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NBA 2025 Eastern Conference Contenders & Pretenders | Deadspin.com

NBA 2025 Eastern Conference Contenders & Pretenders | Deadspin.com

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Nov 7, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) takes a three point shot past Brooklyn Nets guard Drake Powell (4) in the second quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

There’s nothing better than being in the Eastern Conference this NBA season. 

The Western Conference is completely more challenging, top to bottom, so I wanted to rank which teams in the East I think are actually contenders. 

Most of these teams are realistically pretenders, but a few teams in the East are still very much the real deal.

#1 Detroit Pistons: Pretenders

This Detroit team is a great watch; however, I find it hard to believe that anyone really thinks this roster is ready to contend in the playoffs. Cade Cunningham is one of the best players in the sport, and Jalen Duren has taken a significant leap, playing at an All-Star level. That doesn’t change that this roster is poorly constructed for postseason success.

Cunningham shoots it at just 31% from the outside, and Duren’s style of play won’t be exceedingly successful in the playoffs. Then, on the other end of the court, since you desperately need spacing, Duncan Robinson will need to get significant playoff minutes, and if he’s not a flamethrower on offense, having defenses pick him apart might not make it worth it even to play him.

I hope Detroit tries to add another superstar to this lineup to elevate it to the next level. I know he won’t help with spacing issues, but if you could find a cheap way to take on Ja Morant from a desperate Grizzlies front office, I would be open to believing you are actually contenders.

#2 Chicago Bulls: Pretenders

The Bulls aren’t pretenders in the same way as the Pistons are. Actually, I think this Bulls team is better than people give it credit for. Billy Donovan is once again showing why he’s one of the best coaches in the league.

That doesn’t mean the Bulls also don’t have a chance in hell of making it anywhere close to the finals. Between Josh Giddey, Nikola Vucevic, Ayo Dosunmu, and Matas Buzelis, the Bulls honestly have an interesting core. This team plays at a great pace and can surprise good teams with their hyper offensive threat.

However, if they run into a team with any inside threat on defense, I think they’ll really be slowed down on offense. Additionally, I’d be interested in seeing how their offense would translate into the playoffs, where the pace of the game typically slows down.

#3 Cleveland Cavaliers: Contenders

Nov 7, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) shoots the ball against the Washington Wizards in the second half in an Emirates NBA Cup game at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn ImagesNov 7, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) shoots the ball against the Washington Wizards in the second half in an Emirates NBA Cup game at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The main argument against this Cavaliers team has been their inability to translate regular-season success into postseason success—that, of course, and their dual small guard and big man lineups.

However, if you’ve watched this team since Kenny Atkinson took over, I’m not sure how you couldn’t believe in them at least a little bit. When the whole team is healthy, their offense can reach historic levels.

That has cost them a little bit on the other end, but I’m not as concerned about that due to Evan Mobley’s game-altering presence on defense. Outside of Victor Wembenyama, there’s no one more impactful on the defensive end in the league. I believe the injuries this team has dealt with in the playoffs over the last few seasons are fluky, and this is the year they at least make it to the Eastern Conference Finals.

#4 Milwaukee Bucks: Contenders

It’s as simple as this. If Giannis Antetokounmpo is on your basketball team, it’s likely he’s the best player on the floor, especially in the Eastern Conference.

The team around him, unfortunately, isn’t great, but I still think Giannis has at least one more historic playoff run while he’s still guaranteed to be in Milwaukee.

The positive is that I believe this year’s supporting cast is more ready to compete than the last few years. The loss of Brook Lopez is an addition by subtraction. People love to hate on Myles Turner, but he’s a no-doubt upgrade over Lopez from last season.

Ryan Rollins is currently taking an absolutely shocking leap this year, and might give Giannis at least one other player he can lean on to get a basket without the offense set for them. Giannis is one of those very few guys in the league you can rely on at any moment to take over an entire game, and even a series.

#5 New York Knicks: Pretenders

Nov 2, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) drives to the basket against Chicago Bulls forward Isaac Okoro (35) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn ImagesNov 2, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) drives to the basket against Chicago Bulls forward Isaac Okoro (35) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

This Knicks team can obviously win a series, but I think there’s just something off with this Knicks team this year. Outside of Jalen Brunson turning into an animal in the playoffs, what’s going to be the identity of this New York team?

I just can’t trust Karl-Anthony Towns to play smart enough defense in the playoffs to consistently avoid foul trouble, which would allow me to think this team can make the finals.

