ATLANTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 30: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks celebrates after a basket during the first half of a game against the Atlanta Hawks in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at State Farm Arena on April 30, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

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Tyler Erzberger

By Tyler Erzberger

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The Detroit Pistons were on the verge of embarrassment by being one of the few No. 1 seeds to fall in the first round of the NBA playoffs, but they staved off elimination with a huge comeback in Game 6 before putting the Orlando Magic away on Sunday.

Following the Cleveland Cavaliers' victory over the Toronto Raptors in another one-sided Game 7 to close out the weekend, we are down to the final four teams in the Eastern Conference.

Here's my ranking of the teams heading into their respective semifinal matchups.

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1. New York Knicks

Will the Knicks ever have a better chance to make it back to the NBA Finals for the first time in a quarter-century?

The Boston Celtics are gone. The Indiana Pacers combusted before the season even began. The Pistons and Cavaliers both look beatable, and their next-round opponent, the Philadelphia 76ers, needed every dose of energy to defeat the Celtics.

New York was the only Eastern team that didn't need to go the distance in their series.

If not now for this Knicks core, when? It has to be 2026.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers

Like all four teams in the East semifinals, the Cavs truly believe they can make it out and face the Western finalist for the championship.

In a similar vein to the Knicks, the Cavs kept their starting core together and then doubled down by getting James Harden to bolster a roster with a ticking clock.

This is not a core that is built to contend for years on end. Everything is aligning for a possible title for the Cavaliers, and they can't waste this opportunity.

3. Philadelphia 76ers

If we knew that Joel Embiid could play the rest of the playoffs at 100%, there's a chance that I might have had Philadelphia at the top of my rankings.

But seeing as Embiid needed the training staff to massage him in the dying minutes of Game 7 vs. Boston, you can't bet on the former MVP lasting even past this upcoming round.

It has been awesome seeing V. J. Edgecombe not shrink as a rookie in these big moments, and regardless of how this run ends, Sixers fans should be excited about their future behind Tyrese Maxey.

4. Detroit Pistons

The Pistons are the No. 1-ranked team in the East, yet none of that matters now that we're in the postseason and we just saw them barely get past a frustratingly one-dimensional Magic side.

It's nice that the Pistons got that big playoff victory after so many years, but the three organizations around them are smelling blood and see this as arguably their best shot to make a final with their current superstars.

Unless the Pistons can find any sort of consistent offense from a player not named Cade Cunningham, it's going to be tough for them to come out of the East.

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