2016-2017 NBA Previews – Eastern Conference Odds
Looking for 2016 NBA Eastern Conference Predictions? We’ve got your back. The Cleveland Cavaliers are looking to win their third straight Eastern Conference title this season, but while they’ve kept their roster largely the same, their competition out East has shaken things up in an attempt to catch LeBron James and Co.
Eastern Conference Season Preview
Conference Favorite: Cleveland Cavaliers -215
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Here’s a look at the top 5 teams out East in terms of odds to win the conference:
Cleveland Cavaliers Eastern Conference Prediction:
Head Coach: Tyronn Lue
2015-16 Record: 57-25
Odds To Win Conference: -215
Odds To Win NBA Championship: +300
LeBron James knows how good he is. He’s been to six straight NBA Finals, he’s the reigning finals MVP and he recently gave us this gem, per Cleveland.com’s Joe Vardon.
“I know teams switch and pick up new coaches or new players, and their whole goal is kind of they want to beat me. It’s never just about me, but I always hear them saying, ‘We gotta beat LeBron.’ It’s not just me on the court, but I understand that teams get together in this conference and across the league to try to beat me.”
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LeBron gets it. Having been atop the Eastern Conference for so long now, teams across the league are building their rosters to take down the defending champions.
Cleveland will be the favorite out East until someone proves otherwise.
Boston Celtics Eastern Conference Prediction:
Head Coach: Brad Stevens
2015-16 Record: 48-34
Odds To Win Conference: +500
Odds To Win NBA Championship: +1800
The Boston Celtics followed up a fantastic 2015-16 season with an even more impressive summer. The team earned the fifth seed out East last year, then brought in Jaylen Brown via the third pick in the draft and Al Horford via free agency.
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Along with the two new additions, Isaiah Thomas is a great pure scorer despite his size (5’9″). Avery Bradley is a gritty defender in the backcourt who also averaged 15.2 points per game last season.
Jae Crowder and Marcus Smart are also tough defenders, so adding a two-way big man like Horford should give this group a nice balance on both sides of the floor.
Toronto Raptors Eastern Conference Prediction:
Head Coach: Dwane Casey
2015-16 Record: 56-26
Odds To Win Conference: +1400
Odds To Win NBA Championship: +4000
The Toronto Raptors finished the 2015-16 season just a single game behind the Cavaliers for first place out East. The franchise and its fan base likely believe it should be No. 2 on this list ahead of Boston, but we need to see more consistency out of the dynamic backcourt before we truly buy into the Raptors.
Last season, particularly during the playoffs, the backcourt of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan couldn’t find its rhythm on a regular basis. When the two guards who firing on all cylinders, Toronto looked great.
However, when they were struggling, the team struggled to win.
This group needs to find a way to do one of two things. Toronto must either get consistent production from its backcourt, or it needs to find players who can make up the difference on offense when Lowry and DeRozan are struggling.
If the struggles are kept to a minimum, the Raptors have a legitimate chance at surpassing Boston for No. 2 in the conference.
Atlanta Hawks Eastern Conference Prediction:
Head Coach: Mike Budenholzer
2015-16 Record: 48-34
Odds To Win Conference: +2500
Odds To Win NBA Championship: +10000
The Atlanta Hawks have lost Jeff Teague and Al Horford from last year’s roster. The move to ship out Teague shows an incredible confidence in their young backcourt. The loss of Horford was not their choice, as he decided to take his talents in Beantown in free agency.
With Horford out, the next move for the Hawks franchise was to find its new starting center. That man is Dwight Howard, who’s looking to prove he still has elements of superstardom in him after a botched trial with the Houston Rockets.
If you’re optimistic about this pairing, you focus on the fact that Atlanta doesn’t have the same kind of egos in the locker room that the Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers had. If you’re pessimistic, you probably look at the Howard-Paul Millsap frontcourt and wonder just how the two will complement one another on the court.
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Regardless, Atlanta has a mastermind in coach Bud roaming the sidelines. That should give you some semblance of confidence even if you have concerns elsewhere.
Chicago Bulls Eastern Conference Prediction:
Head Coach: Fred Hoiberg
2015-16 Record: 42-40
Odds To Win Conference: +2500
Odds To Win NBA Championship: +4000
The Chicago Bulls are going to look very, very different in 2016-17.
Although the present face of the franchise, Jimmy Butler, is still on board, the former face of the organization, Derrick Rose, is out. Pau Gasol is also gone, and Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo are both in.
Shooting is the primary concern here for this group, and that was made even clearer when the team traded Tony Snell during the preseason for Michael Carter-Williams.
The playoff and championship experience now on this roster should nicely complement youngsters such as Bobby Portis and Nikola Mirotic, but you have to wonder just how high the ceiling is with the backcourt only being superstars by name at this juncture.
2016 NBA Eastern Conference Prediction
One team not mentioned above that deserves a spotlight is the Indiana Pacers. Led by Paul George, this group has a new point guard in Jeff Teague and added frontcourt depth with Al Jefferson and Thad Young in the rotation.
With the Cavs likely to sit LeBron James sporadically during the season’s final stretch, Indiana has a legitimate chance at pushing them for a division title.
All that said, this isn’t the time to overthink the conference outlook. Unless James takes a legitimate step back (or suffers a significant injury), the East is the Cavs’ to lose.
Expect this season to play out like last year when it’s all said and done.
Full Eastern Conference Odds
- Cleveland Cavaliers-215
- Boston Celtics+500
- Toronto Raptors+1400
- Atlanta Hawks+2500
- Chicago Bulls+2500
- Indiana Pacers+2800
- Detroit Pistons+4000
- Miami Heat+4000
- New York Knicks+2500
- Milwaukee Bucks+4000
- Washington Wizards+4000
- Orlando Magic+5000
- Charlotte Hornets+10000
- Philadelphia 76ers+15000
- Brooklyn Nets+20000
2016 NBA Gambling
What do you think about our 2016 Eastern Conference predictions? Please leave us a comment below telling us how you think they’ll do in the 2016-2017 NBA Season!
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