NBA midseason grades for every East team: Cavs earn ‘A+,’ Knicks and Celtics have same mark, one team gets ‘F’

We’re halfway through the 2024-25 NBA regular season, and the Eastern Conference is filled with some of the league’s most surprising teams. No one could’ve predicted that the Cavaliers would have not just the best record in the conference at 36-6, but the best in the whole league at 36-6 (a 70-win pace). They’ve looked like the team to beat in the East, even with the Boston Celtics looming right behind them in the No. 2 spot. 

The Knicks and Bucks are where they should be, but there’s one notable absent from the top five that was expected to contend. That’s the Philadelphia 76ers, who have by and large been a massive disappointment thus far. That’s mostly due to injuries, as Paul George has been in and out of the lineup and Joel Embiid has been kept in a bubble for most of the season. But even when they are healthy, little chemistry can be built before one of them is back on the injury report. But thanks to a less-than-competitive Eastern Conference, only 6.5 games separates them and the No. 6 Hawks.

Speaking of Atlanta, it appears as though the front office has found the appropriate stable of young talent to surround Trae Young with, and it’s resulted in the Hawks being the only team this season to beat both the Cavaliers and Celtics twice. The Pistons have similarly pulled out some impressive wins, as Cade Cunningham is playing his way to an All-Star berth. 

With the first half of the season in the books, we’re assessing where each team is and handing out some grades for their performance through ~41 games. These grades are specific to each team, so the wins and losses won’t hold the same significance for everyone.

Atlanta Hawks: B-

• Record: 22-20
• The basics: 18th in offense, 19th in defense, 20th in net rating (-1.9)
• Reason for optimism: They’ve proven they can beat the East’s top teams.
• Reason for pessimism: Can they stay healthy?

The Hawks have run hot and cold all season long; thus far they have three winning streaks of at least three games and four losing streaks of at least three games. All told, it’s been enough to keep them above .500 and in control of an automatic playoff spot in the Eastern Conference at the midway point of the season. Their grasp on a postseason berth feels tenuous, but if they can get there they’ve proven they can beat the East’s top teams (7-3 against the top-four seeds). 

Perhaps the biggest question for the Hawks is whether they can stay healthy in the second half of the season. Clint Capela is the only player on the team who has appeared in all 42 games, and Onyeka Okongwu, Jalen Johnson, De’Andre Hunter, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Larry Nance have all missed at least seven contests. If they can keep their top players on the floor together, they’ll have a good chance to get back to the playoffs after missing out last season. — Jack Maloney

Boston Celtics: B+

• Record: 30-13
• The basics: 3rd in offense, 5th in defense, 3rd in net rating (+9.7)
• Reason for optimism: They’re the defending champs and top-five in both offensive and defensive rating despite a tough month.
• Reason for pessimism: What happens if the shooting doesn’t return to form?

It’s a testament to the standard the Celtics set last season and early in this campaign that playing .500 ball for a month is seen as a borderline crisis. Even amid this disappointing stretch, which has featured some bizarre fourth-quarter performances, they still have the third-best record in the league and are the only team in the top-five in both offensive and defensive rating. There’s also probably a bit of a perception problem going on given the absurd records the Cavaliers and Thunder have posted. 

There’s been some bad moments lately, but there’s no reason for long-term concern in Boston. As Steve Kerr put it after his shorthanded Warriors lost by 40 to the Celtics, “it’s perfectly natural for them to have a little bit of an emotional hangover… come playoff time, they’ll be ready to roll.” One trend to watch from now until the playoffs is the Celtics’ shooting. They’re still putting up a league-leading 49 per game, but are making just 36.3% of them, which ranks 14th. Save for a few big games, they have not shot the ball all that well this season, and have been particularly cold as of late. It will be interesting to see if they can snap out of that shooting slump by the spring.  — Jack Maloney

• Record: 14-29
• The basics: 25th in offense, 25th in defense, 26th in net rating (-7.3)
• Reason for optimism: After trading Dennis Schroder and Dorian Finney-Smith, Brooklyn has more than 30 draft picks in the next seven years.
• Reason for pessimism: As a result of those trades and some absences, the days of these Nets being competitive in virtually every game appear to be over — there has been a double-digit scoring margin in 11 of their last 15 losses, and one of them was decided by 57 points.

