One factor that is being overlooked here is strength of schedule. A team in the West is going to have more games against better Western teams, whereas the bottom dwellers in the east still may have a chance against the 7-10 seeds in the East.
Look at Memphis' division- NO, SA, HOU, and Dallas. They were 2-14 in that division this year, I don't see them improving compared to the other teams in their division. They are probably gonna trade Mike Miller and tank, it is the smartest thing they can do. Rebuild around Gay, Conley, the 5th pick this year, and a top pick next year. Giving up on next season is a no brainer.
