Smart2Nesmith43 wrote:sam_I_am wrote:Our young nucleus which is entering its prime - Smart, Tatum, Brown, Grant, RW3 - have been to playoffs every year they have been in NBA. Horford has been to playoffs 15/17 seasons in NBA. This team is going to be a big problem for any good team in the East for the next 5 years.
Milwaukee outside of Giannis is old. Harden might continue to regress and I'm not too worried about the Celtics handling Embiid in the playoffs anyway. Irving and Durant aren't getting any younger and they have an entire rotation to reconfigure with very limited assets. Toronto and Cleveland have good defenses and intriguing young pieces but they lack a truly high end creator in the halfcourt. Miami is probably going to keep hanging around but Butler/Lowry/Tucker have a ton of miles on their bodies. This was Udoka and Stevens first year on the job, having to adjust the roster on the fly. Tatum gets better every year. This should be the year Boston is most vulnerable for a while.
Today, we're in the best position in the east. But teams rebuild and reload fast. Philly, Miami and Milwaukee look like they're at the end of their run - maybe Miami can get Harden? Functional Brooklyn is still good. Raps, Hawks, Cavs, Hornets are imo in striking distance within the next 2-3 years. Big trade, internal development, lucky draft pick or FA steal.. but we have the best young "core" in the conference. Hawks would need Hunter to turn into a 2-way star, Cavs need good trades and won't find them easy, they're going to be with Charlotte in that up and down 40-48 win tier. Lamelo/Bridges are good but they need a star 4/5 to contend and they can't get one.