Brooklyn has lost 19 of its last 24 games, and it has the NBA’s worst offense in that span. As ugly as that sounds, in a way the franchise is handling the season beautifully: After showcasing Schroder and Finney-Smith, it moved them both with enough time to tumble down the standings. The Nets aren’t going to catch Washington in the race to the bottom, but they now have the same amount of wins as Portland, and, with New Orleans and Charlotte picking up some wins recently, they might be able to fall further.

One benefit of the trades is that there are more minutes to go around for the young players who might be a part of the team’s future. One downside is that those young players have to play in a much more challenging offensive environment. It is difficult for the Nets to create advantages, and, in many lineups, it is difficult for them to space the floor. Even so, Noah Clowney has shown some flashes as a stretch big, and Ziaire Williams has perked up a bit since returning from a knee injury. The question now is what this roster will look like after the deadline. More specifically: Will Cam Johnson still be on it? — James Herbert

• Record: 11-28
• The basics: 28th in offense, 17th in defense, 24th in net rating (-5.3)
• Reason for optimism: LaMelo Ball is poised for his second All-Star appearance.
• Reason for pessimism: Team-wide Injuries have handicapped any real development.

It’s been a difficult season for the Hornets as injuries have swept through the roster. It’s impacted the development of young players like Brandon Miller, who is out indefinitely with a torn ligament in his right wrist. Ball has missed his fair share of games, Grant Williams is out for the season and Tre Mann hasn’t suited up since Nov. 21 with a back injury. As a result, Charlotte has just 11 wins to its name.

A silver lining (in addition to being in contention to keep Cooper Flagg in North Carolina) is Ball is likely to make his second All-Star team. Ball’s output — 29.3 points a game — makes him the fourth-highest scorer in the league. When he’s healthy, he’s undoubtedly one of the best scorers in the league, and luckily for the Hornets, he’s returned from injury to pick up where he left off early in the season. — Jasmyn Wimbish

• Record: 19-25
• The basics: 15th in offense, 22nd in defense, 22nd in net rating (-2.9)
• Reason for optimism: Nikola Vucevic’s trade stock is at its highest.
• Reason for pessimism: There’s no logical plan going forward.

What are the Bulls doing? Really, I’m asking because nothing about what they’ve done this season makes any sense for where this team falls in the hierarchy of the league. They’re winning too many games to be in the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes, which should’ve been the plan all season long if you ask me. And they’re also not good enough to even be considered a sneaky-good team in what’s been an awful Eastern Conference. And even if they were, again, why would that be the goal?

The Bulls have been on the treadmill of mediocrity for several years, and they have no one to blame but themselves. They haven’t been able to trade Zach LaVine because his contract is too hefty for any championship-contending team to take on — a deal they signed him to. They owe the San Antonio Spurs a first-round pick if it falls outside the Top 10 this year, something that could seriously happen if they keep winning games. Chicago’s painted itself into a corner, and the longer they keep down this path, the further they get from actually contending again. The only blip of hope will come at the trade deadline, where the Bulls could theoretically trade both LaVine and Vucevic. LaVine’s less likely to be traded just based on his contract, but Vucevic is an attractive asset who is having a phenomenal season. If Chicago can move one of those two guys it would be a step in the right direction. — Jasmyn Wimbish

Cleveland Cavaliers: A+

• Record: 36-6
• The basics: 1st in offense, 9th in defense, 2nd in net rating (+10.1)
• Reason for optimism: The Cavs look like the team to beat in the East.
• Reason for pessimism: Will this be sustainable in the playoffs?

