Eastern Conference Power Rankings: December 2024 Edition
The dust has settled from the beginning of the 2024-25 NBA SZN.
It’s time to check in with 30 thoughts for 30 teams, power ranks style with a twist.
The Eastern Conference is below. The West can be viewed here.
LET’S GET IT.
1. Boston Celtics (16-3)
No. 1 offense & No. 11 defense | No. 1 3-pt atts (50.7 per game !!)
The Cavs hot start shifted the focus and spotlight, but don’t be fooled — the defending champs are very much a juggernaught not to be trifled with.
Tatum fixed his shot and there is absolutely no shortage of 3-point bombs here to rain down from above.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers (17-3)
No. 3 offense & No. 9 defense | No. 1 3-pt%
That 15-0 start to the season was remarkable. Hats off to Kenny Atkinson.
Was it against an easy schedule? Sure, but you can only play the teams in front of you. The Cavs are set to steamroll the Eastern Conference regular season. Not the Hawks, however.
3. Orlando Magic (14-7)
No. 22 offense & No. 3 defense | No. 1 fewest opp 2nd chance pts
Paolo was an absolute BEAST those first five games. A 50-burger!?
Since Paolo’s injury, FRANZ has picked up the slack and then some, making the leap that was necessary to not only keep this team going without its best player but to keep piling up wins as well.
4. New York Knicks (11-8)
No. 2 offense & No. 24 defense | No. 1 FT%
It’s taking some time to work out the fit with the newcomers. KAT has had some huge scoring games and Brunson has, too. A top-flight offense but a near bottom-5 defense so far is very unlike a Thibs team.
The vibes with Mikal Bridges of all people is a pretty ominous sign but should work itself out.
5. Milwaukee Bucks (10-9)
No. 11 offense & No. 19 defense | No. 7 fewest opp points in the paint
The Bucks started 2-8 and were s t r u g g l i n g.
Since then? The ship has been righted by winning 8 of the last 9.
Giannis has been as devastating a force in the paint as ever, constant bully-ball and side-stepping to the hoop for all those easy lay-ins. And those whirlwind slingshot passes that aren’t talked about enough. The Bucks offense has been very live or die by Giannis, but they actually beat the Heat without him with Dame stepping up in a big way. And the 3s from others (Prince, Lopez and Gary Trent) are starting to fall.
6. Miami Heat (9-8)
No. 14 offense & No. 10 defense | No. 4 fewest turnovers
Herro making the winning plays for this team has been a theme through the first month.
The Heat need Rozier to fully mesh and Jaime Jaquez to break out of his sophomore slump. Scary Terry and Juan Wick are too important to this operation.
7. Atlanta Hawks (10-11)
No. 18 offense & No. 21 defense | No. 2 steals
The Hawks have lost to the Wizards twice but have beaten the Celtics in Boston and the Cavs twice.
Trae Young already has five games of 15+ assists and carved up the Cavs defense for a 20/20 game.
Dyson > Dejounte is NOT a joke. And you can go ahead and wrap up the best nickname of the SZN with The Great Barrier Thief. We probably won’t see a better end-of-game celebration than him being cuffed, either.
8. Brooklyn Nets (9-11)
No. 8 offense & No. 27 defense | No. 2 3-pt%
Twas Thanksgiving Eve and Tyrese Martin (WHO HE!?) torched the Suns for 30 points on 8-of-10 shooting from 3!!!
Are the BROOKLYN NETS the Young Surprise Team that was promised?! They have sure started that way. They play methodical and precise. Last in Pace, but you’d never know it because they are fast and shifty.
Olympic Dennis Schroder!
9. Indiana Pacers (9-11)
No. 17 offense & No. 25 defense | No. 4 FG%
Just when the Pacers got some momentum going with 3 straight wins (albeit at home vs. the Wiz, Pels and Blazers), they get throttled at home to the Pistons in a Cup game.
Haliburton truly hasn’t been the same since his pre-game fit rocking that purse… just saying.
Siakam, Mathurin and Myles Turner have all been locked in. And yet, the Pacers are a middling in offense after being No. 2 last year.
10. Chicago Bulls (8-13)
No. 15 offense & No. 26 defense | No. 1 pace
Props to the Bulls for being hard to bury. They are the Austin Powers “Why won’t you die!?” team of the first month. LaVine and Vooch have been dialed in from 3 to start the season.
Billy D., we need more Matas Buzelis!
11. Detroit Pistons (9-13)
No. 23 offense & No. 12 defense | No. 5 rebs
Cade has taken a huge step forward, notching four triple-doubles already and averaging 23-9-7 (!!).
Detroit has had trouble closing out some games down the stretch as we suspected they might. Ausar making his season debut has been a welcome sight.
The Pistons need more consistency from Duren who has a tendency to disappear for far too long.
12. Charlotte Hornets (6-14)
No. 25 offense & No. 18 defense | No. 1 second chance pts
Charles Lee not being afraid to bench LaMelo down the stretch when LaMelo led the league in 4th quarter scoring is exactly what LaMelo and the Hornets need from the first year head coach. Accountability and gallant leadership. LaMelo has had some insane games, both good and bad, often at the same. (Now LaMelo is out for 2 weeks…)
More than anything, this team still needs Mark Williams to make his season debut.
13. Toronto Raptors (5-15)
No. 21 offense & No. 22 defense | No. 3 fastbreak points
It’s pretty crazy that Jakob Poeltl has a Wilt Chamberlain switch.
Poeltl clocked in back-to-back 30-point double-doubles and already has three games of 18+ rebounds and six 20-point double-doubles one month in. Jake Puddle has became BIG YOCK. (But he is still suseptible to scoring just 2 points against the Pelicans.)
14. Philadelphia 76ers (4-14)
No. 27 offense & No. 17 defense | No. 6 FT rate
The vibes are so, so off. The Sixers 1st-round pick is top-6 protected. At this point, perhaps It’s time…
Perhaps it’s time for The Process to come full circle.
The bright side: Jared McCain is a baller. Has there legit been a smoother 3-point stroke since Steph?!
15. Washington Wizards (2-16)
No. 30 offense & No. 30 defense | No. 4 pace
Despite their lowly record (and zero wins in November), Wiz-ards games have been a lot more fun than anticipated.
They have a keeper in rookie Bub Carrington, an advanced playmaker with a wide array of passes in his arsenal out of the pick-and-roll. If you watch the Wiz, you’ll notice Bub.
Also, keep an eye on Sarr — he’s had some eyebrow raising games lately.
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