I also don’t love the other pieces they have. If Mike Brown can find a way to get someone else to hit shots consistently in the playoffs, I’ll believe in New York. For now, I still feel as though Tibs was able to just get a little more out of this roster. This prediction is more of a hot take, as I’m not much of a Mike Brown believer. He’s never been able to fully fix a team at any point in his career, and I don’t think this roster is talented enough to do it for him.

#6 Philadelphia 76ers: Contenders

This pick is the inverse of my Knicks prediction. It also revolves around Joel Embiid’s health and finding a way to return to a player who closely resembles the one who won the MVP in 2023.

This team is already looking so much better than the one we saw fizzle out due to injuries last year. Kelly Oubre and Quentin Grimes are playing at a career-best level, V.J. Edgecomb has already shown NBA readiness in just eight games, and they have (potentially) solid reinforcements on the way in Jared McCain and Paul George.

But let’s call it like it is. Joel Embiid has to be significantly better. This team goes as Embiid goes. I think he’s able to return to at least an All-Star level, and will hopefully be able to rely on what could be a deep core around him to shake things up in the East.

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Deadspin | Belgium to host M Fortnite Global Championship 2026 The Fortnite Global Championship 2026 will be held in Antwerp, Belgium from Sept. 26-27. The million Fortnite Global Championship 2026 will be held in Antwerp, Belgium from Sept. 26-27, BLAST and Epic Games announced. It is the first time the city has played host to a tournament on Fortnite competitive FNCS circuit. The Global Championship will be viewed by thousands of fans in Antwerp following months of qualification matches for the world’s top Fortnite players. The announcement was made at the Fortnite Major 1 Summit in Dusseldorf, Germany over the weekend. The Global Championship will feature 50 duos competing in 12 games across the two-day event. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Belgium #host #Fortnite #Global #ChampionshipThe Fortnite Global Championship 2026 will be held in Antwerp, Belgium from Sept. 26-27.

The $2 million Fortnite Global Championship 2026 will be held in Antwerp, Belgium from Sept. 26-27, BLAST and Epic Games announced.

It is the first time the city has played host to a tournament on Fortnite competitive FNCS circuit. The Global Championship will be viewed by thousands of fans in Antwerp following months of qualification matches for the world’s top Fortnite players.


The announcement was made at the Fortnite Major 1 Summit in Dusseldorf, Germany over the weekend.

The Global Championship will feature 50 duos competing in 12 games across the two-day event.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Belgium #host #Fortnite #Global #Championship">Deadspin | Belgium to host M Fortnite Global Championship 2026 The Fortnite Global Championship 2026 will be held in Antwerp, Belgium from Sept. 26-27. The million Fortnite Global Championship 2026 will be held in Antwerp, Belgium from Sept. 26-27, BLAST and Epic Games announced. It is the first time the city has played host to a tournament on Fortnite competitive FNCS circuit. The Global Championship will be viewed by thousands of fans in Antwerp following months of qualification matches for the world’s top Fortnite players. The announcement was made at the Fortnite Major 1 Summit in Dusseldorf, Germany over the weekend. The Global Championship will feature 50 duos competing in 12 games across the two-day event. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Belgium #host #Fortnite #Global #Championship

The trade we were all waiting for once June 1 arrived finally happened.

It just happened to be the second blockbuster deal of the day.

The jaw-dropping deal between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cleveland Browns stole the headlines, but A.J. Brown is finally on his way to the New England Patriots. New England is acquiring the wide receiver — and reuinting him with former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel — in exchange for a 2028 first-round pick, and a 2027 fifth-round pick.

Let’s hand out some grades.

Patriots’ trade grade for A.J. Brown deal

The Patriots made a dream run to Super Bowl LX, and while they fell short in that game against the Seattle Seahawks, the future is certainly bright in New England.

And it starts with quarterback Drake Maye.

Yes, New England rode an historically easy schedule to the Super Bowl, and those opponents helped Maye put up numbers that made him an MVP candidate, but when you strip away the numbers and look at how Maye played the position a season ago, you see a franchise quarterback regardless of opponent. Maye’s ability to attack the middle of the field, as well as downfield in the vertical passing game, stand out when you study him on film.

And those traits certainly show in the numbers as well. Take this chart from Next Gen Stats:

One may quibble with the use of NFL Passer Rating, but here you see a quarterback that had success attacking over the middle, and down the field. In fact, one of his weakest areas last year — over the middle in the 10-to-20 yard range — is an area of the field where Brown thrives.

