Better conference this year in the NBA West or East?

[Alsacs]

Obviously the top 2 teams are in the West in Golden State and San Antonio. However honestly for the first time the 1998 post Jordan Era I honestly think top to bottom the East is better this year. Now the Sixers kill the East but 1-14 I think the East is actually better this year.

The bottom West playoff teams in Houston/Utah/Minnesota/Phoenix aren't as good the bottom East playoff teams. I think Minnesota in a year or two will be a mid-Western playoff team. The Clippers honestly look like the only team that could win one or two playoff games against SA/GS in the playoffs.

In the East young teams like Detroit/Orlando are improving and not currently in the playoffs and a team like Washington which isn't healthy is out of the current picture. 1-10 in the East are only 3.5 games apart. Young teams like Charlotte/Toronto/Boston are scary and teams getting healthy like Chicago/Miami are still good. Then you got the Knickerbockers in 11th and the Bucks in 12th.

I actually think this season has been interesting. Cleveland is still likely to win the East assuming Kyrie Irving becomes close to what he was.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Obviously the top 2 teams are in the West in Golden State and San Antonio. However honestly for the first time the 1998 post Jordan Era I honestly think top to bottom the East is better this year. Now the Sixers kill the East but 1-14 I think the East is actually better this year.

The bottom West playoff teams in Houston/Utah/Minnesota/Phoenix aren't as good the bottom East playoff teams. I think Minnesota in a year or two will be a mid-Western playoff team. The Clippers honestly look like the only team that could win one or two playoff games against SA/GS in the playoffs.

In the East young teams like Detroit/Orlando are improving and not currently in the playoffs and a team like Washington which isn't healthy is out of the current picture. 1-10 in the East are only 3.5 games apart. Young teams like Charlotte/Toronto/Boston are scary and teams getting healthy like Chicago/Miami are still good. Then you got the Knickerbockers in 11th and the Bucks in 12th.

I actually think this season has been interesting. Cleveland is still likely to win the East assuming Kyrie Irving becomes close to what he was.

East stronger conference. The pendulum has swung.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

East stronger conference. The pendulum has swung.

Eh. Maybe. I'm not sure how some of these teams are doing it. Charlotte? Orlando?

 

[Melancer46]

The East is catching up, but I think the gap between Golden State and San Antonio and every other team in the league is pretty huge, so for that reason alone, I'd probably still take the West.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Take out Golden State and San Antonio and the east is better. Just look at the point differential. 6 teams in the West have a positive point differential, 9 teams in the east do.

 

[Knicks411]

Hard to believe the east is outplaying the west this year. I'm still not totally sure I believe it, but it's happening.

 

[Alsacs]

Hard to believe the east is outplaying the west this year. I'm still not totally sure I believe it, but it's happening.

I honestly think the East 3-12 is better than the West 3-12. Obiously GS and SA are one and two and the only East that is capable of beating them in a 7 game series is Cleveland. I am just happy to see the East middle improving.

 

[Melancer46]

For what it's worth, based on 538 Sports' ELO and CARMELO metrics, they believe that collectively, the West is still better than the East. And if you remove the top two teams from each conference (Warriors and Spurs in the West, and Cavs and Celtics in the East), the West is still stronger. If you compare the top 8 in each conference, the West is still stronger as well. The West also has a winning record so far against the East this year (73-72). I definitely think it's close this year, but I'd still take the West as the stronger conference, and I think in general, there are more teams that are off to flukey good starts in the East and some flukey bad starts in the West; I expect that the gap between the two will grow as the year goes on.

I think from top to bottom, the East is just so average (with Philly obviously not so average lol). The West has basically all of the best teams in the league still IMO. It's middle tier is weaker than we've seen in recent history, but the top of the West is just much stronger than the East to me.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

And if you remove the top two teams from each conference (Warriors and Spurs in the West, and Cavs and Celtics in the East), the West is still stronger.

Celtics are 7th in the East, the Bulls are second.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I think Houston and Memphis end up getting dismantled this year. Who wants z bo, Conley and d Howard.

 

[Melancer46]

Celtics are 7th in the East, the Bulls are second.

Celtics are 2nd best according to their metrics. Bulls are 4th or 5th best in the East according to their system I believe.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Celtics are 2nd best according to their metrics. Bulls are 4th or 5th best in the East according to their system I believe.

Ah, gotcha, my bad, I was goin' by the standings.

 

[OrangeDW]

I think Houston and Memphis end up getting dismantled this year. Who wants z bo, Conley and d Howard.

