We’ve reached a pivotal point in the NBA regular season: Holiday games. With the NBA Cup officially over (congratulations to the Milwaukee Bucks), the primetime showdowns on Christmas Day are next to command the spotlight and mark the beginning of a crucial period leading up to the 2025 All-Star Weekend. Roughly two months into the season, pundits now have a big enough sample size to properly evaluate team and player performance, and measure who could potentially be a threat in the playoffs.

The Eastern Conference boasts some loaded rosters, including the Atlanta Hawks and Boston Celtics, and plenty of promising young players emerging in tow. Let’s look at some standout players guiding their teams into the New Year.

Trae Young, Guard, Atlanta Hawks

92 OVR (+3)

Welcome back to the 90 Club, Trae Young. The Atlanta Hawks’ superstar has maintained his elite scoring this year, but he’s looking to get his teammates more involved early and often. Through 26 games this year, Ice Trae is dishing out a career-high 12.1 assists per game, which leads the league. His points per game have dipped ever-so-slightly, but his command of the offense is arguably better than ever. 

Payton Pritchard, Guard, Boston Celtics

83 OVR (+1)

The Boston Celtics are led by its dynamic duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but the team’s strength lies in its surplus of bench depth. Among the many platoon players on Head Coach Joe Mazzulla’s squad, fifth-year guard Payton Pritchard has made the biggest leap in 2024. 

Over the last four years, Pritchard’s growth has been gradual, averaging 7.2 points during that span; however, he’s increased his offensive output exponentially this season, posting a career-best 16.5 points per game. The versatile 27-year-old is making the most of his 28 minutes per game this year, averaging 16.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game during the last two-week stretch.

Brandon Miller, Guard, Charlotte Hornets

83 OVR (+1)

Victor Wembanyama stole much of the spotlight during the 2023 NBA Draft going No. 1 overall, but the Charlotte Hornets quietly got a true hooper in Brandon Miller with the No. 2 overall pick. During his rookie season, Miller started in 68 games, playing in 74 total, and had no problem scoring an impressive 17.3 points per game. Now, with a full season under his belt, the 22-year-old guard is taking another step in his development, averaging 21.5 points per game this season, while increasing his rebounds and assists per game. As a team, the Hornets are still trying to find some consistency, but the team’s young core is quite promising.