East West Gap Narrowed

[Dino-Might]

Everyone was making such a huge deal about how the Western Conference has all the good teams, back when the East only had 3 teams over .500.

At the end of the season, the only team that really got screwed out of playoff spot out west is Phoenix at 47 wins. All the Eastern Conference playoff teams are now above .500 with the exception of Atlanta. Charlotte, at the 7 seed, is at 42 and 39 would have still made the playoffs over Minny, if it was top 16 teams.

Of course, this doesn't factor in Western Conference teams having to play against other West teams more often.

But still, it is not nearly as much of a travesty as it looked like it would be earlier this year.

Now imagine if Phoenix, a 47 win team, wins the lottery!

[Palmeirense]

The gap definitely narrowed, i'm actually quite shocked that 7 teams will finish the season over .500 in the east, it was looking like 5 teams at most would to it in december.

[dlts20]

yup, I said last week that everyone keeps saying make it an open 16 like it would be 11 WC teams in the playoffs but really it only changes one team. Just one. Thats not enough to change the format especially when a team like the Suns had no chance to win the title anyways

[NaturalBuns]

Still the west tops the east again.
Though it was narrowed the 8th seed in west is 3rd in east.
Still a significant gap

[NashtyNas]

The gap definitely narrowed, i'm actually quite shocked that 7 teams will finish the season over .500 in the east, it was looking like 5 teams at most would to it in december.

That's all fine and dandy, but the fact that the East is weak still stands.
The top 2 seeds in the East aren't even good enough to be anything above 4th in the West - that's ridiculous.
Then, the bottom 4 seeds in the East could be replaced by 2 West teams currently not even in the playoffs - and possibly a 3rd (Denver has 2 more games and are 1 game behind ATL, who has only 1 game left).

That's enough reason for the NBA commisioner to consider eliminating conferences (or changing how playoff seeding works at least) - which should tell you that this gap has not narrowed all that much.
It looks like it has, but in reality, it's still not very close.

[Palmeirense]

The gap definitely narrowed, i'm actually quite shocked that 7 teams will finish the season over .500 in the east, it was looking like 5 teams at most would to it in december.

That's all fine and dandy, but the fact that the East is weak still stands.
The top 2 seeds in the East aren't even good enough to be anything above 4th in the West - that's ridiculous.
Then, the bottom 4 seeds in the East could be replaced by 2 West teams currently not even in the playoffs - and possibly a 3rd (Denver has 2 more games and are 1 game behind ATL, who has only 1 game left).

That's enough reason for the NBA commisioner to consider eliminating conferences (or changing how playoff seeding works at least) - which should tell you that this gap has not narrowed all that much.
It looks like it has, but in reality, it's still not very close.

At the end of the day eliminating conferences would only lead to one team missing out, so it's all good. Obviously it would have a reflection in the first round of the playoffs, though.

[Dino-Might]

The top 2 seeds in the East aren't even good enough to be anything above 4th in the West - that's ridiculous.
Then, the bottom 4 seeds in the East could be replaced by 2 West teams currently not even in the playoffs - and possibly a 3rd (Denver has 2 more games and are 1 game behind ATL, who has only 1 game left).

One of those top two seeds from the East is the two time defending NBA champs so until a WC team wins it all, I wouldn't knock them too much.

How would the bottom 4 seeds get replaced by 2 West teams that are out of the playoffs?? Phoenix and who?? Minny is only 40-40 right now. Like I said, if you take top 16, Phoenix gets in and Atlanta drops. That's it. I don't understand what you are saying with this.

[Dr Aki]

6 teams in the west didnt have a chance at POs and started tanking

[NashtyNas]

The gap definitely narrowed, i'm actually quite shocked that 7 teams will finish the season over .500 in the east, it was looking like 5 teams at most would to it in december.

That's all fine and dandy, but the fact that the East is weak still stands.
The top 2 seeds in the East aren't even good enough to be anything above 4th in the West - that's ridiculous.
Then, the bottom 4 seeds in the East could be replaced by 2 West teams currently not even in the playoffs - and possibly a 3rd (Denver has 2 more games and are 1 game behind ATL, who has only 1 game left).

That's enough reason for the NBA commisioner to consider eliminating conferences (or changing how playoff seeding works at least) - which should tell you that this gap has not narrowed all that much.
It looks like it has, but in reality, it's still not very close.

At the end of the day eliminating conferences would only lead to one team missing out, so it's all good. Obviously it would have a reflection in the first round of the playoffs, though.

I'm not entirely sure how it would work, but assuming that they keep the regular season scheduling the same (which is what I think they want to do considering the travel time and distances between teams), the records would be very similar. What that means is that teams like Miami and Indianna, perennial powerhouses in the East, would slip from the #1 or #2 spot to somewhere between the #4 and #6 spot.

