Have the Knicks and Cavs surpassed the 76ers and Bucks as the Celtics’ principal threats?
Before the season, Boston and Milwaukee seemed to be the undisputed leaders of the Eastern Conference, with Philadelphia, despite having to deal with James Harden’s constant headache, looking to be a comfortable, if not distant, third. Following that? It appeared as though Indiana, Miami, Cleveland, New York, and possibly even Atlanta could finish in fourth place in the East. But those teams going deep into the playoffs seemed less likely.
However, Cleveland and New York are playing as well as any team in the league as the All-Star break draws closer. And now the Knicks and Cavaliers are Boston’s primary East rivals due to Milwaukee’s historic midseason coaching switch and 76ers centre Joel Embiid’s injury problems.
The Cavs (33-16) hold sole possession of second place in the East going into Thursday’s games, while the Knicks (33-18) are tied for third place with Milwaukee. Cleveland and New York both made incredible comebacks that you might have missed if you had blinked.
The Landscape of Efficiency. What Is Visible Right Away? tweet.com/OLtSR5WRQh
— from Kirk Goldsberry on Twitter 2 February 2024
Take a quick look back.
Cleveland and New York were 18–15 on New Year’s Day. That’s a respectable record, but the supporters of both teams, who they believed were playing poorly, were itching for more. It seems that they were correct.
Cleveland has won 15 of the last 16 games played, while New York has won 15 of the last 18. With the two greatest defensive ratings in the league, both teams are winning because they play excellent defence.
In Cleveland, surprise additions Dean Wade and Isaac Okoro have been stifling opposing wings’ offences while Jarrett Allen (10.5 RPG) has been leading the charge down low.
Regarding New York, which already had a strong defence, adding Toronto’s OG Anunoby (1.8 STL, 1.1 BLK) to the lineup has proven beneficial. With the addition of Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks on trade deadline day, New York is now attempting to go from good to great on the other end as well. They will offer excellent spacing in a revamped Knicks offence.
Milwaukee and Philadelphia seem to be going in the opposite way, falling down the standings for two very different reasons, while Cleveland and New York are beginning to dream big. Due to Embiid’s struggles, the Sixers are having
Due to Embiid’s ongoing injuries—the most recent of which is a meniscus tear that will keep him out for at least a month—the Sixers are having difficulty.
It’s no secret that when Philly’s best player is injured, the team performs worse as a whole. Following a blazing start, Philadelphia is now 30–20, down to fifth in the East, and may drop further without Embiid. Additionally, it sent defensive wizard Patrick Beverley to the Bucks at the Thursday trade deadline.
Milwaukee may not be all that good, which is why it is struggling. That seems unthinkable for a team that has borderline superstar Damian Lillard and bonafide superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo at his side, but Milwaukee has been strange from the beginning of the season.
Utah’s 40–13 fourth-quarter outburst felt like the result of many poorly executed pieces coming together.
Considering their talent, it would be foolish to count out Milwaukee or Philadelphia. However, it’s never a good sign when a team enters the All-Star break with more questions than answers. On the court, New York and Cleveland are providing answers, while the Bucks and Sixers are only raising more.
