By: Rishi Mistry

Photo by Ryan, CC-0 on Unsplash

This NBA season has been like no other, mainly due to the fact that the NBA has implemented a new in-season tournament to give teams a chance at winning a different type of championship. Meanwhile, the Celtics have a strong team, but can they convert this into a finals appearance? Also, how good can a Damian Lillard/Giannis Antetokounmpo duo be at Milwaukee? 

The in-season tournament was a fun one, and it was played by all 30 teams. LeBron James took the Los Angeles Lakers to the finals against Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers, where the Lakers would win the first ever in-season tournament championship. Not only did it provide extra entertainment for the fans, but it also was a possible prediction as for what’s to come during the playoffs. The Lakers were able to beat the Phoenix Suns in the quarter finals, and this was very surprising because the Suns are made up of many stars like Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. It was also very interesting to see Indiana defeat the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks. Both of these teams are made up of multiple superstars that are heavily favoured to win the NBA championship. If Indiana were able to beat both teams, who knows how unpredictable the Eastern conference could become during the playoffs. 

Next up, let’s talk about the Celtics. The team has made great progress during the off-season acquiring Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. Along with Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown, these 4 all-stars can become a great team. While the core four is strong, there are some questions concerning the rest of the team. Many fans believe that the players outside of the core four are a bit weak, and while 4 superstars are great, it takes a whole team to win a championship. While we are still early into the season, the outcome of the Celtics season is still to be determined. 

Finally, another superstar team has appeared in the east, and they are the Milwaukee Bucks. This team is made up of Damian Lillard and Giannis Atentokounmpo, an amazing duo. So far, they have really shown how good they are and are definitely a big contender to win the eastern conference. During the off-season, many people wondered which team Damian Lillard would go to. His options were either the Toronto Raptors, the Miami Heat, or the Milwaukee Bucks. Many people were blown away when he made his decision considering that the Bucks are already an amazing team. With this duo, many fans are excited to see what they can produce. 

Works Cited

 Gammage, Kai. “2023-24 NBA Season Preview: Eastern Conference Burning Questions.” Sportsnet.Ca, Sportsnet, 22 Oct. 2023, http://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/2023-24-nba-season-preview-eastern-conference-burning-questions/.