To help NBA fans in the Philippines prepare for the upcoming 2021-22 season, NBA.com Philippines writers give a quick look at all 15 teams in the Eastern Conference. Read the West season preview here.
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks were silent this offseason but maybe they didn’t need anything new. The team was universally known as the dark horse of the East, and they’re likely to stick to that label this season. After the surprising Eastern Conference Finals finish, the Hawks decided to keep their roster intact this season, banking on continuity so they can improve in the long run. Whether or not they repeat last season’s success is debatable, but one thing’s for sure: Trae Young has earned his respect, whether you like it or not. — Renee Ticzon
Boston Celtics
Boston made a lot of changes by doing some familiar things. Brad Stevens is no longer head coach, but he is the team's new head of basketball operations. They don't have Kemba Walker anymore, but they brought back Al Horford. The Celtics have been criticized for being static but who can blame them when they already have one of the best cores in the Eastern Conference. Last season, Boston was up and down but could have been much better had they avoided a few late injuries. Expect the Celtics to be as good as Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown can make them -- just like in the past three seasons. — Miguel Flores
Brooklyn Nets
If last season’s Brooklyn Nets was a 10-episode Netflix series, then this season is the full-length film version gunning for an Oscar. Stunning plot twists aside, the Nets could again be an inch away from the finals. There will be a larger-than-life question mark where Kyrie Irving’s minutes played stat should be but the Nets do have a reliable Patty Mills into the mix to try and fix that. Fearless forecast is pretty much the same as last season: get the popcorn ready. Perhaps make it extra large this time. — Jon Rodriguez
Charlotte Hornets
Are the Charlotte Hornets the consensus League Pass team? Follow-up question, are they the team of the internet meaning they can light up social media and horde the NBA Top Shot gallery? I guess that’s what you get when you have LaMelo Ball’s creativity on the court, mixed in with rim rockers PJ Washington and Miles Bridges, plus a broadcast team belting their lungs out after each highlight. But the Hornets are not just fun, they’re sneaky good, like maybe a sure-playoff-team good. They fly around the court. They’re scrappy. They fight and claw. They have solid players across the board. Watch out for this team and watch out for the highlights. — Yoyo Sarmenta
Chicago Bulls
This season’s version of the Chicago Bulls promises to be a 48-minute mixtape of the following: Zach LaVine windmill, DeMar DeRozan midrange, and Lonzo Ball lobs to Nikola Vucevic. Plus bonus footage of Alex Caruso and Patrick Williams alternating highlights in an attempt to steal the show. Yes, the Bulls are stacked. Yes, they are definitely better than last season. Just how better they’ll be is the question they’ll try to answer from Games 1 to 82 and beyond. Best to subscribe to all of these games because—if the 40-point wins in preseason are any indication—the Bulls will be a whole lot of fun. — Jon Rodriguez
Cleveland Cavaliers
In an era of small ball, multi-faceted forwards, and positionless basketball, the Cleveland Cavaliers decided to go big in the offseason. Not making-a-splash-in-free-agency big, though, they literally went for so many bigs. Jarrett Allen is already the de facto pivot but they went out and got Evan Mobley with the third overall pick. Mobley’s potential to be an excellent rim defender with a nice stroke from the perimeter makes him a great building block for the future. But the Cavs then pulled the trigger on a deal that landed them Lauri Markkanen from the Chicago Bulls! The Cavs have so many bigs to work with but they’ll still need to find ways to develop Darius Garland and Collin Sexton. This should make for a fascinating experiment this season. — Chuck Araneta
Detroit Pistons
Will this season be the real start of the Detroit rebuild? Blake Griffin is gone. They have the number one overall pick in Cade Cunningham. They have a potential All-Star in the making with Jerami Grant. A path towards the play-in tournament shouldn’t be farfetched, right? Youth is the Piston’s primary strength right now and they also have the perfect coach to man the ship. It’s easy to forget Dwane Casey’s work in Toronto where he molded the Raptors into a consistent playoff threat. The pieces are laid out for the Pistons and this season will be the first step to being a solid team. — Yoyo Sarmenta
Indiana Pacers