Greg Cosell, the long-time analyst, had this to say when contemplating a potential acquisition of Brown by the Patriots:

“When motivated, A.J. Brown is still a higher-level wideout in the league,” said Cosell, the NFL Films and ESPN “NFL Matchup” analyst. “He’s as physical as they come. He can work between the numbers as well as any receiver in the game because of his size, hands, competitiveness and ability to catch through contact.

“While he is not a burner by any means, he does have a great feel for attacking corners’ leverage and blind spots, and therefore, at times, can be a vertical dimension.”

When New England released Stefon Diggs, they created a big vacancy in the wide receiver room. They fill that with Brown, who can be a ball-winner at every level of the field in New England’s offense. And with the Patriots, Brown finds an offense that, on paper, looks to feature the passing game ahead of the running game.

This deal makes sense for both player and team. So much sense, that we were all waiting for it to happen.

Eagles’ trade grade for A.J. Brown deal

The fact that everyone expected this deal to go down, means that Howie Roseman had some work to do.

Given the situation in Philadelphia — it was an open secret that there was frustration on Brown’s part with his usage in the Eagles’ offense — and the financial implications associated with a post-June 1 trade, the entire NFL world was waiting for this day, and this trade to arrive.

Throughout the process, there was a question over whether Roseman would get the first-round pick back in return for Brown. He was able to get that pick, but a 2028 first, and not a 2027 first.

So, while this was perhaps the best Roseman could have hoped for, it was not the deal Eagles fans were hoping to see.

Still, given the situation, and the fact that the Eagles were in this position, getting what they did for an unhappy player seems like a solid return.

#A.J #Brown #trade #grades #Patriots #Eagles #star #England">A.J. Brown trade grades for Patriots, Eagles after star WR sent to New England The trade we were all waiting for once June 1 arrived finally happened.It just happened to be the second blockbuster deal of the day.The jaw-dropping deal between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cleveland Browns stole the headlines, but A.J. Brown is finally on his way to the New England Patriots. New England is acquiring the wide receiver — and reuinting him with former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel — in exchange for a 2028 first-round pick, and a 2027 fifth-round pick.Let’s hand out some grades.Patriots’ trade grade for A.J. Brown dealThe Patriots made a dream run to Super Bowl LX, and while they fell short in that game against the Seattle Seahawks, the future is certainly bright in New England.And it starts with quarterback Drake Maye.Yes, New England rode an historically easy schedule to the Super Bowl, and those opponents helped Maye put up numbers that made him an MVP candidate, but when you strip away the numbers and look at how Maye played the position a season ago, you see a franchise quarterback regardless of opponent. Maye’s ability to attack the middle of the field, as well as downfield in the vertical passing game, stand out when you study him on film.And those traits certainly show in the numbers as well. Take this chart from Next Gen Stats:One may quibble with the use of NFL Passer Rating, but here you see a quarterback that had success attacking over the middle, and down the field. In fact, one of his weakest areas last year — over the middle in the 10-to-20 yard range — is an area of the field where Brown thrives.Greg Cosell, the long-time analyst, had this to say when contemplating a potential acquisition of Brown by the Patriots:“When motivated, A.J. Brown is still a higher-level wideout in the league,” said Cosell, the NFL Films and ESPN “NFL Matchup” analyst. “He’s as physical as they come. He can work between the numbers as well as any receiver in the game because of his size, hands, competitiveness and ability to catch through contact.“While he is not a burner by any means, he does have a great feel for attacking corners’ leverage and blind spots, and therefore, at times, can be a vertical dimension.”When New England released Stefon Diggs, they created a big vacancy in the wide receiver room. They fill that with Brown, who can be a ball-winner at every level of the field in New England’s offense. And with the Patriots, Brown finds an offense that, on paper, looks to feature the passing game ahead of the running game.This deal makes sense for both player and team. So much sense, that we were all waiting for it to happen.Eagles’ trade grade for A.J. Brown dealThe fact that everyone expected this deal to go down, means that Howie Roseman had some work to do.Given the situation in Philadelphia — it was an open secret that there was frustration on Brown’s part with his usage in the Eagles’ offense — and the financial implications associated with a post-June 1 trade, the entire NFL world was waiting for this day, and this trade to arrive.Throughout the process, there was a question over whether Roseman would get the first-round pick back in return for Brown. He was able to get that pick, but a 2028 first, and not a 2027 first.So, while this was perhaps the best Roseman could have hoped for, it was not the deal Eagles fans were hoping to see.Still, given the situation, and the fact that the Eagles were in this position, getting what they did for an unhappy player seems like a solid return. #A.J #Brown #trade #grades #Patriots #Eagles #star #England

chart from Next Gen Stats:

One may quibble with the use of NFL Passer Rating, but here you see a quarterback that had success attacking over the middle, and down the field. In fact, one of his weakest areas last year — over the middle in the 10-to-20 yard range — is an area of the field where Brown thrives.

