THE BEST OF A BAD BUNCH

YOU HAVE to make Cleveland the prohibitive favorites, just because the East is so bad.

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The Cavs are so good defensively. Evan Mobley took a big step last season, and he’s only going to get better. Lonzo Ball is a great pickup for them. He’s a real point guard. He can defend and he can shoot. He's never been healthy, but when he plays, he's really good.

The Magic overpaid for Desmond Bane, no question. But he’s a good addition because their three top guys—Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs—aren’t great shooters. Bane gives them exactly what they were lacking. He’s also a guy they can run pick-and-roll for. And he doesn’t hurt them on defense, which is Orlando’s strength.

Seriously, the Knicks’ offseason additions are meaningless. Jordan Clarkson has been on the decline. Guerschon Yabusele is overrated—he put up decent numbers last season on a terrible Sixers team. Mike Brown is a good coach but he has a history of wearing on teams. For all the grief Tom Thibodeau got for grinding guys down, Mike does the same thing. I don’t think New York will be as good as it was last year.