Celtics Emerge as Favorites to Represent Eastern Conference in 2026 NBA Finals

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For most of the 2025-2026 season, the teams at the top of the Eastern Conference have been shuffling around with teams going on runs, blockbuster trades, and superstar returns from injury. This conference has been wide open for most of the season, and with just under two weeks until the play-in tournament, the market is telling a story of where it believes this conference might end up.

Why it matters

The Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, and the Cleveland Cavaliers all still carry good value and a real chance to represent the Eastern Conference in the 2026 NBA Finals. With multiple teams remaining competitive at the top, small shifts in the field carry real information on the always moving landscape.

The details

The Boston Celtics have been a huge story out of the East all season long, as they have remained competitive despite losing key players like Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and Al Horford. Head coach Joe Mazzula has shown his system works even without their star player Jayson Tatum, who returned earlier this month after tearing his Achilles last year. The Celtics have gone 9-2 since Tatum's return and have the profile of a team that has what it takes to go all the way in the East. The Cleveland Cavaliers made a blockbuster deal for James Harden at the trade deadline, which has given them a much-needed boost. The combination of Harden, Donovan Mitchell, and Evan Mobley hopes to do what last year's team couldn't. The New York Knicks have been contenders all season, led by Jalen Brunson, and are coming off their NBA Cup victory this season, their first trophy of any kind since the 1973 NBA Championship. The Detroit Pistons have spent this season doing something they haven't done in quite a while - winning consistently. They currently hold the number 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, led by star Cade Cunningham, who has been sidelined with a late-season injury.

• The Boston Celtics have gone 9-2 since Jayson Tatum's return earlier this month.
• The Detroit Pistons currently hold the number 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

What’s next

If Detroit can hold off long enough for Cade Cunningham to return for the playoffs, the entire landscape will change massively. The Pistons are hoping to hold onto that first place seed, and the home court advantage that comes with it. If they can make sure everyone else has to go through Little Caesars Arena, and get Cade Cunningham back healthy, the East is going to have a hard time writing off this Detroit Pistons Team.