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NBA and Eastern Conference powerhouse the Philadelphia 76ers have increased their chances of winning the championship after the addition of James Harden but are still not clear cut favorites, according to pundits.
Speaking on ESPN's morning show Get Up, former NBA player Jalen Rose believes that the Milwaukee Bucks and the Miami Heat are favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference rather than the 76ers. Rose said:
"They are not the team to beat in the East. The Milwaukee Bucks are. There's something to be said about chemistry and depth and both these teams have won the East recently, Miami two years ago and the Bucks last year. So I want to give those two teams the pole position over Philadelphia but I have them right behind those squads right now."
Philadelphia have strengthened with the acquisition of James Harden. Pairing him alongside Joel Embiid is a major problem for the rest of the league as the two are MVP caliber players, albeit with massive question marks over their health and fitness.
Who are the candidates to come out of the Eastern Conference this year?
The Eastern Conference, unlike in years gone by, has been almost as competitive as the Western Conference this season with the quality and quantity of teams that could possibly come out of the East at an all-time high.
The likes of the Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat and the defending champions the Milwaukee Bucks are all vying to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals this year.
The Bulls started the season incredibly well and were flying off the blocks. However, they have been held back in with injuries to the likes of Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso plaguing the progress of the side. If they can get these players fully fit for the postseason then they can make some serious noise in the playoffs.
The Miami Heat have been arguably the most consistent team in the Eastern Conference. They have managed this despite the likes of Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler missing a huge chunk of games. It only goes to show the depth of the team. They also have invaluable postseason experience and that could be a telling difference.
The reigning champions can never be counted out as their trump card seems to be health and chemistry. Their three key players - Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday are reliable when it comes to showing up for games and are relatively injury free.
The likes of the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers are also contenders to come out of the East this season. But there are too many question marks surrounding the former and the latter has two superstars who are injury prone and can be sidelined at any moment of the season.
All in all, the Eastern Conference is stacked this season with incredible players and incredible teams and it should be a fascinating battle in the postseason this year.
Poll : Will the Milwaukee Bucks come out of the East this season?
Yes
No
74 votes
