NBA Midseason Grades: Eastern Conference

With Kevin Garnett switching conferences in the offseason, it has given the East an elite player and a team that can challenge any Western conference team for the title.

After an unbelievable Eastern conference finals last season, the East has played like the East we've all come to see over the last couple of years. Then again, there are teams in the East at and below .500 currently holding playoff positions.

Although I believe the East has played better this year, the talent level between the East and West still favors the West.

Now onto the grades...

Atlanta Hawks (Grade: B)

This team is finally starting to realize it's tremendous potential with high-flyer Josh Smith and solid guard Joe Johnson. They are currently in the seventh spot in the East. That's right—the Atlanta Hawks are in the playoffs (if they started today).

Never mind that their record is below .500, the impressive thing about these Hawks is that they could be playing into May since the shortened season of 1998-99. They still could use a solid point guard to complement Joe Johnson in the backcourt, as well as continued development of rookie forward Al Horford.

Boston Celtics (Grade: A)

Kudos to GM Danny Ainge for pulling off the Kevin Garnett trade and acquiring sharp-shooting guard Ray Allen to go with forward Paul Pierce. The three form a scary trio of All-Stars. These moves have breathed new life into the Boston area and in their defense.

This defense is holding opponents to only 88.8 PPG, 42.1 field goal percentage, and 31.6 three-point percentage. After getting out to a 29-3 start, they have lost some games with an injured Garnett, but fully healthy this team puts a scare in any team it plays.

Cleveland Cavaliers (Grade: B)

The defending Eastern conference champs got off to a slow start with Anderson Varajeo and Sasha Pavlovic missing significant time. But a team with LeBron James isn't going to underachieve for too long, and they have responded. They are on a current 13-3 run that has led them to take a hold of the fourth spot in the East.

LeBron has taken his game to a level we haven't seen since the days of Oscar Robertson, averaging a near triple-double this season. This team is still a solid point guard away from being a legitimate contender. Bibby anyone?

Charlotte Bobcats (Grade: C-)

This team was said to have the pieces together for a serious playoff push this year after acquiring Jason Richardson from the Golden State Warriors, but they have underachieved considerably. With injuries to key players, they have not lived up to their expectations from His Airness and the media. Forward Gerald Wallace remains the best player on this team and he is only going to get better, which is scary for the rest of the East.

Chicago Bulls (Grade: F)

But you saw that grade coming right?? This team has underachieved so much that their head coach was fired before the midpoint of the season. They have struggled offensively and their defense has suffered from the original stingy defense we've seen in the past.

In the preseason the Bulls were mentioned with the Celtics and Pistons as possible Eastern conference champs. Ben Wallace's diminishing talents, Ben Gordon and Kirk Hinrich not hitting their shots consistently, the lack of a low post scorer, and sitting in the 10th spot with a disappointing 19-29 record, they have become ugly to watch. The bright side is they play in the East and are only 1.5 games out of the eighth spot.

Detroit Pistons (Grade: A)

The class of the East for the past five or so years, they again are a favorite to take the Eastern conference title, and are eerily similar to the 2004 team that won it all. It seems like this team took last year's loss in the Eastern conference finals personally and have re- committed themselves on the defensive end, holding opponents to 89.9 PPG, 43.8 field goal percentage, and 33.4 three-point percentage.

They finally got younger with Jason Maxiell, rookie Rodney Stuckey, and Amir Johnson seeing more playing time and giving valuable contributions.

Indiana Pacers (Grade: C)

The Pacers don't deserve anything below a C because with all their flaws, they are still ninth in the East and are 1.5 games behind for the eighth seed. I can't believe they are ninth with Jermaine O'Neal having missed so many games and their defense giving up more than 100 points a game.

They experienced some early success without O'Neal, but are in a midst of a 1-8 run, where it is obvious that they miss him...badly. O'Neal is their only low-post threat and they have missed his shot-blocking ability to the tune of giving up 105 PPG. It's time for the Pacers to go in rebuilding mode around Danny Granger.

