Since entering the NBA, he's been one of its elite defensive players. The question was never defensively for Mobley: Can he take his game to the next level offensively? He has.
This season Mobley is averaging a career-high 18.5 points per game on 55% from the field. He's in the running for Defensive Player of the Year as one of the most versatile defenders in the Association, who can guard out on switches on the perimeter while wreaking havoc at the rim as a shot blocker. Pair him with another shot blocker in Jarrett Allen and another lob threat for Darius Garland, and it makes it troublesome for any team in the East.
Aside from their bigs, Donovan Mitchell has taken a step back statistically for the team's betterment. It proved to work wonders. He can still go off for big scoring outputs, such as his 41-point performance in TD Garden against the Celtics in a comeback win. You add that Garland is back healthy this season, returning to the All-Star level, and you have a dangerous backcourt.