The 2024 NBA All-Star Game is just a few days away, which means that very soon, teams across the league will start ramping up the intensity as they sense that the playoffs aren’t too far away.
Just about everyone agrees that the Boston Celtics, at least for now, are the class of the Eastern Conference. They have a 42-12 record, which is the best mark in the entire NBA, and they’re comfortably ahead of everyone else in the conference.
But there’s plenty of debate about which team is second-best in the East. A couple of teams have surged lately, while one team, the Philadelphia 76ers, has fallen to fifth place amidst the injury to reigning regular season MVP Joel Embiid.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Lou Williams, Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks Updates
Former Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams said that of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks, who are second, third and fourth, respectively, in the East right now, he would go with the Bucks to meet Boston in the conference finals.
The Cavs have been surging lately, and Donovan Mitchell, their franchise player, has been playing very well. They had a nine-game winning streak which ended on Monday at the hands of the Philadelphia 76ers, and overall, they have taken 17 of their last 19 contests. But they’re a very young team and aren’t battle-tested.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Lou Williams, Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks Updates
The Knicks, thanks to a couple of smart trades, have also been heating up and recently went on a nine-game winning streak of their own. But while their roster suddenly looks deep (when healthy), they still do have some question marks.
Milwaukee has its own question marks, particularly on defense. But stars and superstars tend to win in the playoffs, and it has two of the biggest in Giannis Antetokounmpo and newcomer Damian Lillard.
In addition, it still has several core players remaining from its 2021 championship team, including Brook Lopez, Bobby Portis, Pat Connaughton and three-time All-Star Khris Middleton.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Lou Williams, Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks Updates
A conference finals matchup between Milwaukee and Boston would be something of a rematch of the 2022 Eastern Conference semifinals when Boston dispatched a Milwaukee team that was without Middleton in seven games.
