With the Boston Celtics fresh off of a title run, every other team in the East is trying to get better to take them down. Teams like the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers made big moves in the offseason. The Knicks acquired Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets, and the 76ers signed Paul George, the biggest free agent, to a lucrative four-year deal. However, two teams are being overlooked in the Eastern Conference. They are the Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic.
A couple of weeks ago, ESPN released their win-loss predictions for the Eastern and Western Conference. They had the Magic finishing as the sixth seed with a record of 47-35. The Pacers were placed as the seventh seed with a record of 46-36. These predictions are a little low, and here’s why they are being overlooked in the Eastern Conference.
These 2 NBA Teams Are Overlooked in the Eastern Conference
The Indiana Pacers Were Just in the Eastern Conference Finals
The top teams in the East, outside of the Celtics, have improved. However, teams like the 76ers with Joel Embiid and the recent addition of George can’t be relied upon in the future. First, Embiid hasn’t had any playoff success and has never made it out of the second round. In addition, he has been injured throughout his playoff career. Likewise, George has had a history of inconsistent performances in the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Pacers were just in the Eastern Conference Finals. If they can avoid playing the Celtics and Knicks early on, there is a good chance they can make another deep run this playoffs.
The reason they are being overlooked in the Eastern Conference is because of the run they had last year. Even though they made the Conference Finals, the two teams they played to get there were very injured. However, you have a full year with Pascal Siakam in your system. In addition to that, Tyrese Haliburton and the younger players all have playoff experience now. Last year, they had the second-highest offensive rating, which should be just as good this year. Taking all of that into play, this is a team that you will not want to face in the playoffs.
Importance of Pascal Siakam and Team Staying Healthy
Another reason why they are being overlooked is because of Siakam. He has won the NBA Finals before and knows what it takes to win in the playoffs. Add that to the improvements guys like Haliburton and others will make. Also, they have confidence and experience with a deep playoff run. All of these factors will go a long way this year. However, one thing that needs to happen is for them to stay healthy. Haliburton missed quite a few games last year, and they were also without Bennedict Mathurin in the playoffs, which hurt them. Finally, if the Pacers can stay healthy, there is a good chance they could be fighting for seeds three through six.
The Orlando Magic Are an Up-and-Coming Young Team
Another team overlooked in the Eastern Conference is the Orlando Magic. Last year, the Magic surprised a lot of teams and claimed the fifth seed. They even took a more experienced Cavaliers team to a hard-fought seven-game series in which they lost. Entering this year with them being an up-and-coming young team, you would expect to see some improvement. However, that is not the case, with ESPN predicting them to finish with the same record they did last year and have them claiming the sixth seed.
This prediction just seems a little too low for Orlando’s potential this year. Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs should all make improvements. If those three guys can take massive leaps this year, this team will be a scary team to face in the playoffs. To go along with that, they were also one of the better defensive teams in the NBA last year. However, they struggled on the offensive end. Furthermore, the Magic will hope the improvements that Banchero, Wagner, and Suggs make will help their offensive struggles.
The Impact of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Finally, another reason they are being overlooked is the impact that Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will make. He is a veteran who won an NBA championship with the Denver Nuggets. That experience will go a long way for this young and inexperienced Magic squad. In addition, Caldwell-Pope is a good three-point shooter, something Orlando desperately needs. With his three-point shooting ability and the improvements from the other players, the Magic offense should be significantly better this year than last year. Caldwell-Pope is also a great perimeter defender and will improve an already stout defense unit. With all these factors into play, this Magic team, just like the Pacers, will fight for seeds three to six this year.
