Which Underdog Eastern Conference Team Could Shock Everyone and Crack the Top 6 This Season?

So, here we are again, staring down the barrel of another unpredictable NBA Eastern Conference season — and honestly, who saw this coming? The usual suspects? Sure, they’re there, but with heavy blows landing on stars like Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton, the door’s wide open for someone unexpected to crash the party. That someone, according to Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey, could be none other than the Atlanta Hawks — a team that’s quietly been cooking something potent behind the scenes. No longer just a fringe playoff hopeful, the Hawks, boosted by savvy acquisitions like Kristaps Porziņģis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, plus the burgeoning talents of Trae Young, Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, and the intriguingly promising Zaccharie Risacher, might just be primed to shake things up. So, the question gnaws at me — can Atlanta finally leap from flirting with greatness to full-blown dominance? With the East reeling from injuries and the Hawks’ revamped arsenal, it’s high time to bet on a bold comeback. Ready to see if the Hawks soar into the top six, or is this just another near miss on the horizon? Let’s dive in.

2012 NBA All-Star Game — (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The NBA Eastern Conference could belong to anyone in 2025-26.

Yes, certain teams are favorites to win it all, but everyone agrees that the conference is wide open after injuries to Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton.

Writing for Bleacher Report, Andy Bailey ranked the teams as if the season were starting today.

He had nice things to say about the Atlanta Hawks, who were No. 17 on this list last year but landed at No. 13 this time.

“If there was a ‘we thought they would be better’ award, the Atlanta Hawks would be in the hunt just about every year, so we have to approach this slide with a bit of caution. They’ve made that difficult, though, by Kristaps Porziņģis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker to a team that already has Trae Young, Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels, as well as a possible developmental leap on the way for Zaccharie Risacher. The ideal roster around Young would likely include loads of length, defense and shooting, and this one now has it. In an injury-weakened East, Atlanta should push for a top-six finish,” Bailey wrote.

The Hawks have indeed been very busy this summer.

Their additions of Kristaps Porzingis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker were definitely exciting, but that may be only the tip of the iceberg for this team.

There is hope that the trio of Trae Young, Jalen Johnson, and Dyson Daniels will continue to develop together.

On top of that, people are expecting more growth from young star Zaccharie Risacher.

This team has been flirting with being great for a few years, and some fans believe this will be the season that they take the next step and climb to a higher level.

With the Eastern Conference suffering such major injuries and the Hawks making some smart, strategic moves, now is the time to be confident in this team.

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