The battle for the top spot in the Eastern Conference remains wide open, with the Detroit Pistons currently sitting atop the standings with the best record in the NBA. Close behind are a surging Boston Celtics team and the New York Knicks, both winning enough games to keep the No. 1 seed within reach. Charles Barkley, however, has a bold prediction about who he believes will ultimately emerge from the conference.
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A new favorite is climbing the ranks in the East: the Cleveland Cavaliers. They recently acquired James Harden from the Clippers in exchange for Darius Garland, and the results have been immediate. Cleveland is 5-0 since adding Harden, and his pursuit of a championship now runs through the Midwest. Alongside Donovan Mitchell, Harden has helped form a duo that is quickly becoming one of the most dangerous in the conference.
Barkley spoke about the Cavaliers during the latest edition of Inside the NBA. He told the rest of the crew that even though he had previously selected the Knicks as his favorite in the East, he’s seen enough out of the Cavs to change his pick.
“I’m changing my pick Ernie. I told you all I thought the Knicks were coming out of the East. The Cleveland Cavaliers. Cleveland Cavaliers are coming out of the Eastern Conference,” stated the Suns legend, and you could tell he meant it too.
Chuck isn’t the type of guy who speaks just for the sake of hearing his own voice. He truly believes the Cavs are that dominant.
“The Cleveland Cavaliers are coming out of the eastern conference,” – Charles Barkley pic.twitter.com/xF7XkMXzuG
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) February 21, 2026
It is easy to see why. Harden is averaging 18.4 points over his last five games, shooting over 40 percent in all but one of them. He has also dished out 8.6 assists per game, consistently finding teammates and keeping the offense moving. That is encouraging for Cavaliers fans, especially given how inconsistent the offense had looked before his arrival.
That said, there is no need to rush the conclusion. Cleveland is 5-0, but three of those wins came against the struggling Kings, Wizards, and Nets. The other two, however, carry more weight. The Cavs knocked off a surging Hornets squad and edged out a win against the Nuggets, though the Denver victory hinged on Jamal Murray missing a late free throw.
The Eastern Conference does not hand out crowns in February, and teams like the Celtics and Knicks are not going to flinch because of a five-game streak. Still, if Cleveland can defend at a high level and allow Harden to orchestrate without overextending himself, this begins to feel less like a fun storyline and more like a legitimate shift in power.
Either way, the East just became a lot more interesting. Harden still has work to do to silence the narrative that he struggles when the lights are brightest, but this is a strong way to begin his run in Cleveland.