The Cavaliers are first in offense, second in net rating, and have the best record in the NBA. No one could’ve predicted this team would’ve been this good, not even new coach Kenny Atkinson, who jokingly said that the first half of the season has been the “ultimate surprise.” Donovan Mitchell has been the driving force on offense, but Darius Garland becoming a consistent marksman from deep has truly opened things up for Cleveland on offense. Couple that with continued ascension of Evan Mobley, whom Atkinson has trusted to take more control of the offense for stretches of the game, and the overall depth that Cleveland has, and you have the team to beat in the East. Yes, even above Boston who despite returning an entire championship core, has struggled with some mental lapses late in games.

There aren’t many reasons to be pessimistic about this team right now, but the one thought that does come to mind is wondering if this team will be able to replicate this success in the postseason. When defense tightens up, rotations shorten and the court shrinks, will Cleveland be able to stay this hot from deep? Will We’ve seen top-ranked teams exit earlier than usual because they ran into the wrong opponent, or because that regular-season success didn’t fully translate to the postseason. — Jasmyn Wimbish

Detroit Pistons: A

• Record: 22-21
• The basics: 17th in offense, 14th in defense, 17th in net rating (-1.0)
• Reason for optimism: Cade Cunningham is getting the recognition he deserves.
• Reason for pessimism: Jaden Ivey’s absence shines light on lack of backcourt depth.

The Pistons have been perhaps the best surprise of the season, especially after finishing with just 14 wins a season ago. The roster construction that took place last summer has paid off, as the additions of Tobias Harris, Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr., have given Detroit quality veterans to balance out this young roster. Cunningham has been one of the best stories all season, a former No. 1 overall draft pick who is finally breaking through to national attention behind a career season which should earn him his first All-Star berth as well as some All-NBA love. His style echoes that of a Luka Doncic, but more committed defensively.

At the halfway mark, only 5.5 games separate the Pistons and the third-placed Knicks. Climbing that high in the rankings is still a lofty expectation, but depending on how the Pistons perform over the next few weeks it’s not ridiculous to consider them finishing as a top-six seed in the East. One thing that could hold them back from that is not having Ivey for an extended period of time. Ivey suffered a broken fibula in the first week of January and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks. While the Pistons have played incredibly well without him, going 7-3 in his absence so far, it’s clear that this team needs another playmaker in the backcourt alongside Cunningham. They’ve managed this far, but is that sustainable when Detroit has to run a more heliocentric offense through Cunningham without Ivey on the floor?  — Jasmyn Wimbish

• Record: 24-19
• The basics: 9th in offense, 20th in defense, 14th in net rating (+0.4)
• Reason for optimism: After a 9-14 start, they look like themselves again: Since Dec. 13, they’ve been the best transition team in the league, per Cleaning The Glass.
• Reason for pessimism: Their resurgence can be partially attributed to drastic — and perhaps unsustainable — defensive improvement.

If this exercise were just about the second quarter of the season, the Pacers would get an A+. They have won 14 of their last 18 games, and during that span they have the NBA’s sixth-best offense and fifth-best defense. The return of Andrew Nembhard has made a gigantic difference, and, now that Aaron Nesmith is back, the Pacers have real depth on the wing. I don’t expect them to keep getting stops at a top-five level, but, if they stay healthy, they should be able to avoid falling into the play-in.

That said, the way Indiana started the season was a bit alarming, wasn’t it? Nembhard’s on/off numbers, even during the team’s turnaround, suggest that it doesn’t have much room for error. — James Herbert

• Record: 21-20
• The basics: 14th in offense, 10th in defense, 13th in net rating (+1.0)
• Reason for optimism: Tyler Herro has taken a genuine leap on the offensive end.
• Reason for pessimism: The Jimmy Butler situation seems unlikely to end well.

Jimmy Butler is back with the team after his seven-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team, but for how long? Butler has made it clear that he wants to be traded by the Feb. 6 deadline, though finding a deal is easier said than done — especially given the constraints on the Suns, his preferred destination. If the Heat can’t find a trade, how will he approach the remainder of the season? He hasn’t looked particularly locked in since returning to the lineup earlier this month, and can become an unrestricted free agent in the summer. 