I'd love to see Conley in NY. Rock solid PG in all aspects.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I'd love to see Conley in NY. Rock solid PG in all aspects.

I called a little while ago that he'll end up a Spur.

 

[MikeSU02]

The East is catching up, but I think the gap between Golden State and San Antonio and every other team in the league is pretty huge, so for that reason alone, I'd probably still take the West.

Yeah - depending on how you want to measure this, I can see how the East is better as a whole.

But GSW and SAS are on such historic paths, that you have to consider how much they raise up the conference as a whole.

Besides the Knicks, GSW and SAS are must-watch TV for me, being an NBA fan.

I will say, at the end of the year, barring a major trade, I think the four best (and only elite) teams will be: GSW, SAS, OKC and CLE.

I don't think that is surprising and I don't think anything will change that.

 

[Melancer46]

Yeah - depending on how you want to measure this, I can see how the East is better as a whole.

But GSW and SAS are on such historic paths, that you have to consider how much they raise up the conference as a whole.

Besides the Knicks, GSW and SAS are must-watch TV for me, being an NBA fan.

I will say, at the end of the year, barring a major trade, I think the four best (and only elite) teams will be: GSW, SAS, OKC and CLE.

I don't think that is surprising and I don't think anything will change that.

Agreed, and I think #5 probably ends up being the Clippers (barring injury).

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Agreed, and I think #5 probably ends up being the Clippers (barring injury).

I think Miami is sneaky dangerous.

 

[Knicks411]

I was gonna say maybe the Clippers; Cp3/Blake/Deandre is pretty good, but it just seems like they're a step behind the other teams.

Miami has a pretty solid starting lineup, but Dragic hasn't been that good, Deng has been hurt. I dunno, I guess I could see them pushing Cleveland a little in the playoffs but I don't see them winning a series from them unless Lebron is hurt

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I was gonna say maybe the Clippers; Cp3/Blake/Deandre is pretty good, but it just seems like they're a step behind the other teams.

Miami has a pretty solid starting lineup, but Dragic hasn't been that good, Deng has been hurt. I dunno, I guess I could see them pushing Cleveland a little in the playoffs but I don't see them winning a series from them unless Lebron is hurt

I could also see Whiteside piledriving one of the Cavs big three because he's insane.

Never discount a team with somebody legitimately crazy.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I think OKC gets waxed by either SAS or GSW in the playoffs. For one they don't play any defense, and I don't think they have the necessary complimentary pieces. When the benches are in, it will be a huge advantage for SAS or GSW.

I'm not even sure what to make of the East after Cleveland. Indiana is probably the second best team. Can Miami score enough to get past them? I think we get a Cleveland/Indy ECF.

 

[Melancer46]

I honestly can't see anybody besides Cleveland coming out of the East. If anyone does, I think they'll get swept in the Finals. Cleveland will at least have somewhat of a chance.

 

[Knicks411]

I think OKC gets waxed by either SAS or GSW in the playoffs. For one they don't play any defense, and I don't think they have the necessary complimentary pieces. When the benches are in, it will be a huge advantage for SAS or GSW.

I'm not even sure what to make of the East after Cleveland. Indiana is probably the second best team. Can Miami score enough to get past them? I think we get a Cleveland/Indy ECF.

I do think OKC is a step behind the top 2 in the west, but if they make it to playoffs healthy, Durant/Westbrook/Ibaka is still really freaking scary.

 

[MikeSU02]

I think OKC gets waxed by either SAS or GSW in the playoffs. For one they don't play any defense, and I don't think they have the necessary complimentary pieces. When the benches are in, it will be a huge advantage for SAS or GSW.

I'm not even sure what to make of the East after Cleveland. Indiana is probably the second best team. Can Miami score enough to get past them? I think we get a Cleveland/Indy ECF.

If memory serves me, OKC has the fewest passes made of any team in the NBA. Lot of hero ball. However, that works with Russ and KD. But against elite teams, it can be fatal in a 7 game series.

 

[MikeSU02]

Agreed, and I think #5 probably ends up being the Clippers (barring injury).

I think the Clips can be 5th, I just think they are a level below the other teams.

I just can't see that second team for the LAC getting them to the WCF, but maybe I'll be wrong.

 

[MikeSU02]

I honestly can't see anybody besides Cleveland coming out of the East. If anyone does, I think they'll get swept in the Finals. Cleveland will at least have somewhat of a chance.

Yeah, if a team likes Indy or Miami or a total shocker, like Toronto, makes it, I think they lose 4-0 or 4-1.