NBA Eastern Conference rankings 1-15 for new season
The NBA’s Eastern Conference has been clearly inferior to the Western Conference from the moment Michael Jordan called his second retirement after the 1998 Finals. That might finally flip this year. While the West is still home to the league’s top two title contenders in our preseason poll, the East feels stronger 1-10 entering the […]
The 2026-27 NBA Eastern Conference is shaping up to be a formidable one. The New York Knicks, led by former teammates Scottie Barnes and OG Anunoby, appear to be the team to beat, with a strong playoff pedigree. The Boston Celtics are another top contender, bolstered by the Jayson Tatum trade and other key additions. The Cleveland Cavaliers, with Donovan Mitchell back in full form, could challenge for the top spot as well.
The Orlando Magic, Orlando Magic, and Toronto Raptors round out the top five. While the Magic showed significant improvement in the playoffs, their regular season performance is less certain. Leonard's health remains a key factor for the Raptors, but if healthy, the team could make a serious run at a championship.
Written by urgent.news from SB Nation's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