The Butler drama has overshadowed everything that’s happening with the rest of the team. Most notably, Tyler Herro has taken a genuine leap on the offensive end and put himself in the All-Star conversation. Herro is one of 10 players averaging at least 24 points, five rebounds and five assists, and has been the main reason the team has a decent offense despite getting so little from Butler. — Jack Maloney

Milwaukee Bucks: B

• Record: 24-17
• The basics: 12th in offense, 8th in defense, 11th in net rating (+2.7)
• Reason for optimism: They have the third-best record in the league since their 2-8 start.
• Reason for pessimism: They’re 0-8 against the top three teams in the East.

What a strange season for the Bucks, who started off 2-8 but are 22-9 since then, which is the third-best record in the league in that span, behind only the Cavaliers and Thunder. They destroyed the Thunder in the NBA Cup championship, and if you catch them on the right night it’s easy to convince yourself they’re a darkhorse title contender. But despite the turnaround, they remain just 11-10 against teams with a winning record, including 0-8 against the top three teams in the Eastern Conference. Catch them on the wrong night and it’s not hard to imagine them losing in the first round. 

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard are the league’s highest-scoring duo at 56.5 points per game and the Bucks are second in the league in 3-point percentage (38.8%), yet the offense remains outside of the top 10. That’s largely because they don’t have a consistent third option. Khris Middleton’s return has helped, but he’s been relegated to a bench role amid persistent ankle issues that limit his playing time. In a surprise twist, the defense has been solid, though containing elite perimeter threats, particularly quick guards, remains a challenge. The Bucks have steadied the ship, but they still have more to prove. 

New York Knicks: B+

• Record: 28-16
• The basics: 2nd in offense, 16th in defense, 6th in net rating (+6.0)
• Reason for optimism: This might be the best Knicks team of the 21st century, and Mitchell Robinson could give them a new dimension.
• Reason for pessimism: Considering how banged-up New York was at the end of last season, it’s a little concerning that four Knicks rank in the NBA’s top five in total minutes played (and in the top six in total distance traveled).

Since the beginning of December, Mikal Bridges has averaged 20 points on 62% true shooting and made 40.8% of his catch-and-shoot 3s. From Christmas onward, Josh Hart has averaged 14.5 points, 12.4 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.7 steals. OG Anunoby is one of the best individual defenders in the NBA, and both Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns deserve to start in the All-Star Game. So why doesn’t it feel like New York is having a phenomenal season?

Part of it is that the Knicks have gone 4-6 in their last 10 games, and part of it is that the team is still incomplete. Maybe the return of Robinson — he’s expected to be cleared to practice by the end of January — will solidify their defense (and turn offensive rebounding into a major strength again). To solve their depth issue, though, they probably need to find another rotation-caliber player on the trade market. — James Herbert

• Record: 23-21
• Basics: 29th in offense, 3rd in defense, 15th in net rating (0.0)
• Reason for optimism: Franz Wagner is returning soon.
• Reason for pessimism: This is still a bad 3-point shooting team.

The Magic have built upon last season’s success, and even more they’ve stayed within striking distance of one of the top-six seeds in the East even with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner missing significant time due to injuries. That’s a testament to Orlando’s depth and defense, the latter of which is anchored by Jalen Suggs, who is on his way to a second All-Defense nod. But good news hit Orlando recently, as Wagner is expected to return from a torn right oblique soon as he was seen doing some light contact work during practice. It’s no secret that when Wagner and Banchero both share the floor the Magic are a significantly better team, but just to put some numbers behind it, when those two are healthy this season, the Magic have a +14.3 net rating, which would rank even above the Oklahoma City Thunder who rank first in that category this season, per Cleaning the Glass. 

