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NBA Power Rankings: Cleveland Cavaliers moving up in recent rankings

By Nathan Beighle

Cleveland Cavaliers Rodney Hood (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
Cleveland Cavaliers Rodney Hood (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – APRIL 06: Cleveland Cavaliers Forward Kevin Love (0) and Forward Jeff Green (32) box out Philadelphia 76ers Center Amir Johnson (5) in the first half during the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers on April 06, 2018 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – APRIL 06: Cleveland Cavaliers Forward Kevin Love (0) and Forward Jeff Green (32) box out Philadelphia 76ers Center Amir Johnson (5) in the first half during the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers on April 06, 2018 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

The top tier

Toronto Raptors. 3. team. 81. . .

The Toronto Raptors were proactive in creating a team that can either make the Finals this season or enter a full next offseason. They come in at No. 3 because of the unknown performance of recently acquired superstar Kawhi Leonard.

If Leonard returns to being one of the league’s best on both sides of the ball, he, behind help from Lowry and an extremely deep Raptors squad, could help Toronto become the East’s top team, but they’ll need 2x Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard to return to his full form first.

Philadelphia 76ers. 2. team. 93. . .

The Sixers lost a few key bench players, but with the supposed comeback of 2017 No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz, they could arguably be far better than last season. Additionally, Ben Simmons, Dario Saric and Joel Embiid will all have another season under their belt.

Improving on 52 wins might be difficult for such an inexperienced squad, but with top-tier shooting and defense, the Sixers should be a force in the East. However, if they can improve on last season and be better than the star-studded Celtics is still up in the air.

. . . Boston Celtics. 1. team. 18

Returning two legitimate superstars, the Celtics will be led by Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford and Jaylen Brown. Wow. If they stay healthy and learn to integrate such a great lineup with an equally fantastic second unit, the Celtics will easily be the East’s best team.

Health and development will be the key to Boston’s success, and to start the season, they will be the clear top seed in the East.

Next. Cleveland Cavaliers: Top 30 all-time greatest players. dark

The East will be different without LeBron, but at the same time, behind an elite top three teams, the conference as a whole could’ve arguably gotten better this past offseason.