Cleveland Cavaliers: Updating the Eastern Conference power rankings
#6 – Indiana Pacers
Record – 9-6
Current streak – won 2
The Indiana Pacers are still without All-Star guard Victor Oladipo. They lost Bojan Bogdanovic to the Utah Jazz. They’ve battled injuries with Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis, Jeremey Lamb, and Malcolm Brogdon all missing time. However, they keep winning. They are also close to getting Oladipo back.
This is a team that has a chance to make some noise when they get healthy. Brogdon has been an incredible pickup and has taken them to the next level this season. They are going to bounce around from three to six in the conference power rankings all season long and could be a threat to get to the conference finals if they get the right matchups in the playoffs.
They currently have a +4.4 per-game-point differential according to ESPN and are 7-3 over their last 10 games.
#5 – Philadelphia 76ers
Record – 11-5
Current streak – won 4
This is going to be a rare showing, this season, this low in the Eastern Conference power rankings for the Philadelphia 76ers. They have really been struggling after an unbelievable start to the season.
It started with a minor shoulder injury to star point guard Ben Simmons, which caused him to miss a couple of games. It’s been a roller-coaster season to this point for Philadelphia. They started the season out with a 5-0 record before losing three straight. They then split their next four which had their record sitting at just 7-5 before reeling off their past four games to get to their current 11-5 record.
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They have a +5.2 per-game-point differential according to ESPN and are 6-4 over their last 10 games.
#4 – Boston Celtics
Record – 11-4
Current streak – lost 2
Another Eastern Conference team battling injuries and having a topsy turvy start. They lost their first game, in blowout fashion, to the 76ers before rattling off 10 straight wins to get to 10-1. They are now just 1-3 over their last four contests and are without Gordon Hayward for a few more weeks due to a broken hand and Kemba Walker after he had a nasty collision with his teammate in their last game.
The Celtics, perhaps, overachieved during their 10 game win streak and are a likely middle of the pack playoff team in the Eastern Conference. They are undersized on the interior and they don’t have a ton of depth behind their starters.
Per ESPN they have a +6.9 per-game-point differential and are 7-3 over their previous 10 games.