For many years, the Eastern Conference lagged behind the Western Conference, both in star power and general intrigue. The winds have shifted a bit in recent years, with two of the last three NBA champions hailing from the East, and the “Leastern Conference” jokes are a thing of the past. Several leading contenders for the 2021-22 title come from the East and, with a headline-grabbing blockbuster featuring Ben Simmons and James Harden before the trade deadline, there is even more attention on the pecking order.
As of the All-Star break, the top seven teams in the East are separated by only five games in the standings, illustrating a jam-packed race for playoff position. In a wild twist, the Brooklyn Nets are not in the top seven, largely due to the injury to Kevin Durant and well-chronicled personnel challenges. Adding to the Nets into the mix still extends the gap between No. 1 and No. 8 to only seven games which, for comparison, is smaller than the distance from No. 1 (Phoenix) to No. 3 (Memphis) in the West.
In short, every game matters a great deal in the Eastern Conference for the rest of the season and, during the All-Star break, our aim is to find the 10 most important games in the conference during the second half. We’ll aim to survey the entire landscape, not just focusing on the implementation of Simmons and Harden, or on the reigning champion Milwaukee Bucks, but the top teams are well-represented. Let’s take a glance at ten games that everyone should be monitoring, keeping in mind that this list could be much longer.
Feb. 26 – Brooklyn Nets @ Milwaukee Bucks – 8:30 pm ET – ABC
This game is happening quite soon, and player availability is certainly in question for Kevin Durant and Ben Simmons. Even if neither plays in this spot, this is a matchup of preseason titans in the East, with Milwaukee still in a strong position and Brooklyn needing to stack wins to make up for a slow start. Kyrie Irving should also be available, given that this is a road game, and it is a Saturday evening showcase on ABC. Sounds like fun.
March 2 – Milwaukee Bucks @ Miami Heat – 8:00 pm ET – League Pass
Miami sits in a tie for the No. 1 spot in the East and all is well for the Heat. It is easy to buy Miami as a playoff team with its experience, defense and shotmaking, but the Heat also flamed out against Milwaukee in spectacular fashion in last year’s playoffs. Nothing the Heat do on March 26 can erase that, but it could give us a preview of what’s to come.
March 4 – Cleveland Cavaliers @ Philadelphia 76ers – 7:00 pm ET – League Pass
Cleveland isn’t trusted on the same level as other Eastern Conference contenders but, at the time of this post, the Cavs are tied for No. 3 in the East. With more than two-thirds of the season in the books, that is notable. From there, this is also a very interesting test for Philadelphia’s new-look offense, featuring James Harden. The Cavs have lived in the top five of the NBA in defensive rating this season, and they also have size to throw at Joel Embiid.
March 6 – Toronto Raptors @ Cleveland Cavaliers – 7:30 pm ET – ESPN
I’ll admit that this is more of a matchup for hardcore observers, but it is on ESPN, after all. At present, Toronto is only a half-game from the top six in the East, and this is a highly intriguing battle between teams that play hard and execute. How does Cleveland match up with Toronto’s approach to playing every 6’8 player in the world around Fred VanVleet? How does Toronto deal with Darius Garland and Cleveland’s size? This could also be a playoff preview, for good measure.
March 10 – Brooklyn Nets @ Philadelphia 76ers – 7:30 pm ET – TNT
Of all the games on the list, this is the one that really needs no introduction. Ben Simmons is scheduled to return to Philadelphia. James Harden is facing his old team. Two contenders are facing off, and it could be a circus atmosphere at Wells Fargo Center in advance of Simmons’ homecoming.
March 16 – Atlanta Hawks @ Charlotte Hornets – 7:00 pm ET – League Pass
Clearly, a matchup between Atlanta and Charlotte isn’t going to get the level of attention of the previous game. We don’t want to entirely focus at the top of the East, though, and this game has real significance to both teams. For one, the Hawks have stumbled this season and are battling for play-in potential, rather than jockeying for position in the top five. For another, Charlotte and Atlanta might be battling for the No. 9 and No. 10 spots (as they are now), and this matchup also features Trae Young and LaMelo Ball.
March 30 – Miami Heat @ Boston Celtics – 7:30 pm ET – ESPN
The Celtics were absolutely rolling before the All-Star break, posting the best net rating (+12.6) and defensive rating (100.9) in the NBA since Jan. 1. They probably can’t maintain that pace, but a Boston-Miami tilt could be wildly interesting on a number of levels. It could also be a playoff preview and/or a battle for positioning. Sound familiar?
March 31 – Milwaukee Bucks at Brooklyn Nets – 7:30 pm ET – TNT
It’s not ideal to have a second Bucks-Nets matchup on this list, and I get that. However, this has the appeal of being more likely to serve as a “playoff preview,” especially when viewing it through the lens of Kevin Durant being healthy and Ben Simmons being featured at a higher level. The counterpoint would be that Kyrie Irving can’t play unless the local mandate changes but, even so, that is something Brooklyn will have to gear up for, and now the Nets have Goran Dragic to plug some gaps. Did I mention that Milwaukee is really good? That is also worth remembering.
Apr. 2 – Miami Heat @ Chicago Bulls – 8:00 pm ET – League Pass
Right now, it is the Heat and Bulls that sit atop the East. Not the Bucks. Not the Sixers. Not the Nets. The Heat and the Bulls. Will that hold up? We’ll see, but all you need to know in advance of this game is that both teams are enjoying fantastic seasons.
Apr. 6 – Boston Celtics @ Chicago Bulls – 8:00 pm ET – League Pass
Neither the Celtics nor the Bulls are usually discussed in the “inner circle” of East title contenders, but both have impressive profiles. As noted above, Boston has basically been the East’s hottest team for a couple of months, and Chicago is in a tie at the top of the East. Could this be a first round preview? Could it be important for top-four seeding purposes? The potential is endless, but these teams are good. That much we know.
