2. Boston Celtics
The reigning defending champions wasted no time this season showing why they are the champs. The Celtics have been dominant all season offensively (8th in scoring) and defensively (2nd in points allowed). Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are the best wing combo in the league, and they are the best duo in the Eastern Conference on both ends of the floor.
The attention Tatum and Brown draw offensively is going to make it hard for opposing defenses to contain them with the supporting pieces around them. When you look at the rest of their starting five, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, and Kristaps Porziņģis, all of them are high-level man-to-man defenders capable of staying with their matchup. This is why the Celtics are 5th in paint points allowed because of their defensive prowess and ability to know their opponent's offensive scheme and defensive IQ.
They also take and make threes at a high rate, ranking first in makes, attempts, and points on three-pointers this season. They broke the team record for most threes by a team in a season (1,420) previously set by the Warriors in 2022-23 of 1,363.
This year's run to become the first back-to-back champion this decade will prove to be a more challenging road this time around than last year's title. With their core nucleus and veterans as Al Horford off the bench, there's no dropoff defensively or in spacing offensively, along with Payton Pritchard, who's the betting favorite for Sixth Man of the Year per
Add in Neemias Queta, who was a reliable big in the rotation when Porzingis was out in the first half of the season, along with Luke Kornet, and the Celtics have the deepest frontcourt in the NBA. Their ability to guard anyone defensively without the need to overhelp and a strong offensive unit is what separates them from the majority of NBA teams.
Don't be surprised if they represent the East in the finals once again.