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#3. How it affects the status quo in the blooming Eastern Conference
The Sixers added Tobias Harris to their starting lineup, the Bucks acquired Mirotic while the Raptors responded with Marc Gasol up their sleeves. Now that all the top teams in the Eastern Conference have made their moves, the bell has rung for the final sprint to postseason kick-off.
It was slated to be a wide open game of thrones once LeBron flew to the West Coast. Teams like the Bucks, Celtics, Sixers who have been serving under the King's reign all this time, finally got the chance to compete to become the face of their Conference.
After all the heartbreaks, disloyalty claims, acquisitions, trades and injuries, the onus is on the Raptors to at least make it to the East Finals this year. They have the best two-way small forward in the league, and one of the most high-IQ NBA centres on their roster now. Anything short of an Eastern Conference Finals seven-game series would be a huge letdown.