Greg Cosell, the long-time analyst, had this to say when contemplating a potential acquisition of Brown by the Patriots:

“When motivated, A.J. Brown is still a higher-level wideout in the league,” said Cosell, the NFL Films and ESPN “NFL Matchup” analyst. “He’s as physical as they come. He can work between the numbers as well as any receiver in the game because of his size, hands, competitiveness and ability to catch through contact.

“While he is not a burner by any means, he does have a great feel for attacking corners’ leverage and blind spots, and therefore, at times, can be a vertical dimension.”

When New England released Stefon Diggs, they created a big vacancy in the wide receiver room. They fill that with Brown, who can be a ball-winner at every level of the field in New England’s offense. And with the Patriots, Brown finds an offense that, on paper, looks to feature the passing game ahead of the running game.

This deal makes sense for both player and team. So much sense, that we were all waiting for it to happen.

Eagles’ trade grade for A.J. Brown deal

The fact that everyone expected this deal to go down, means that Howie Roseman had some work to do.

Given the situation in Philadelphia — it was an open secret that there was frustration on Brown’s part with his usage in the Eagles’ offense — and the financial implications associated with a post-June 1 trade, the entire NFL world was waiting for this day, and this trade to arrive.

Throughout the process, there was a question over whether Roseman would get the first-round pick back in return for Brown. He was able to get that pick, but a 2028 first, and not a 2027 first.

So, while this was perhaps the best Roseman could have hoped for, it was not the deal Eagles fans were hoping to see.

Still, given the situation, and the fact that the Eagles were in this position, getting what they did for an unhappy player seems like a solid return.

#A.J #Brown #trade #grades #Patriots #Eagles #star #England">A.J. Brown trade grades for Patriots, Eagles after star WR sent to New England

The trade we were all waiting for once June 1 arrived finally happened.

It just happened to be the second blockbuster deal of the day.

The jaw-dropping deal between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cleveland Browns stole the headlines, but A.J. Brown is finally on his way to the New England Patriots. New England is acquiring the wide receiver — and reuinting him with former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel — in exchange for a 2028 first-round pick, and a 2027 fifth-round pick.

Let’s hand out some grades.

Patriots’ trade grade for A.J. Brown deal

The Patriots made a dream run to Super Bowl LX, and while they fell short in that game against the Seattle Seahawks, the future is certainly bright in New England.

And it starts with quarterback Drake Maye.

Yes, New England rode an historically easy schedule to the Super Bowl, and those opponents helped Maye put up numbers that made him an MVP candidate, but when you strip away the numbers and look at how Maye played the position a season ago, you see a franchise quarterback regardless of opponent. Maye’s ability to attack the middle of the field, as well as downfield in the vertical passing game, stand out when you study him on film.

And those traits certainly show in the numbers as well. Take this chart from Next Gen Stats:

One may quibble with the use of NFL Passer Rating, but here you see a quarterback that had success attacking over the middle, and down the field. In fact, one of his weakest areas last year — over the middle in the 10-to-20 yard range — is an area of the field where Brown thrives.

Greg Cosell, the long-time analyst, had this to say when contemplating a potential acquisition of Brown by the Patriots:

“When motivated, A.J. Brown is still a higher-level wideout in the league,” said Cosell, the NFL Films and ESPN “NFL Matchup” analyst. “He’s as physical as they come. He can work between the numbers as well as any receiver in the game because of his size, hands, competitiveness and ability to catch through contact.

“While he is not a burner by any means, he does have a great feel for attacking corners’ leverage and blind spots, and therefore, at times, can be a vertical dimension.”

When New England released Stefon Diggs, they created a big vacancy in the wide receiver room. They fill that with Brown, who can be a ball-winner at every level of the field in New England’s offense. And with the Patriots, Brown finds an offense that, on paper, looks to feature the passing game ahead of the running game.

This deal makes sense for both player and team. So much sense, that we were all waiting for it to happen.

Eagles’ trade grade for A.J. Brown deal

The fact that everyone expected this deal to go down, means that Howie Roseman had some work to do.

