Predicting the 8 NBA Playoff seeds from the Eastern Conference
With just a third of the 2019-20 NBA season left to play, the race for the playoffs is heating up as teams attempt to improve their respective seeding.
While the Western Conference continues to receive the majority of the media's attention - teams in the East have plenty to play for over the final two months of the season, and we could see lots of movement before the campaign concludes in April.
So, as we head into the business end of the season, here are my picks for the eight NBA Playoff seeds from the Eastern Conference.
#1 Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks have been the most dominant team of the season so far, and Mike Budenholzer's side possesses a league-best 48-8 record. While the Bucks lack a second superstar, the likes of Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez and Eric Bledsoe have all made big contributions alongside the increasingly outstanding Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Sure, there are still doubts other whether the Bucks can beat the Clippers or the Lakers in the NBA Finals, although they will almost certainly finish at the top of the East standings and could still even achieve a 70-win campaign too.
#2 Toronto Raptors
After losing Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green last summer, many experts predicted that the Toronto Raptors were heading towards an impending rebuild. However, the front office has kept faith with a roster that perfectly blends youth and experience and they have wildly surpassed expectations as we head into the final months of the campaign.
Nick Nurse's side has picked up 18 wins over their past 19 games to surge into second spot in the East, and with a fully healthy roster, the Raptors are now the favourites to finish second behind the run-away Bucks this term.