This affects who they are playing, and in turn who the top seeds are playing.
Miami would play TOR instead of CHA and Indy would play PHX instead of ATL.
I think overall, that's just better for the game. The 16 best teams overall should make the playoffs.
In fact, they should make it 14 or even 12 teams - how can you suggest that these are the most competitive basketball games in the world when over HALF the field (ie. NBA) gets a chance to participate, and it's not even based on merit?

[gaspar]

The top 2 seeds in the East aren't even good enough to be anything above 4th in the West - that's ridiculous.
Then, the bottom 4 seeds in the East could be replaced by 2 West teams currently not even in the playoffs - and possibly a 3rd (Denver has 2 more games and are 1 game behind ATL, who has only 1 game left).

One of those top two seeds from the East is the two time defending NBA champs so until a WC team wins it all, I wouldn't knock them too much.

How would the bottom 4 seeds get replaced by 2 West teams that are out of the playoffs?? Phoenix and who?? Minny is only 40-40 right now. Like I said, if you take top 16, Phoenix gets in and Atlanta drops. That's it. I don't understand what you are saying with this.

West vs East 283 - 166 (.630)

Based on strength of schedule and point differential 10 of top-13 teams in the league are from the West.

[NashtyNas]

The top 2 seeds in the East aren't even good enough to be anything above 4th in the West - that's ridiculous.
Then, the bottom 4 seeds in the East could be replaced by 2 West teams currently not even in the playoffs - and possibly a 3rd (Denver has 2 more games and are 1 game behind ATL, who has only 1 game left).

One of those top two seeds from the East is the two time defending NBA champs so until a WC team wins it all, I wouldn't knock them too much.

How would the bottom 4 seeds get replaced by 2 West teams that are out of the playoffs?? Phoenix and who?? Minny is only 40-40 right now. Like I said, if you take top 16, Phoenix gets in and Atlanta drops. That's it. I don't understand what you are saying with this.

I meant to say that they could be replaced by teams including those not even currently in the playoffs. Minny can replace ATL if they were in the East, and so can PHX. I guess that wasn't clear enough, sorry.
Yes, in a 16 best teams format, only team to drop out is ATL - but my point is that 2 teams currently not even in the PO's because they're in the West are better than the 8th seed in the East. Phoenix is 1 game behind the #3 and #4 seeds in the East, and all of the West's 4-8 seeds could be #3 in the East.

What I was trying to say is that even with tougher competition, teams in the West have an overall better record than those in the East. East might be winning more, but they're simply beating up on their own bottom tier teams.

Sure, Miami is the 2 time defending champion. However, that required a miracle, and a team out west already beat them once if I recall correctly.

[Imon]

Everyone was making such a huge deal about how the Western Conference has all the good teams, back when the East only had 3 teams over .500.

At the end of the season, the only team that really got screwed out of playoff spot out west is Phoenix at 47 wins. All the Eastern Conference playoff teams are now above .500 with the exception of Atlanta. Charlotte, at the 7 seed, is at 42 and 39 would have still made the playoffs over Minny, if it was top 16 teams.

Of course, this doesn't factor in Western Conference teams having to play against other West teams more often.

But still, it is not nearly as much of a travesty as it looked like it would be earlier this year.

Now imagine if Phoenix, a 47 win team, wins the lottery!

OP just glossed over the main weakness of his argument with a single sentence. Bravo.
Oh, the West teams were 283-166 (63%) over the East teams this year, but whatever.

*Edit*
Oh, and by the way, the West playoff teams, as of today, are 174-65 (73%) over the East.
On the flip side, the East playoff teams are, as of today, 119-121 (49%) over the West.

[Secret Lover14]

12 teams in the West could make the playoffs in the East. Could even make an argument for the Lakers, Kings, and Jazz to make the playoffs in the east also. On the flip side, only Indiana and Miami would make the playoffs in the West(I am on the fence on Chicago as I like Thibs).

[JohnStockton]

Atlanta would've easily been over .500 if Al Horford didn't get injured too, so that would've meant all 8 Eastern Playoff teams would've been over .500. The Hawks were the 3rd best team in the East for a long while when Horford was still around.

[ChuckChilly]

12 teams in the West could make the playoffs in the East. Could even make an argument for the Lakers, Kings, and Jazz to make the playoffs in the east also. On the flip side, only Indiana and Miami would make the playoffs in the West(I am on the fence on Chicago as I like Thibs).

What are you basing this all off of?

[Knosh]

12 teams in the West could make the playoffs in the East. Could even make an argument for the Lakers, Kings, and Jazz to make the playoffs in the east also. On the flip side, only Indiana and Miami would make the playoffs in the West(I am on the fence on Chicago as I like Thibs).

What are you basing this all off of?

I don't know about 12 teams, but Denver really isn't that far off.

Atlanta has won 33.3% of their games vs. West teams and 53% vs. East teams.
Denver has won 40% of their games vs West and 53.3% vs East.

