If we continue down this path, 2016 will forever go down as the year we had to stop referring to it derisively as the (L)Eastern Conference.
While the standings have been top-heavy out West, the East is set for one of the wildest finishes in recent memory as just a game-and-a-half separates the No. 3-6 spots. Oh, and did we mention that every playoff team in the East is currently above .500 for the first time since, like, the Nixon administration (It was actually the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season-Ed).
A few things are already set in stone, however. LeBron James and his Cavs have the No. 1 seed sewn up, and the history-making Raptors are clearly their most imminent threat in the East. But with all the turmoil in Cleveland, it’s tempting to wonder whether they’re capable of prematurely imploding should they face off against a hungrier, scrappier team, say, in the Conference Semifinals after they make first-round fodder out of the Pacers or Pistons.
What follows, then, is a brief ranking of those four teams fighting for the 3-6 spots in order of who has the best chance of upsetting the Cavs.
CONTENDER OR PRETENDER?
4. The Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets are one of the feel-good stories of the season, given their dramatic turnaround in so many different categories, most stunningly their offensive production and growing proficiency from behind the arc. Steve Clifford has his team planted firmly in the 21st century and looking forward to good things on the horizon. They have a budding superstar in Kemba Walker and have shown tremendous flexibility in terms of being able to match up against different types of lineups.
Jeremy Lin has been surprisingly versatile off the bench when assuming point guard duties or serving as de facto shooting guard alongside Walker. It’s a development that’s quickly thrust him into the Sixth Man of the Year discussion. As a team, they boast a top-10 offense (10) and a top-10 defense (9), but experience will ultimately win out here, and the Cavs’ dismantling of the Hornets on Sunday to take the regular-season series 3-1 (even without Kyrie Irving) is just the latest indication.
3. The Miami Heat
This would be a much more interesting discussion if we had any inclination whatsoever about Chris Bosh’s postseason status. For the second year in a row, the Heat forward has missed significant time due to potentially life-threatening health complications and remains out indefinitely. Still, the Miami Heat have made a compelling case for themselves. The Heat currently hold a 2-1 series lead over the Cavs this season, and LeBron still hasn’t won a game in Miami since bolting town for Cleveland two summers ago.
A Conference Finals showdown between James and his former Big 3 buddies would be one of the better storylines of the season, and the Heat are perfectly equipped to pose a real threat. Young Justise Winslow will be eager to prove that he can at least make life difficult for LeBron in a grueling series, and watching Erik Spoelstra get creative with his lineups (particularly his use of Hassan Whiteside) to try and match up against the Cavs will make for a fascinating spectacle.
2. The Boston Celtics
A recent win against the Golden State Warriors – one that halted their 54-game home winning streak and a chance at an undefeated season at home – has given the Celtics all the confidence they need that they can play against anyone. A lot of that confidence comes from their absolutely stifling defense. A trio of perimeter defenders that includes Avery Bradley, Marcus Smart, and Jae Crowder (who’s returning from injury to handle LeBron duty should they meet the Cavs in the playoffs), should strike fear in the heart of any opponent. And then there’s bulldog scoring machine Isaiah Thomas.
The Cavs took the season series 2-1, but the Celtics should be looking for some payback after being summarily ousted by Cleveland last spring. And let’s not forget all the bad blood between these two teams stemming from that very series. First, there was Kelly Olynyk nearly yanking Kevin Love’s arm clean off, then J.R. Smith’s sucker punch on Crowder that was so brutal it caused Crowder to injure his leg as he crumpled to the floor. So yeah, things might get a little chippy. But make no mistake, Boston absolutely has both the manpower and the schemes to pull off an upset here.
1. The Atlanta Hawks
Like the Celtics, the Hawks will be looking for revenge after falling to Cleveland in the Conference Finals last spring. Granted, that was the culmination of a mysterious post-All-Star break regression on a number of fronts, but the exact opposite has been true as they’ve headed for the home stretch this season. They’re peaking at just the right time, having won 13 out of their last 17 games since the beginning of March, and they currently boast the second-best defense in the league behind only the San Antonio Spurs. They’re also the most battle-tested of these four teams, given that the Heat have undergone a dramatic makeover in the past year.
It’s been a weird season for Kyle Korver, who had been shooting at a pedestrian clip — by his own lofty standards — from downtown in the first part of the season, but has been looking more and more like his old self again lately. The Hawks may have lost their best perimeter defender in DeMarre Carroll last summer; although, Kent Bazemore has proven a capable substitute. It’s also been an up-and-down season for Jeff Teague, but the Hawks are fortunate enough to have one of, if not the, best backup point guards in the league in Dennis Schroder. And we haven’t even discussed Paul Millsap and Al Horford’s stellar all-around play.
The Hawks have been somewhat overlooked in 2015-16, given that their season hasn’t had any of the magic that characterized their franchise-best 60-win campaign from a year ago, but you could make the argument that they’re in better shape now than they were this time last season in terms of momentum and the chance to exceed drastically-reduced expectations.
