NBA 2023 Prospects and Hopes - Eastern Conference

 NBA 2023 Prospects and Hopes

    A lot of trades and moves have happened thus far into February; some teams are jockeying for primacy in the National Basketball Association. For championship and playoff hopes this season. Some teams are desperate, like the Lebron James-led L.A. Lakers. They got many new folks; we will see if they can salvage their season. And even make the playoffs, let alone contend for the championship.

    Who are the best contenders? Let's talk about the East, first.

    Boston Celtics. They have good chances, good players, some injuries, some recent additions, but based on last year's very impressive run, they have perhaps as good a chance as any. They have a ton of rings from the past, and their last was with Paul the Truth Williams, KG and Ray Ray Allen. That was a while ago, over a decade. Paul? Maybe not him, that name... who later tried to give the Clippers a lift.

    Who else in the East?

    Obviously, the Milwaukee Bucks. They won it two years ago, and they may be good enough with some healthy players now.

    The Philadelphia 76ers may be good enough. Embiid, Harden, and maybe some enervated talent around them good get hot. I have buddies that really like Maxey. It could happen...

    Anyone else? The Atlanta Hawks made some moves, but certainly the New York Knicks are not that bad. I do not think anyone else has a chance. The Chicago Bulls? No. The Cleveland Cavaliers have better chances than many, but I was laughed at in the face for suggesting that they could go far a year ago. But that was before that they acquired Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz. 

    The Brooklyn Nets just got rid of Kevin Durant, so that changes much hopes there, plus them offloading Kyrie Irving. That experiment clearly failed.

    So, the East is as such:

    Boston, Milwaukee, then Philadelphia. Or Miami. No one else really stands a chance, unless New York surprises us all. The have-nots: Indiana, Orlando, Toronto, Washington... Detroit! Charlotte. Anyone else left behind among the losers?

I think that is the East.

How about the West?