Rick Carlisle is back and the only reason that isn't a bigger deal to the broader NBA audience is that he's returning to Indiana. Carlisle is one of the best coaches in the NBA, bringing much-needed stability after the Pacers' coaching fiasco last season. This Pacers team offers plenty of interesting pieces for Carlisle to work his magic, especially when Caris LeVert and TJ Warren return from injury. The Pacers were one of the best teams in the East the last time Carlisle coached them and they're again a sneaky threat for a top four spot this season. — Miguel Flores
Miami Heat
It wasn’t an easy decision to let go of Goran Dragic if you’re the Miami Heat. But when you can get veteran Kyle Lowry, who fits in perfectly with #HeatCulture, you have to pull the trigger. Lowry’s arrival completes a terrifying starting five for Miami, anchored on Jimmy Butler’s nastiness from the perimeter and Bam Adebayo’s elite rim protection. Make no mistake about it, this is the Heat’s push to make a deep playoff run and return to the NBA Finals again. Can we get Seven Nation Army rocking again? — Chuck Araneta
Milwaukee Bucks
The huge question hanging over the Bucks is are they going to repeat as champions. It’s been said that it’s always harder to repeat, especially if you have a target on your back all season. The Lakers and Nets have also something to say about the Bucks gunning for back-to-back titles. But make no mistake, the Bucks have what it takes to win it all again. Getting past the supernova that is Kevin Durant in the semifinals and beating the Suns in the NBA Finals were confidence-boosters. Imagine Khris Middleton accepting his role as Milwaukee’s closer. Imagine Jrue Holiday knowing that he can shut down anybody on the floor. And imagine Giannis Antetokounmpo realizing that no one in the NBA can stop him. The Bucks are still the team to beat, no doubt. — Yoyo Sarmenta
New York Knicks
A major takeaway from the New York Knicks’ painful exit from the playoffs—aside from Trae Young morphing into a perfect villain—is that Most Improved Player of the Year Julius Randle desperately needs help in scoring. They’ll try to solve that in this go-around with the addition of Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier. Coach Thibs turned the Knicks into an elite defensive squad last season. Can they run it back and at the same time pivot into a lethal scoring team? If yes, then Top 3 in the East is a lock-in. — Jon Rodriguez
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic has had it rough for quite some time. This season isn’t going to be much different but it’s going to at least be a fresh start. The Magic hired Jamahl Mosley as their new head coach after being an assistant for 16 years. His knowledge of the team accompanied by a newer perspective will help Orlando get on the right track. The team drafted Jalen Suggs, who is predicted to be a big difference-maker that will help the team get on their feet again. The return of Markelle Fultz will also be vital to this Magic team that could be on the rise. — Renee Ticzon
Philadelphia 76ers
Ben Simmons doesn't want to be a Sixer anymore, but Ben Simmons also doest want to miss paychecks. Philadelphia's season depends on how they hash out this Simmons telenovela. Whether Simmons ends up getting traded, developing a jumper, or staying the already solid player he always was, the Sixers have to be a much better team in the playoffs. That involves keeping Joel Embiid healthy and squeezing the most out of the Simmons drama. — Miguel Flores
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors are in an interesting situation. Losing Kyle Lowry leaves a huge hole in a squad that already failed to make the playoffs last season. But they’re not going to be a “bad-bad” team. Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, and Chris Boucher are an athletic and fearsome frontcourt, while Fred VanVleet could potentially play his way to an All-Star invite at the rate he’s improving. Second-year guard Malachi Flynn has been turning heads in the preseason and is primed to be a nice backcourt mate in the event new acquisition Goran Dragic goes down with an injury this season. Don’t sleep on the Raptors—they could be trouble for any team that lets their guard down against them. — Chuck Araneta
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards were a mainstay in the headlines during the offseason. The team lost All-Star Russell Westbrook but gained a clear path for the future which they so desperately needed. The Wizards acquired Spencer Dinwiddie, Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, Aaron Holiday, and Isaiah Todd in a 5-team deal. These new guys may not be superstars but they do give the Wizards depth. Washington now has a wider array of options throughout the regular season. Gone are the days where they’ll rely solely on Bradley Beal to put up insane numbers every night. — Renee Ticzon
