NBA 2019 Eastern Conference: 5 underrated teams to watch this year

Every NBA season we see the usual teams move forward to the playoffs such as the Golden State Warriors, Toronto Raptors, Houston Rockets, Boston Celtics etc. But while the pressure is on them to make it to the playoffs from the start of the season, there are plenty of other teams that surprise the league with their performance.

Last season we saw the Los Angeles Clippers perform well enough to reach the first round of playoffs. We also saw Indiana Pacers, who had lost their up-and-coming All-Star player midway through the season, surprise everyone.

It's not easy to predict which teams will make it to the playoffs besides the usual names. Then again, some teams that were considered guarantees to make the playoffs did not make it last season - the Los Angeles Lakers is a good example.

On that note, here are my top 5 underrated teams to look out for in the Eastern Conference this season.

#5 Chicago Bulls

Some will question why the Chicago Bulls are on the list of underrated teams, but the answer is simple: they have a group of young players who are potential stars. This off-season, they acquired point guard Tomas Satoranksy from a sign-and-trade with the Washington Wizards, signed power forward Thaddeus Young, and drafted point guard Coby White in the 2019 NBA Draft with the 7th overall pick.

They already have Zach Lavine, Lauri Markkanen, Kris Dunn and Otto Porter Jr. who are still in their prime. Porter was traded mid-season in 2018 by the Wizards and made an immediate impact on the team with his shooting abilities. It will be interesting to see who gets the start among these players; here is my prediction for the starting 5:

PG: Tomas Satoransky

SG: Zach LaVine

SF: Otto Porter Jr.

PF: Lauri Markkanen

C: Wendell Carter Jr.