Miami Heat (Grade: F)

They would get an F-, but that dubious honor belongs to the New York Knicks. Miami Heat basketball is getting more and more embarrassing to watch. Two years removed from an NBA Championship, they now sit at 9-38—the worst in the East. How can a team with Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal win only nine games?

I can't remember any team falling from grace so hard and fast. (If you know of any feel free to comment them.) Shaq is mostly to blame with his diminishing skills as a 35-year-old center, but they won't have to worry about him anymore, having been traded to the Suns for Shawn Marion.

But with Marion and Wade, and no low post threat, how good could they possibly be better than nine wins?

Milwaukee Bucks (Grade: D+)

The Bucks are among some of the Eastern conference teams that have underachieved. With playoff aspirations in the preseason, this team has lacked the defensive tenacity to stop anybody and win games.

Guard Michael Redd continues to be among the best scorers in the league, point guard Mo Williams keeps improving year after year, and center Andrew Bogut has made some significant strides as a legitimate NBA center. But until they dig deep on the defensive end, they will always be a mediocre team.

New Jersey Nets (Grade: D)

They would get an F, but they're hanging on to that eighth seed in the East, so I'll give them a break. But, what once was a dominant defensive team in their two runs to the NBA Finals, has fallen dramatically out of that category. Coupled with their offensive struggles, that's a recipe for disaster—not to mention the continuing Jason Kidd trade saga—but somehow they are still in the playoff hunt.

I believe that as long as the Nets are contending for a playoff spot, Jason Kidd will remain there. And who knows, maybe their big three will get it together and make a run. I mean, it is the East and Anything can happen.

New York Knicks (Grade: F-)

Bad coach, bad players, bad front office. Enough said.

Orlando Magic (Grade: A)

The man-child (Dwight Howard) has officially arrived as a dominant NBA center. I mean, this guy is unbelievable—he's 6'11" and 265 pounds, and he's only 22. Twenty-two!! He's averaging 21 points, 14 rebounds, and two blocks a game. He leads the league in double-doubles with more than 30 this season. But he's not the only Magic player who has made a difference this year.

Forward Rashard Lewis has been a worthy compliment to Howard with his ability to spread the floor, knock down the three, and open the lane for Howard to do his business down low.

The other forward, Hedo Turkoglu, is having a career year and should have been an All-Star...but that's another story. Averaging career highs in points, rebounds, and assists per game this year, he gives the Magic another deep threat to compliment Howard. Oh, and the addition of Stan Van Gundy wasn't too bad either.

Philadelphia 76ers (Grade: C-)

In their first full year without Allen Iverson, this team has struggled to win games that Iverson would have put out of reach. The expectations coming into this year were never very high, and this team has looked competitive at times, but Andre Igoudala is not ready to lead them by himself.

However, I believe that Igoudala can become an elite player in this league—he simply needs more help. Andre Miller is a solid point guard who any contending team would gladly take, and center Samuel Dalembert has been solid, but for Igoudala to take this team to the next level he needs more from Miller and Dalembert.

Toronto Raptors (Grade: B+)

I'm giving them that plus just because of Chris Bosh and his hilarious All-Star campaign video. Classic.

This team is currently sitting in fifth, only one game behind the Cavaliers. They are very talented and very young, and are capable of beating any team on any given night. GM Bryan Colangelo has done a tremendous job in transforming the Raptors into a consistent playoff team.

Bosh has been a monster this year with 22 points and nine rebounds per game, and point guard T.J. Ford is finally back from his head injury and ready to lead this team further into the playoffs. With possibly the best back-up point guard in the league, they have the point guard and center positions playing at a high level. This team could be a sleeper in the East.

Washington Wizards (Grade: B+)

If someone told me the Wizards would lose Gilbert Arenas before the season started to a knee injury, and would be sixth in the East, I'd have said that person was crazy. But nonetheless it's true, and without Arenas the Wizards are right in the thick of the playoff race.

All-Stars Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler have lifted their games to carry this team during Arenas' absence. Butler's averaging a career high in points and assists and is a nightly threat to ring up a triple-double. Jamison is averaging a career high in rebounds and blocks this season and has established himself as a valuable power forward in the Eastern conference. Valuable contributions from Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson have kept this team's head above water.