[Nate505]

yup, I said last week that everyone keeps saying make it an open 16 like it would be 11 WC teams in the playoffs but really it only changes one team. Just one. Thats not enough to change the format especially when a team like the Suns had no chance to win the title anyways

Yeah, but what helps the East playoff teams is they get to play all their other crappy conference teams 3-4 times. The West doesn't get to feast on 6 teams with a lower than a .400 winning percentage. They get 3.

[Secret Lover14]

12 teams in the West could make the playoffs in the East. Could even make an argument for the Lakers, Kings, and Jazz to make the playoffs in the east also. On the flip side, only Indiana and Miami would make the playoffs in the West(I am on the fence on Chicago as I like Thibs).

What are you basing this all off of?

the obvious 8 playoff teams from the west + Phoenix + Minnesota on record alone. Then Denver and New Orleans based on East winning percentage, if they were in the Eastern conference they would play the really bad teams 4 times and would have overall winning record. You can also make an argument that the Lakers, Kings, and Jazz can make the playoffs in the East.

On the flip side, every team in the East except Miami, Indiana, Toronto, and Brooklyn has a losing record against Western Conference teams. No way they make the playoffs in the west.

[KI-DW-TT-AB]

12 teams in the West could make the playoffs in the East. Could even make an argument for the Lakers, Kings, and Jazz to make the playoffs in the east also. On the flip side, only Indiana and Miami would make the playoffs in the West(I am on the fence on Chicago as I like Thibs).

What are you basing this all off of?

the obvious 8 playoff teams from the west + Phoenix + Minnesota on record alone. Then Denver and New Orleans based on East winning percentage, if they were in the Eastern conference they would play the really bad teams 4 times and would have overall winning record. You can also make an argument that the Lakers, Kings, and Jazz can make the playoffs in the East.

On the flip side, every team in the East except Miami, Indiana, Toronto, and Brooklyn has a losing record against Western Conference teams. No way they make the playoffs in the west.

Oh my god stop.

Just come out and say it, western dleague teams would make the playoffs in the east also, wouldn't they?

West WNBA teams would make the east playoffs.

Right? Is that what you're trying to tell us?

[Edrees]

Everyone was making such a huge deal about how the Western Conference has all the good teams, back when the East only had 3 teams over .500.

At the end of the season, the only team that really got screwed out of playoff spot out west is Phoenix at 47 wins. All the Eastern Conference playoff teams are now above .500 with the exception of Atlanta. Charlotte, at the 7 seed, is at 42 and 39 would have still made the playoffs over Minny, if it was top 16 teams.

Of course, this doesn't factor in Western Conference teams having to play against other West teams more often.

But still, it is not nearly as much of a travesty as it looked like it would be earlier this year.

Now imagine if Phoenix, a 47 win team, wins the lottery!

Ignoring western conference teams having to play west teams more often is a huge deal to 'ignore'. Minnesota would probably make the playoffs if they played more eastern teams, and nuggets might have also had a chance if you switch them with atlanta's spot, i'm sure nuggest could have won that many games in the east for an 8th seed.

Another huge difference is that a team like the grizzlies would face toronto or someone in first round in the east, but they get to face the spurs in the west. that's a ridiculous disparity. that's even ignoring the memphis would have more wins if they were in the east and probably be 3rd seed with HCA. in the first round. A lot of teams that could make it to the ECF in the east are first round exits in the west. Still a huge disparity.

yup, I said last week that everyone keeps saying make it an open 16 like it would be 11 WC teams in the playoffs but really it only changes one team. Just one. Thats not enough to change the format especially when a team like the Suns had no chance to win the title anyways

No it doesn't. If the nuggets had atlanta's schedule they'd have a shot in instead of atlanta. same with minnesota. That's 3 teams. Also a lot of west teams would have HCA instead of playing on the road.

Example: Nuggets were 16-14 against the east. Atlanta was 27-24 against the east. There's a good chance if they switched conferences, nuggets would get the record needed to make the playoffs and atlanta wouldn't. Same can be said for Minnesota. 3 teams is a huge disparity. Suns, Nuggets, and Wolves all would be in the playoffs in the east, and likely Charlotte, Atlanta and Washington wouldn't be, if you look at the conference records, the only reason Charlotte, Atlanta and WA made it over suns, wolves and nuggets.

Minnesota was 17-13 against the east for a win % of 0.566, whereas the Bobcats were .568. Nearly identical records. Pretty good chance they have a near equal record if the same conference.

Looking at straight up record only tells you half the story of what would change if it was all one big conference. There's a LARGE probability, based the 6 teams conference records that i mentioned, that if it was one big conference, a team like the bobcats (who had a same win % against the east that the Wolves had as I showed, and if you look the wolves have a 0.1% better record against the west than the bobcats do!) would end up below Minnesota in the standings after 82 games.