East > West?

[Arizona_Sting]

From a depth perspective… I think so. I do think the 3 of the 4 best teams in the NBA are in the West (GSW, SAN, OKC), but in terms of depth from top to bottom I'd give the East an advantage.

I was skeptical at first, but it looks legit to me. The Celtics, Pistons, Pacers, Knicks, Hornets, etc. have all really improved and made some nice moves this offseason. Don't think I've ever seen a conference shift this dramatically before. Kinda crazy.

 

[bksballer89]

You finally came to your senses. Proud of you

 

[Heatles84]

Record-wise I can't even put OKC as a top team in the league right now. If the season were to end today, Detroit and Boston would be home watching the playoffs, yet have winning records. The last few years, the 6th-8th seeds practically had a .500 record or worse. Right now, the number 8 and 1 seeds are 3 games apart. The East definitely got balanced.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

You finally came to your senses. Proud of you

? I don't think I've made a comment on conferences this year until now.

 

[bksballer89]

? I don't think I've made a comment on conferences this year until now.

Sarcasm my friend but you made mentioned in the past of going to the top 16 teams in the playoffs instead of 8 from each conference. I was always against it for this reason. I knew that eventually the east would catch up to the west in terms of depth

 

[Bolts]

It's weird to think a sub .500 record could get the 7th or 8th seed in the West and winning records in the East could miss the playoffs. 8 teams out West are at or under .500 but within 2 games of a playoff spot or currently in the top 8. There's still a lot of games left and things could change(some East teams falling off/some West teams surging), but over a quarter of a way through the season this might just be what happens. Kings sit only 1.5 GB of a playoff spot but look horrible and it's hard to see them having any chance to make it, and if they were in the East would be 5 GB. Rockets, Pelicans, and Grizz have been worse than I thought they'd be while the Hornets, Magic, and Celtics have been better. Definitely more depth in the East right now, although the top 2 teams look to be from the West.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

Sarcasm my friend but you made mentioned in the past of going to the top 16 teams in the playoffs instead of 8 from each conference. I was always against it for this reason. I knew that eventually the east would catch up to the west in terms of depth

I'd still rather have the top 16 teams in.

 

[wildturkey]

Dirty South > all

 

[msgkings322]

Dirty South > all

So.....Orlando, Atlanta, CHarlotte, New Orleans, Houston, Memphis.....uh no

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

San Antonio repping the Dirty South, well sort of....

We can never figure out what the hell region we are in Texas.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

Sarcasm my friend but you made mentioned in the past of going to the top 16 teams in the playoffs instead of 8 from each conference. I was always against it for this reason. I knew that eventually the east would catch up to the west in terms of depth

You can't really claim "you knew it" because of a two month stretch in 1 season lol

 

[ericd7633]

If my calculations are correct, the east and west have identical records against each other:

79-79.

I'd still take the west though as the better conference, just slightly though, which is crazy to think about given where things stood last year.

 

[msgkings322]

If my calculations are correct, the east and west have identical records against each other:

79-79.

I'd still take the west though as the better conference, just slightly though, which is crazy to think about given where things stood last year.

The pendulum definitely correcting now.

 

[Robotech]

I'd still rather have the top 16 teams in.

Yeah, I agree. Just because the conferences are finally balancing out doesn't mean that it's a good system. I would be fine to keep things the way they are, but I agree that simply having the best 16 teams make the playoffs is a better system. It was simply ridiculous to watch years and years of sub .500 teams making it to the playoffs.

However, to make things fair, we would have to modify the regular season schedule so that each team has an equal number of games against other teams, regardless of conference (or as close to it as possible). For example, the Suns would play the Celtics as many times as they would play the Lakers. This might hurt some regional rivalries, but I think that most fans will not lose sleep over this.

 

[logic]

However, to make things fair, we would have to modify the regular season schedule so that each team has an equal number of games against other teams, regardless of conference (or as close to it as possible). For example, the Suns would play the Celtics as many times as they would play the Lakers. This might hurt some regional rivalries, but I think that most fans will not lose sleep over this.

Personally, I would rather keep the rivalries than have the balanced schedule. The bottom seeds don't matter in the playoffs, no 7 or 8 seed has ever won the title. Only one 6 seed and one 4 seed have ever won. Ever! Why would you want to kill some fun rivalries to require more travel and tired basketball during the season when it won't make any difference in the playoffs?

 

[Arizona_Sting]

Personally, I would rather keep the rivalries than have the balanced schedule. The bottom seeds don't matter in the playoffs, no 7 or 8 seed has ever won the title. Only one 6 seed and one 4 seed have ever won. Ever! Why would you want to kill some fun rivalries to require more travel and tired basketball during the season when it won't make any difference in the playoffs?

Rivalries could still exist with 3 meetings a year rather than 4 and occasionally it would be 2 meetings a year, but if anything with less meetings the rivalry games would just be that much more hyped up with more built up anticipation.

Plus, this would open the door for new rivalries to develop.

 

[The Derski]

No. The competition is starting to even out which is good, but the West is still on top. Even at the end of the season if the records don't show it, the top half of the West will put the top half of the East to shame.

 

[bksballer89]

No. The competition is starting to even out which is good, but the West is still on top. Even at the end of the season if the records don't show it, the top half of the West will put the top half of the East to shame.

Based on what? Everyone is in agreement that the top 3 in the west is better than the top 3 out East but after that through roughly 30 games, the East is clearly better 4-15

 

[The Derski]

Based on what? Everyone is in agreement that the top 3 in the west is better than the top 3 out East but after that through roughly 30 games, the East is clearly better 4-15

Through 30 games... The West has been on top for at least a decade. it's going to take longer than a portion of the first half of a season to make me suddenly change my opinion.

 

[The Derski]

Some years I struggle to put together my team for the east all star team. I struggle with the West too, for opposite reasons.