Philadelphia 76ers: Eastern Conference Contenders & Pretenders
We're now past the halfway point in the 2022-2023 NBA season, and it's becoming clear which teams are contenders, pretenders, or on the brink/in the midst of a rebuild in the Eastern Conference.
Taking a look at the conference a little over halfway through the year, which teams are the real deal, and who needs work?
Celtics: Contenders (35-12)
Coming off of an NBA Finals run, which resulted in a loss to the dynasty that is the Golden State Warriors, the Celtics certainly haven’t run out of steam. Despite a sudden coaching change and a ton of drama surrounding the situation ahead of the 2022-2023 season, the Celtics remain at the top of the Eastern Conference. They are talented, they are deep, and they are the real deal once again.
Nets: Contenders (28-17)
The Nets were the laughingstock of the NBA at the beginning of the year after they got off to a slow start. Sometimes, coaching changes prove that the person in charge might’ve just been a scapegoat for deeper issues. In this case, that can’t be true. The Nets surged last month, forming a 12-game win streak from December 7 to January 2. The postseason has been a struggle for the Kevin Durant-led Nets over the last couple of years, but with good health on the roster, Brooklyn can be dangerous.
Bucks: Contenders (29-17)
Not a lot of teams have the tools to stop Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is one of the NBA’s most dominant players. His supporting cast has proven to be championship-caliber, too, as Milwaukee just won the title a couple of seasons ago. Do they have another run left in them? Only time will tell, but Milwaukee has proven for years that they are contenders in the East.
Cavaliers: Contenders (29-19)
Cleveland came up just short of making the playoffs last year. They proved they are a young team knocking on the door of becoming contenders, but possibly one star away from getting into the playoff picture without having to go through the Play-In. The acquisition of Donovan Mitchell, a proven All-Star, has been an excellent offseason move for the Cavs. Youth might stop the Cavs from being championship-ready as early as this season, but they shouldn’t be slept on.
Knicks: Pretenders (25-22)
The Knicks are in a better position than they were last season, but they’re still not convincing enough to pose a threat in the East. Perhaps, a trade deadline move or two change the perception of the Knicks for the second half of the season. For the time being, New York is still a Play-In team, at best.
Heat: Contenders (25-22)
Injuries and a lack of significant offseason moves have the Heat sometimes looking like they might struggle to crack a spot in the postseason. I find it hard to doubt the Jimmy Butler-led Heat, though. While I wouldn’t bet on Miami making a surprising title run, there are some playoff contenders in the East who would probably like to avoid Miami in the early rounds.
Pacers: Pretenders (23-25)
The Pacers have some talent and look much better now than they did at the beginning of the year, but they aren’t kidding anybody in the East. It might take some time before the Pacers are viewed as threats in the Eastern Conference.
Hawks: Pretenders (24-23)
Just a couple of years after upsetting the Knicks and the Sixers in the playoffs on their way to the Eastern Conference Finals, a young Hawks team looked like they were going to be a problem for years to come. After taking a step back last season, barely cracking the playoffs before getting gentleman's swept out of the first round, the Hawks added another All-Star to play alongside Trae Young. The struggles are still there, as is the drama surrounding the Hawks. Atlanta needs to find a quick fix before it’s too late.
Raptors: Pretenders (20-27)
Toronto has talent with deep postseason experience and a championship-winning head coach. If a rebuild isn’t in the future for Toronto, then a re-tool with the roster has to be. The Raptors could potentially be a team that worries others with a key addition or two, but they might enter the trade deadline as sellers this season.
Bulls: Pretenders (21-24)
Currently, there’s a lot of smoke surrounding the Bulls and its star duo of Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. Not to mention, the promising point guard Lonzo Ball hasn’t played in over a year, as constant setbacks regarding his knee occurred. The return of Ball could be a huge help to the Bulls, who thrived with that key trio early on last year, but by the time Ball would be able to really make a difference after shaking rust, it would probably be too late.
Wizards: Rebuilders (20-26)
Bradley Beal showed a long-term commitment to the Wizards by signing a significant deal with them over the summer. The Wizards will probably continue to search for ways to build a contender around the All-Star, but wiping the slate clean and getting value for him while he’s still in his prime is probably in Washington’s best interest. Since being in the league, Beal’s played in eight playoff series. The last time the Wizards made it out of the second round was in 2017. When the Wizards last made the postseason in 2021, they were beaten in five games by the Sixers. Washington wants to contend steadily every year, but they always come up too short. It’s time for the Wizards to make some big changes.
Magic: Rebuilders (17-29)
It’s no secret the Magic are rebuilding. Currently, they are one of the youngest teams in the NBA. In the Eastern Conference, the Magic are the youngest team, with an average age of 23.94 on the roster, according to NBA.com. The good news is that Orlando’s multi-year rebuild might be coming to an end soon. With good health and more experience for the young players, the Magic could start competing for a spot in the playoffs soon enough.
Pistons: Rebuilders (12-36)
The Pistons are statically the worst team in the Eastern Conference this season. Granted, they’ve had trouble staying healthy this season, but even a healthy Pistons team wouldn’t pose a threat to the East. Unlike the Magic, the Pistons don’t seem to be entering the playoff-contender conversation anytime soon.
Hornets: Rebuilders (13-34)
Charlotte might be viewed as one of the most disappointing teams in the East in recent times. With some solid veteran talent, such as Gordon Hayward, Terry Rozier, and Kelly Oubre Jr., mixed with a promising youngster in LaMelo Ball, the Hornets seemed to be on the path to competing in the Eastern Conference playoffs for years to come. After failing to exceed expectations over the last couple of years, the Hornets made a coaching change in hopes that would help change the direction of the team. Unfortunately, the Hornets are no better in the post-James Borrego era, as they are near the bottom of the East.
76ers: Contenders (30-16)
Well, it turns out the Sixers’ slow start to the 2022-2023 NBA season was flukey. The Sixers never lacked talent, but the chemistry was off early in the year. As they hoped, time is healing all. Injuries couldn’t derail the Sixers, and as the team remains in a good position health-wise, they are building good chemistry as a whole. Since December 9, the Sixers have gone 18-4. Joel Embiid is in the MVP conversation, James Harden is still very much an All-Star, Tyrese Maxey is getting consistent again after his injury, Tobias Harris is thriving in his role, and the Sixers have better two-way talent and depth this year compared to the last two seasons.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.
