Atlantic Division NBA Preview: Celtics, Nets, Knicks, 76ers & Raptors Analysis

Explore the Atlantic Division's 2025-26 NBA season preview, featuring team insights, key player updates, and potential playoff contenders.

August 4, 2025

Atlantic Division NBA Preview: Celtics, Nets, Knicks, 76ers & Raptors Analysis

By:

Dan Bruno

August 4, 2025

In this article, we will provide a quick synopsis of each team in the Atlantic Division by reviewing their results from last season and projecting what the new campaign will have in store.

Boston Celtics

The Celtics were dominant last season, finishing with a 61-21 record. They looked like they were on course to compete for a second straight championship, until Jayson Tatum went down with an Achilles injury in the second round of the playoffs. The squad faces a significant challenge but should remain competitive in 2025-26, considering they went 8-2 in regular-season games without Tatum last year. Additionally, the Celtics picked up Anfernee Simons, who is a high-level scorer and will give them another dimension with some added flare in the backcourt. The trio of Simons, Derrick White and Jaylen Brown will account for the bulk of the squad's offensive identity and largely determine how far the team can go without the help of Tatum, who could remain out for the entire season.

The departure of Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and Luke Kornet leaves the club with slightly less experience and depth compared to last season. However, Payton Pritchard remains their top option off the bench and should continue to deliver impactful play at every opportunity. Additionally, Georges Niang and Baylor Scheierman will have a chance to carve out more notable roles. The Celtics also have a lot of potential in the frontcourt with Neemias Queta, Luka Garza and Xavier Tillman. It may take some time for the

In this article, we will provide a quick synopsis of each team in the Atlantic Division by reviewing their results from last season and projecting what the new campaign will have in store.

Boston Celtics

Brooklyn Nets

The Nets finished with a 26-56 record last season, as they were unable to gather much momentum through a campaign troubled by injuries and disrupted by a couple of trades. Most notably, Cam Thomas was off to a great start to the season, averaging 24.7 points on 46.1 percent shooting over his first 17 appearances, before injuries kicked in, ultimately keeping him sidelined for most of the rest of the season. Thomas has yet to re-sign with the team and remains a free agent at this point in the offseason. Additionally, the Nets let go of Cameron Johnson, who was one of their most effective players last season, as he was part of a trade that brought Michael Porter to Brooklyn. Porter averaged 18.2 points per game on 50.4 percent shooting, including 39.5 percent from deep last season. While he was a critical part of the Nuggets' championship run, Porter always played as a second, third or fourth scoring option. Now, he will have a new opportunity to expand his game with the Nets, as he is set to be a solidified first or second option for the offense.

Moreover, Nic Claxton remains a figure of consistency for the franchise, as he is heading into his seventh season with the club. Claxton should remain solid in his role, as he is averaging 11.6 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks over the last three seasons. The Nets also look forward to the debut of Egor Demin, a 6-foot-8, 19-year-old, rookie point guard, who finished with 12 points, four assists and four rebounds in his last Summer League outing.

New York Knicks

The Knicks are coming off one of their best seasons in a long time, as they had their best regular-season record since 2012-13, and they made it to the conference finals for the first time since the 1999-2000 season. Looking ahead, the squad is primed to challenge their own achievements from last season, as the entire starting five are set to return. They also added good depth to the backcourt with the acquisition of Jordan Clarkson, while Guerschon Yabusele will bolster the frontcourt.

The Knicks could hardly ask for more than they got from the starters last season, especially Jalen Brunson, who averaged team highs of 26.0 points and 7.3 assists per game during the regular season, on his way to also winning the KIA Clutch Player of the Year award. Karl-Anthony Towns was the squad's second-leading scorer with 24.4 points to go with a team-high 12.8 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges provide excellent supporting play at the wing, each able to impact the game defensively and knock down deep shots. The Knicks should remain one of the most fearsome teams in the East through 2025-26, as the loaded group is heading into their second full season together and should only benefit from the continuity.

Philadelphia 76ers

Things could hardly have been more frustrating for the 76ers last season, as they had hoped to enjoy the potential of a big-three consisting of Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and Joel Embiid. However, luck was not on their side, as the trio was only able to play a handful of games together, mostly on the account of George and Embiid being significantly limited by injury trouble. On the bright side, Maxey continued to show an elite ceiling, as he delivered a career-high 26.3 points per game across his 52 appearances on the season. At 24-years old, he has proven himself as a capable offensive leader, and he should continue to flourish in a major role for the upcoming season.

On the other hand, there is still some uncertainty about both George and Embiid's ability to open the season at full strength, which means guys like Quentin Grimes, Jared McCain and Kelly Oubre will have to continue taking on larger roles to help power the offense. Third overall pick from the 2025 draft, VJ Edgecombe, is also expected to be a key contributor and should have room to explore his game, as the club will likely be open to experimentation early in the season. Edgecombe finished with 15 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block in his last summer league game.

Toronto Raptors

The Raptors are coming off a season to forget, as they finished 11th in the East and failed to top 30 wins for the second straight campaign. However, things may not be as bad as they seem for the franchise north of the border, as their troubles began when Immanuel Quickley suffered an injury in just the second game of the 2024-25 season and went on to appear in only three games before January. The team's anticipated leader, Scottie Barnes, was also hit with the injury bug within the first month of the season, which contributed to initial hopes veering off course from the jump.

From there, the team elected to give more opportunities to their young players and avoided pushing their top guys too hard. Looking ahead though, the Raptors could come with a much different energy to start the new season, especially thanks to the addition of Brandon Ingram, who gives them a major boost on the offensive end. Ingram should be able to shine as a go-to scorer, allowing Barnes to focus on his all-around impact, while RJ Barrett and Quickley will be able to provide consistent supplementary scoring. The Raptors also have good depth from the bench, making them look like they are built for a run at the postseason, if all goes to plan.