NBA Stretch Run: Questions for Eastern Conference Contenders (Celtics, Bucks, Sixers, Cavs, Heat and Knicks)

With six weeks remaining in the NBA season, and the trade deadline and All-Star break in our rearview, let’s run through the top half of the Eastern Conference. We’ll leave San Antonio, Houston, Detroit and Charlotte to their lottery dreams of Victor Wembanyama. Check out that ESPN profile if you’re interested in next year’s surefire Rookie of the Year and the consensus future torchbearer of Giannis/Durant. We don’t often read/talk about how the body of a 7'5" global basketball phenomenon is monitored. This profile illuminates that attention to the details of Wembanyama’s body. Also…he loves to read.

East’s Top Tier

Boston Celtics (42–17)

Milwaukee Bucks (41–17)

Philadelphia 76ers (38–19)

Remove a 1–5 stretch in December, and the Boston Celtics would be on a 63-win pace. Even with that stretch, Boston is on pace to win 58 games. The Milwaukee Bucks started the year 9–0 and rolled into the break having won 12 in a row. With All-Star wing Khris Middleton taking the burden off of Giannis, the Bucks look as fearsome as ever. That becomes more important over the next few weeks, since Giannis sprained his right wrist in the last game before the break and will likely miss at least a week, maybe two. The Celtics and Bucks currently own a 2-game cushion in the loss column over the Philadelphia 76ers.