Given the situation in Philadelphia — it was an open secret that there was frustration on Brown’s part with his usage in the Eagles’ offense — and the financial implications associated with a post-June 1 trade, the entire NFL world was waiting for this day, and this trade to arrive.

Throughout the process, there was a question over whether Roseman would get the first-round pick back in return for Brown. He was able to get that pick, but a 2028 first, and not a 2027 first.

So, while this was perhaps the best Roseman could have hoped for, it was not the deal Eagles fans were hoping to see.

Still, given the situation, and the fact that the Eagles were in this position, getting what they did for an unhappy player seems like a solid return.

#A.J #Brown #trade #grades #Patriots #Eagles #star #England

Senegal coach Pape Thiaw dropped defenders Moustapha Mbow and Ilay Camara from his preliminary ​squad to finalise his 26-man line-up for the World ‌Cup by FIFA’s deadline on Monday.

Paris FC ​centre-half Mbow and Belgian-born Anderlecht fullback ⁠Camara, who has won three caps, were named in Thiaw’s 28-man wider squad on May 21.

Mbow won his first ‌cap when he played the second half off the bench in the 3-2 ‌friendly loss to the United States in Charlotte ‌on ⁠Sunday, while Camara was an unused substitute.

Sadio ⁠Mane, who scored both of Senegal’s goals against the U.S., remains a leading player for a star-studded Senegal squad that ​looks to be the ‌most potent of the 10 African qualifiers for the World Cup.

Senegal ‌opens its World Cup campaign against France on June 16 in New Jersey in a repeat of its 2002 World Cup meeting in which the African side came out on top against the then-holder.

It also takes on Norway at the ‌same venue (June 22) and Iraq in Toronto (June 26) in Group ​I matches.

Senegal squad for FIFA World Cup 2026:

Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy, Mory Diaw, Yehvann Diouf

Defenders: Krepin Diatta, Antoine Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly, ⁠El Hadji Malick Diouf, Mamadou Sarr, Moussa Niakhate, Abdoulaye ⁠Seck, Ismail Jakobs

Midfielders: Idrissa Gana Gueye, Pape Gueye, Lamine Camara, Habib Diarra, Pathe Ciss, Pape ‌Matar Sarr, Bara Sapoko Ndiaye

Forwards: Sadio Mane, Ismaila Sarr, Iliman Ndiaye, Assane Diao, Ibrahim Mbaye, ​Nicolas Jackson, Bamba Dieng, Cherif Ndiaye

Published on Jun 02, 2026

#Senegal #squad #FIFA #World #Cup #Full #list #players #Sadio #Mane #leads #attack">Senegal squad for FIFA World Cup 2026 — Full list of players; Sadio Mane leads attack Senegal coach Pape Thiaw dropped defenders Moustapha Mbow and Ilay Camara from his preliminary ​squad to finalise his 26-man line-up for the World ‌Cup by FIFA’s deadline on Monday.Paris FC ​centre-half Mbow and Belgian-born Anderlecht fullback ⁠Camara, who has won three caps, were named in Thiaw’s 28-man wider squad on May 21.Mbow won his first ‌cap when he played the second half off the bench in the 3-2 ‌friendly loss to the United States in Charlotte ‌on ⁠Sunday, while Camara was an unused substitute.Sadio ⁠Mane, who scored both of Senegal’s goals against the U.S., remains a leading player for a star-studded Senegal squad that ​looks to be the ‌most potent of the 10 African qualifiers for the World Cup.Senegal ‌opens its World Cup campaign against France on June 16 in New Jersey in a repeat of its 2002 World Cup meeting in which the African side came out on top against the then-holder.It also takes on Norway at the ‌same venue (June 22) and Iraq in Toronto (June 26) in Group ​I matches.Senegal squad for FIFA World Cup 2026:Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy, Mory Diaw, Yehvann DioufDefenders: Krepin Diatta, Antoine Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly, ⁠El Hadji Malick Diouf, Mamadou Sarr, Moussa Niakhate, Abdoulaye ⁠Seck, Ismail JakobsMidfielders: Idrissa Gana Gueye, Pape Gueye, Lamine Camara, Habib Diarra, Pathe Ciss, Pape ‌Matar Sarr, Bara Sapoko NdiayeForwards: Sadio Mane, Ismaila Sarr, Iliman Ndiaye, Assane Diao, Ibrahim Mbaye, ​Nicolas Jackson, Bamba Dieng, Cherif NdiayePublished on Jun 02, 2026 #Senegal #squad #FIFA #World #Cup #Full #list #players #Sadio #Mane #leads #attack

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