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The preseason is officially over, and the Eastern Conference is set up to be a much tougher conference this season. Many teams have improved this offseason by adding talent through the draft, free agency, and trade to get ready for the long season.
With the Eastern Conference feeling a little lopsided last season, it looks to be more balanced this season. This preseason might have been proof of that, and these three teams were impressive.
The NBA Eastern Conference teams which impressed in preseason
#3 New York Knicks 4-0
Last season, the New York Knicks made a surprising playoff run and ended up with the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks played a defensive style of play and turned every game into a battle, never giving up. With the coaching staff staying intact, it seems the team’s gritty attitude will once again be in play.
The Knicks went undefeated in the preseason, winning all four games they played. They beat the Indiana Pacers and the Washington Wizards quite handily and then had two close games with the Detroit Pistons and the Wizards. In three out of the four games, they scored over 115 points, which is well over last season’s average of just 107.
On top of that, in every game, they made an apparent effort to attempt more threes. They took over 30 three's in every game, the average from last season, and even took 52 three's in the first game against the Wizards. Last season, the Knicks ranked 27th in three-point attempts, and if they increase that number, they could have a more potent offense.
Despite the struggles of the Knicks' two key free-agent signings, the rest of the team seems ready to make another playoff push. Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier both averaged under 10 points per game while also shooting under 40% from the field and 30% from three. It’s just preseason, so nothing to be alarmed over, even more so when the rest of the team looks so good.
Last season's Most Improved Player of the year, Julius Randle, seems to be out to prove that last season was not a lucky season and can be repeated. R.J. Barrett appears to have continued his upwards trajectory, while Derrick Rose is playing like he hasn’t missed a beat.
The Knicks want to try to at least make it out of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs this season, and with the way the team looked this preseason, it might be possible.
#2 Toronto Raptors 3-2
Last season, the Toronto Raptors missed the Eastern Conference playoffs and did not even qualify for a play-in spot. That said, with COVID-19 forcing the Raptors to play home games in Tampa Bay, Florida, it made sense that the team struggled.
The team will be back in Toronto this season, and even though they might not be a shoo-in for the playoffs or a play-in spot, the Raptors are sure to be interesting. The Eastern Conference got better overall, and the Raptors are a part of that, as they will at least be a hard team to beat every night.
In the preseason, the Raptors only went 3-2, but the team showed off its massive depth. Between Fred VanVleet, Goran Dragic, Gary Trent Jr., and Malachi Flynn, the Raptors have four scoring guards who can get the job done. Each one of these guards averaged over eight points.
The Raptors also showed off what can make them extreme, especially this season in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors can roll out a lineup with rookie Scotty Barnes as the point guard and surround him with wings just like him. Barnes is a 6-feet 9-inch play-making wing, and lining him up next to two multiple players all over 6-foot 5-inches won’t be hard.
Having a lineup that is pretty much all tall wings could be impactful on the defensive end. Every player can guard every position, making switching everything so easy on defense. The Raptors' defense could surprise some Eastern Conference teams.
However, this can only lead to wins if they can make it work on the offensive end. Ogugua Anunoby is key to that and had an impressive preseason. He averaged 19.2 points while shooting 52% from the field and 54% from three.
Pascal Siakam did not play in the preseason due to his shoulder injury, but when he comes back will be a big part of this offense and hyper-switching defense.
#1 Chicago Bulls 4-0
The Chicago Bulls made a play for an Eastern Conference play-in spot, and despite trading for All-Star Nikola Vucevic, the Bulls did not reach that goal. However, the Bulls had one of the most active offseason, signing-and-trading for both Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan, as well as signing Alex Caruso.
These three signings did sacrifice some of the Bulls' depth last season, but adding the star power might have been worth it. This season is crucial in the Bulls' effort to re-sign All-Star Zach LaVine to a long-term deal. The Bulls want to show that LaVine can win in Chicago, and adding star power will help.
The Bulls went undefeated in four games this preseason, winning every game but one by double digits. On the other hand, the Bulls did not care about winning and were looking to build in-game chemistry so they could hit the ground running in the regular season.
The top five players in minutes were the two All-Stars last season and the Bulls' three new signings, averaging over 23 minutes. Those five players were also all at the top of scoring, all averaging over nine points.
The biggest question going into this season was how the Bulls' new roster would fit, and so far, it has gone very well. They have all shared the scoring and creative roles while also playing their part on defense. It seems like the question might have been answered, and the Bulls can be a good team this season.
It's just the preseason, and maybe something changes when the season starts, but it looks like the Bulls have the chemistry figured out. They might not challenge the Eastern Conference elites but could make a push from the teams right below.
Guess the Lakers players!
