NBA 2018-2019: Eastern Conference Power Rankings Week 11

The Eastern Conference went through a drastic change in the off-season. An off-season signing led to an Eastern Conference superstar to change conferences. An off-season trade led to one of the stars of the Western Conference to join the East. The stars I am referring to are LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard.

In the off-season, LeBron James signed with the Los Angeles Lakers. Then, the San Antonio Spurs traded Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Pöltl and a 2019 first round pick. Both moves had an impact on the Eastern Conference.

The loss of LeBron James impacted the Cleveland Cavaliers as well as other teams of the East. Now, the Eastern Conference is up for grabs. Kawhi Leonard has helped the Raptors remain one of the top teams of the East. But, they are no longer the top team in the East. Another team has a slight lead on the Raptors.

The addition of Kawhi Leonard and the loss of LeBron James changed the Eastern Conference. The top teams of the East are slightly different from last year. And, there is a possibility the East will remain this way. Here are the top-five teams of the Eastern Conference.

#5 Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics are fifth in the Eastern Conference. They have a record of 21-14. In their last game, the Celtics beat the Memphis Grizzlies 112-103. The Celtics overcame a 19-point second-half deficit. Kyrie Irving led the Celtics with 26 points.

On Christmas Day, the Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers 121-114. The Celtics beat the Sixers in overtime. Irving had 40 points and 10 rebounds in the victory. The win over the Sixers was a significant one. It was a win over another top team of the East as well as a division rival of the Celtics.

The Celtics and Sixers are in the Atlantic Division. The Celtics currently have a better Division Record than the Sixers. The Celtics are 5-2 against their division and the Sixers are 4-6. However, the Sixers have a better overall record than the Celtics.

On Thursday, the Celtics lost to the Houston Rockets 127-113. James Harden led the Rockets with 45 points. The Celtics lost this game but bounced back against the Grizzlies. Overall, the Celtics went 2-1 this week.

The Celtics continue to make adjustments, but remain a top-five team in the East.

#4 Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers are fourth in the Eastern Conference. They have a record of 23-13. They won their last game against the Utah Jazz. They beat the Jazz 114-97. JJ Redick had 24 points, Joel Embiid had 23 points and 15 rebounds, and Ben Simmons had a triple-double. He had 13 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists.

The Sixers lost their Christmas game against the Celtics. Joel Embiid had 34 points and 16 rebounds. But, the Celtics managed to beat their division rival. They forced overtime against the Celtics but could not maintain a lead. However, the Sixers won their next game against the Utah Jazz.

The Sixers' next game is against the Portland Trailblazers. The Blazers are 20-16. If the Sixers beat the Blazers, they continue rising up the Eastern Conference standings. The addition of Jimmy Butler has helped them and the veteran can help them rise to the top.

#3 Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers are third in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers are playing well this season and they keep going up the Conference standings. They have a record of 24-12. The Pacers are also on a four-game winning streak.

Their last game was against their division rival the Detroit Pistons. The Pacers beat the Pistons by 37 points. The final score was 125-88. Darren Collison and Domantas Sabonis led the Pacers with 19 points each. Victor Oladipo had a quiet game with seven points.

The Pacers are 8-2 in their last 10 games including their winning streak. Their winning streak is from wins against the Brooklyn Nets, the Washington Wizards, the Atlanta Hawks, and the Detroit Pistons. Their last loss was on December 19th.

They lost to the Toronto Raptors. The Pacers next game is against the Atlanta Hawks. If the Pacers beat the Hawks (again), they can extend their winning streak. They can also remain third in the East or improve their ranking.

#2 Toronto Raptors

The Toronto Raptors were first in the Eastern Conference, but another team took their place. The Raptors are 26-11 this season. They lost to the Orlando Magic in their most recent game. The Magic beat the Raptors 116-87. Kawhi Leonard had 21 points in the loss.

In their last three games, the Raptors have lost or had near losses. On Wednesday, they beat the Heat 106-104. The Heat had a 14-point lead over the Raptors. Their biggest lead over the Raptors was 17 points. The Raptors overcame the 17-point lead and won the game. On December 22nd, the Raptors loss to the Sixers 126-101.

Kawhi Leonard did not play this game after a convincing win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. He scored 37 points against the Cavs and helped the Raptors win 126-110. Their win over the Heat was important but their recent losses impacted them.

The Raptors next game is against the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls are towards the bottom of the Eastern Conference. They have a record 10-26. The Raptors should take advantage of this game and get a win over the Bulls. They could start their journey of returning to the top of the Eastern Conference. But, the current best team in the East will try to stop them.

#1 Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks are first in the Eastern Conference. They have a record of 25-10. They are on a three-game winning streak. Their wins were against the Knicks and the Nets. They played the Knicks on Christmas Day, then again on Thursday.

On Christmas Day, Giannis Antetokounmpo had 30 points and 14 rebounds. The Bucks beat the Knicks 109-95. He continued his impressive play in the (second) game against the Knicks and the Nets.

On December 27th, the "Greek Freak" had 31 points, 14 rebounds, 8 assists, and 4 blocks. The Bucks beat the Knicks 112-96. Antetoukounmpo also had a triple-double on Saturday against the Nets. He had 31 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. The Bucks beat the Nets 129-115. Antetokounmpo is playing well and it's helped the Bucks first in the East.

The Bucks are on top of the Eastern Conference. They have a slight lead over the Toronto Raptors. Their next game is Tuesday against the Detroit Pistons. The Bucks can maintain their lead in the Conference. The Eastern Conference is in a good, competitive place and its team reflects that.