Tougher Conference: East or West?

[JXL]

The top 4 teams in the West have 30+ wins

Only 3 teams in the East have 30+ wins, but only Boston has the best record currently.

The West has more top end talent over the East.
The West has less bottom feeders (teams with 15 or less wins currently) than the East.

[Stannis]

I think the West. IMO, I just think the East has a lot of inexperienced playoff teams. Whereas in the West, you might get stuck drawing an 7th-8th seed Lakers or Warriors who would be a tough first round.

No matter how I look at it, I much rather have to play in the East if I had the choice. Easier first round match ups if you are a high seed. Chance on playing against an inexperienced PO team if you are a lower seed. Easier to make the POs in general, especially with play-ins.

[jkvonny]

West is certainly the stronger conference, with a huge lead in head-to-head wins.

However, when many people think about “Conference,” they only think about the best teams. For example, if people say that the East was the toughest conference in the 80’s-90’s, they think about DET and CHI, and don’t give equal weight to the two bottom teams back then.

Right now, the most significant team in the tougher conference is the Pistons, who have only one a single game vs the West. The top teams don’t have a bigger effect on how the Conference has done.

Finally, since people mainly focus on the top teams, it is easier to give more credit to teams like BOS, MIL, and PHI, who have had years of success, and under-rate teams like MIN, OKC.

The West was mostly junk at the bottom, than the East back then ('80s/'90s). Majority of the years.

And the East wasn't just Chicago/Detroit at the top to good (Boston, Milwaukee, Philly, Indiana, Cleveland, New York, Charlotte, Orlando, Atlanta, etc )

[Myth]

I don't ever remember the East being better than the West since I started watching the NBA which was since 1997.

Most of the dynasty teams have all been in the West Lakers/Spurs/Warriors.

The East was usually stronger than the West during the '80s,'90s.

2000 was when the shift of power occurred (West better than the East).

I may be a lil older than you, started watching and pay attention since the '80s when I was a kid lol. So that's probably why.

Once the Bulls were done, the East was done. Yeah, they obviously get some power houses, just as good as the West, but the depth has always lacked, and there were moments of even the top East teams being a joke compared to the West in the early half of the 2000s.

[Stannis]

I think the better question is when is the last time the answer here was East?

Was is during the Jordan era?

[jkvonny]

I think the West. IMO, I just think the East has a lot of inexperienced playoff teams. Whereas in the West, you might get stuck drawing an 7th-8th seed Lakers or Warriors who would be a tough first round.

Ha!

Lakers and GSW? They are old, stink. May not even make the play-in.

[jkvonny]

I don't ever remember the East being better than the West since I started watching the NBA which was since 1997.

Most of the dynasty teams have all been in the West Lakers/Spurs/Warriors.

The East was usually stronger than the West during the '80s,'90s.

2000 was when the shift of power occurred (West better than the East).

I may be a lil older than you, started watching and pay attention since the '80s when I was a kid lol. So that's probably why.

Once the Bulls were done, the East was done. Yeah, they obviously get some power houses, just as good as the West, but the depth has always lacked, and there were moments of even the top East teams being a joke compared to the West in the early half of the 2000s.

Agreed.

[Stannis]

I think the West. IMO, I just think the East has a lot of inexperienced playoff teams. Whereas in the West, you might get stuck drawing an 7th-8th seed Lakers or Warriors who would be a tough first round.

Ha!

Lakers and GSW? They are old, stink. May not even make the play-in.

I'll believe it when I see it. Maybe they finally suck. But they pulled playoff surprises last year.

[jkvonny]

I think the West. IMO, I just think the East has a lot of inexperienced playoff teams. Whereas in the West, you might get stuck drawing an 7th-8th seed Lakers or Warriors who would be a tough first round.

Ha!

Lakers and GSW? They are old, stink. May not even make the play-in.

I'll believe it when I see it. Maybe they finally suck. But they pulled playoff surprises last year.

Ok then.
If they even make the play in, they won't go too far in the playoffs.

But, Finally suck?
GSW had some bad seasons recently. Same for the Lakers.
Finally meaning, compared to last season?

[Stannis]

Ha!

Lakers and GSW? They are old, stink. May not even make the play-in.

I'll believe it when I see it. Maybe they finally suck. But they pulled playoff surprises last year.

Ok then.
If they even make the play in, they won't go too far in the playoffs.

But, Finally suck?
GSW had some bad seasons recently. Same for the Lakers.
Finally meaning, compared to last season?

