If you’re an NBA team in the Eastern Conference and you’ve been stuck in mid-tier purgatory, now might be your moment. The basketball gods just cracked the East wide open, and it’s officially anyone’s game.
Three massive injuries have gutted the top of the conference. Tyrese Haliburton, who just led the Pacers on a jaw-dropping Finals run, ruptured his Achilles in Game 7 against the Thunder. He’s done for the 2025-26 season. Same fate for Boston’s Jayson Tatum, who tore his Achilles earlier in the playoffs. And if that wasn’t enough, Damian Lillard, who fought to get back into rhythm all year, also suffered an Achilles tear, leaving the Milwaukee Bucks staring into the unknown with a whole lot of Giannis-shaped questions.
This isn’t just bad news for fans of those stars; it’s a seismic shift. With Haliburton, Tatum, and Lillard sidelined, the Eastern Conference no longer has a clear alpha. And the race to fill that power vacuum is already heating up.
Cleveland Cavaliers (+270)
Let’s start with the favorites. The Cleveland Cavaliers were the NBA’s best regular-season team in 2024-25, according to Deadspin. But when it came to the playoffs? Oof. They flamed out in five games against the Haliburton-led Pacers in the second round. Now that the roadblocks are gone, Cleveland has no excuses. It’s go time.
And the front office knows it. On Monday night, reports surfaced that the Cavs tried to trade Darius Garland to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Kevin Durant. Too bad Durant was already shipped to the Houston Rockets the day before.
Swing and a miss? Maybe. But that offer proves Cleveland is serious about seizing this opportunity. They don’t just want to get past the second round; they want to run the East. And with the injury landscape, they might not get a better shot than this.
New York Knicks (+300)
The Knicks are next up, and they’re not playing around either. After getting bounced by the Pacers last postseason, New York made some major power moves. They added Mikal Bridges and somehow convinced the Timberwolves to hand over Karl-Anthony Towns.
Sure, the Knicks just fired Tom Thibodeau and are still hunting for a new coach, but their core is locked in. Jalen Brunson, Bridges, and Towns form a legit trio, and with the East so depleted, they have a real chance to run the table. Knicks fans are already in full offseason fantasy mode, Photoshopping Giannis in orange and blue. But even if that dream never happens, this team is more than capable of making a Finals push.
Orlando Magic (+420)
Here’s where things get weird. The Orlando Magic finished last season with a perfectly average 41-41 record. That got them the 7th seed. Now? They have the third-best odds to win the East.
Credit a bold move that brought Desmond Bane in from the Memphis Grizzlies. He’ll add much-needed shooting to a team that already has a rising star in Paolo Banchero. The talent is interesting, but let’s not crown them just yet. Unless the Bane-Banchero duo turns into the next Splash Bros, they’ll likely fall short of the Cavs and Knicks.
Detroit Pistons (+1500): Wild-Card Watch
Yep, you read that right. The Detroit Pistons have better odds of winning the East than the Sixers or Celtics.
That’s partly because the Pistons, under new coach J.B. Bickerstaff, overachieved all season long. They didn’t go far, but they were tough, gritty, and never an easy out. Cade Cunningham still needs more help, but Detroit showed they can hang. In a conference this wide open, a surprise run from the Pistons wouldn’t even be that shocking.
Who Wants It?
With Haliburton, Tatum, and Lillard all out of the picture, the East is officially in scramble mode. Teams that used to play second fiddle are now leading the orchestra. The Cavs are the favorites, but that label comes with pressure. The Knicks are loaded, but untested together. The Magic? Intriguing. The Pistons? Chaotic in the best way. The NBA’s Eastern Conference is up for grabs. And for the first time in a long time, it’s not about who’s already on top, it’s about who wants it the most.
Dylan Cook 