Getting Wagner back will be a huge boost for Orlando in the second half of the season, but it he certainly isn’t going to fix Orlando’s 3-point shooting issues. The Magic rank last in the league in 3-point percentage, an issue that plagued them a season ago. They tried to fix it in the offseason by adding 3-and-D veteran Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, but he’s having an incredibly tough time connecting from deep, shooting just 31.6% from beyond the arc, a career low. Banchero’s been the only consistent threat from 3-point range, but that won’t be enough to contend with teams like the Cavaliers who rank first in 3-point shooting an a Boston team that takes almost 50 3s a night. Orlando should consider trading for a marksman, say Cam Johnson if the price is right, if they want to be taken seriously in the playoffs. — Jasmyn Wimbish

Philadelphia 76ers: F

• Record: 15-26
• The basics: 24th in offense, 21st in defense, 23rd in net rating (-4.3)
• Reason for optimism: N/A
• Reason for pessimism: It does not appear that they’ll ever be healthy this season.

What a disaster. Just as Joel Embiid’s sprained foot cleared up, his balky knee swelled again, ruling him out for another stretch this month. The big man hasn’t played since Jan. 4 and has still only played 13 games all season. That his knee swelled up during a period where he wasn’t even playing is an extremely concerning sign, and has raised questions about whether the team should shut him down for the rest of the season. 

As a result of their continued injury problems, which are not limited to Embiid, they’ve lost six games in a row to fall two games out of a Play-In Tournament spot and 6.5 games out of a top-six seed. They’re just 4-24 against teams with a .500 or better record, which is the third-worst mark in the league in such contests. Paul George, meanwhile, has admitted to being “bored” with having to play center at times. It’s gotten so grim in Philly that there are real conversations about whether they’ll keep their top-six protected first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. — Jack Maloney

• Record: 10-32
• The basics: 23rd in offense, 28th in defense, 27th (-7.4) in net rating
• Reason for optimism: Ochai Agbaji has made 41.7% of his catch-and-shoot 3s and appears to be a keeper.
• Reason for pessimism: Immanuel Quickley, who has played in only nine games, is third on the team in pull-up 3s attempted (33), trailing Gradey Dick (58) and Scottie Barnes (50). Quickley is the only Raptor who has attempted more than 15 pull-up 3s and made more than a third of them (39.4%).

In the big picture, it’s not a bad thing that Toronto has the second-worst record in the NBA. This is far from a win-now team, and the top of the 2025 draft is pretty exciting. If the Raptors get even worse by trading a few vets in the next few weeks, it will make perfect sense.

This is not to say, however, that everything is going according to plan. Toronto’s 2024-25 season has been profoundly weird, mostly because Barnes, Quickley and RJ Barrett have only played 88 minutes together. In particular, Quickley’s various injuries (pelvis, elbow, hip) have made it difficult to judge how the rebuild is going. A season like this can pay off enormously down the road, but, in the moment, it’s a real slog. — James Herbert

• Record: 6-35
• The basics: 30th in offense, 30th in defense, 30th in net rating (-13.4)
• Reason for optimism: After shooting 24.4% from 3-point range in his first 19 games, Alex Sarr has shot 39.1% from 3-point range in his last 18.
• Reason for pessimism: I mean, they’ve won 14.6% of their games. In the last 27 years, only the 2012 Bobcats and 2016 Sixers finished with a worse winning percentage.

I can’t completely crush the Washington Wizards for being this bad. They were built to be bad, and, given the era that preceded this one, that was the right call. I totally get why they drafted Sarr No. 2 overall — his playmaking is kind of crazy for a 7-footer, and I have to assume that his poor finishing will improve when he gets physically stronger. Imagine the defensive upside of a Sarr-Coulibaly-Flagg frontcourt!

With the trade deadline coming up, though, Washington has to deal with one of the nasty short-term effects of chasing lottery balls: Losing all the time is bad for trade value. Sure, Jordan Poole has been more efficient than last season, but who’s trying to trade for the guy who gets the most touches on the team that has the league’s worst offense? Kyle Kuzma has taken some heat for turning down a chance to be traded to Dallas last February, but that non-trade doesn’t reflect any better on the Wizards’ front office, who will likely find a much worse market for Kuzma now that he has .425/.257/.606 shooting splits. Let’s see what they can get for Jonas Valanciunas, I guess. — James Herbert