The pattern of the Eastern Conference has changed: The Celtics and Pacers are weak, the Cavaliers, Magic, and Knicks have entered the first echelon.

The 2025-2026 NBA season is about to begin, and the pattern of the Eastern Conference in the new season is bound to undergo significant changes. In short, for many seasons, the Celtics, who have been carefully built with the "double rookie" as the core of the team, have gradually declined due to Tatum's serious injury; the Pacers, who made it to the finals last season, will also withdraw from the first-line championship due to Haliburton's injury. After all, there were some accidental factors in their dominance of the Eastern Conference last season. Instead, there are three teams: the Cavaliers, Magic and Knicks. They have accumulated strength and accumulated strength and will become strong contenders for the Eastern Conference championship in the new season.

What goes up must come down. This is the inherent law of the development of things, and the same is true in the field of sports competition. For many consecutive seasons, the Celtics, formed by the "double top picks" Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, have always been active in the championship even if they have not been crowned the Eastern Conference champion or the championship. From East to West, no team in the league can easily defeat them. Although they were unable to replicate the glorious achievements of the Larry Bird and later Paul Pierce era, they really made Boston fans proud for several seasons. However, those good times are likely to come to an abrupt end this season. During the playoffs against the Knicks in May this year, Tatum unfortunately suffered a serious injury from a ruptured Achilles tendon. According to the latest reports, Tatum hopes to return to the team in the second half of the new regular season, but this is not easy. What's more, the club sent away veteran veterans such as Holiday, Porzingis, and Horford. This move seems to be intended to overthrow and rebuild. It will take time for the team to recover.

Looking at the Pacers, they suddenly emerged last season and advanced all the way from the Eastern Conference to the Finals. They even performed well in the championship series with the Thunder and were just one step away from the championship trophy. This shocked fans and people in the industry. Strictly speaking, this team does not actually have a deep foundation or super strength. They rely on the extraordinary performance of the stars, the team's outstanding mental outlook and tenacious willpower over a period of time, plus some luck. This season, like the Celtics, the team's absolute core Haliburton suffered a serious injury to his Achilles tendon during the Finals in June. He is still in the recovery period and it is difficult to help the team in the new season.

Other teams that have been able to reach the top four in the Eastern Conference or have won championships in recent seasons, such as the Bucks and 76ers, have all exposed various problems at the end of last season or during the offseason. In the new season, these teams may withdraw from the first-line championship ranks and can only play the role of spoilers at most.

The Bucks' core "Antetokounmpo" is in ups and downs, as elusive as a "nerve knife", and Lillard was even laid off. Among the 76ers, "The Great" Embiid has a fragile physique and frequent injuries, and was once accused of being a data brush that did not live up to his name. Although the team claims to have the Big Three, its actual performance does not live up to this title.

In the 2025-2026 season, the strong players in the Eastern Conference have changed to the Cavaliers, Knicks and Magic. The Cavaliers performed extremely well in the regular season last season, setting consecutive winning streaks and even ranking first in the league for a long time. However, they lacked stamina in the playoffs. This season, they also retain the main lineup from their heyday of 64 wins and 18 losses in the regular season last season. The backcourt combination of Donovan Mitchell and Garland is extremely competitive in the Eastern Conference and can be regarded as the best. In addition, the team also signed back Larry Nance Jr. and acquired Lonzo Ball through a trade, further enhancing the depth of the lineup. As long as they can continue their good form in the middle and early stages of last season, they will still be a popular candidate for the Eastern Conference championship.

The Knicks successfully reached the Eastern Conference finals last season and still retain the main structure of the lineup this season. This has laid a solid foundation for excellent results in the new season. At least the running-in between players will not be a problem. In the new season, the Knicks have introduced strong players such as Clarkson and Yabusele, which greatly enriched the bench strength. This time, they may not be satisfied with just reaching the Eastern Conference finals, going further will be the team's inevitable pursuit.

The Magic introduced Desmond Bane during the offseason, which made up for the team's shortcomings in outside shooting and ball-handling organization. The potential of "number one pick" Banqueiro is expected to be further explored. Wagner Jr. already showed amazing talent last season. Suggs has returned from injury and the Magic are back in action. In the new season, if everyone can stay healthy, they will definitely be impressive.