To my understanding, GSW were ridiculed with injuries in those seasons.

Season 2019/2020, Klay and Steph missed the entire season. Can we really count that?

2020/2021, was just the Steph show IIRC.

By "finally", I mean when they just no longer look like a threat.

Sure, if I would have to bet, I'd say the Steph Curry era is over. But you never really know. Large part they are in this situation is because the FO decided to stay old with getting Chris Paul and choosing Draymond Green over Poole. But Steph still looks good imho. If they sneak into the first round, that would not be my ideal match up.

I know Lakers got spanked by the Nuggets last season. But they still had 2 good rounds as a 7th seed.

[Red Robot]

The West is 132-101 head to head against the East so far (.567). If that trend holds it'll be the most one-sided season in a decade.

Just plain team record understate the disparity between conferences because they don't account for the fact that the teams in the stronger conference play a more difficult schedule.

[jkvonny]

I'll believe it when I see it. Maybe they finally suck. But they pulled playoff surprises last year.

Ok then.
If they even make the play in, they won't go too far in the playoffs.

But, Finally suck?
GSW had some bad seasons recently. Same for the Lakers.
Finally meaning, compared to last season?

To my understanding, GSW were ridiculed with injuries in those seasons.

Season 2019/2020, Klay and Steph missed the entire season. Can we really count that?

2020/2021, was just the Steph show IIRC.

By "finally", I mean when they just no longer look like a threat.

Sure, if I would have to bet, I'd say the Steph Curry era is over. But you never really know. Large part they are in this situation is because the FO decided to stay old with getting Chris Paul and choosing Draymond Green over Poole. But Steph still looks good imho. If they sneak into the first round, that would not be my ideal match up.

I know Lakers got spanked by the Nuggets last season. But they still had 2 good rounds as a 7th seed.

Don't forget Lakers 33-49 not too long ago . 2022
37-45 in 2019.

But, ya, Lakers/GSW aren't real threats, TBH.
I do agree about Steph, he's still good, same for LEBron/AD.

[PistolPeteJR]

I think the West. IMO, I just think the East has a lot of inexperienced playoff teams. Whereas in the West, you might get stuck drawing an 7th-8th seed Lakers or Warriors who would be a tough first round.

Ha!

Lakers and GSW? They are old, stink. May not even make the play-in.

I'll believe it when I see it. Maybe they finally suck. But they pulled playoff surprises last year.

Miami making it to the Finals to represent the EAST last year was the biggest surprise, let's be real.

[cgf]

Is the west deeper? The east looks stronger 5-8

Kings (they are always underrated here in GM, the last couple of seasons, they are no slouch), Suns ( gettin healthy, gettin hot), Pelicans, Mavs are West 5-8.

Kings v Knicks/Cavs
Suns v Heat
Pelicans v Pacers
Mavs v Magic

Am I nuts for thinking the east wins those first 3 matchups?

[JasonStern]

West is definitely deeper. But it's disingenuous to not acknowledge that 3 of the top 5 favorites to win the 'chip are in the east.

[nomansland]

Is the west deeper? The east looks stronger 5-8

Kings (they are always underrated here in GM, the last couple of seasons, they are no slouch), Suns ( gettin healthy, gettin hot), Pelicans, Mavs are West 5-8.

Kings v Knicks/Cavs
Suns v Heat
Pelicans v Pacers
Mavs v Magic

Am I nuts for thinking the east wins those first 3 matchups?

Most of those look like tossups to me. Problem with the Pelicans and Mavs is you never know what you're going to get. They can be amazing or simply flat. Pacers and Magic play hard but are still missing something. I'd probably take the Heat in a playoff series but in the regular season I'd take the Suns.

The Knicks are on a hot streak but sometimes with new blood that happens and then fades. The Cavs are an enigma until Mobley and Garland get back. I don't trust the Kings. They're good and talented but still kind of young and streaky.

[jkvonny]

Is the west deeper? The east looks stronger 5-8

Kings (they are always underrated here in GM, the last couple of seasons, they are no slouch), Suns ( gettin healthy, gettin hot), Pelicans, Mavs are West 5-8.

Kings v Knicks/Cavs
Suns v Heat
Pelicans v Pacers
Mavs v Magic

Am I nuts for thinking the east wins those first 3 matchups?

Good post.

I could see a lot of those being toss ups.

But, Id' lean Suns over the Heat for sure.