After the Cleveland Cavaliers cruised to an Eastern Conference crown last season -- ultimately breaking the city's 52-year title drought weeks later -- is the path to the NBA Finals just as clear for LeBron James & Co. in 2016-17?

Can teams like the Toronto Raptors or improved Boston Celtics play spoiler?

We asked our ESPN Forecast panel to predict which team will emerge as Western Conference champions in 2016-17. Then we totaled up the ballots, with a first-place vote receiving five points, a second-place vote receiving three and a third-place vote receiving one. (Here's how ESPN Forecast works.)

To participate in the discussion, #ESPNForecast is the Twitter hashtag to use.

So who will rule the East? Read on.

Eastern Conference champ projections

1. Cleveland Cavaliers

Proj. record: 57-25

First-place votes: 45

Points: 231

2. Boston Celtics

Proj. record: 51-31

First-place votes: 1

Points: 114

3. Toronto Raptors

Proj. record: 51-31

First-place votes: 0

Points: 57

4. Indiana Pacers

Proj. record: 45-37

First-place votes: 1

Points: 14

T-5. Detroit Pistons

Proj. record: 45-37

First-place votes: 0

Points: 2

T-5. Chicago Bulls

Proj. record: 40-42

First-place votes: 0

Points: 2

T-7. Atlanta Hawks

Proj. record: 44-38

First-place votes: 0

Points: 1

T-7. New York Knicks

Proj. record: 40-42

First-place votes: 0

Points: 1

T-7. Milwaukee Bucks

Proj. record: 39-43

First-place votes: 0

Points: 1