I came across a blog that did this last year, but forgot to bookmark and was unable to find it again on subsequent attempts. As of now, it's 48-22 in favor of the West. Last year in one of the many threads of this nature (like over 20 threads in the last 5 years of the board iirc), I redid a playoff seeding based on 1) there being no conference division and 2) balanced schedules. The result was that 1) Phoenix would have made the playoffs and 2) Eastern top teams would have been lower seeded. This was the theme for the vast majority of the last 15 years. Teams in the East that wouldn't have made the playoffs in the West make the playoffs and top East teams face easier competition. That leaves the super competitive West usually having a tougher path. Bad Eastern teams that make the playoffs get worst draft positioning relative to good Western teams that miss the playoffs, which is factor in the perpetuation of Eastern suckitude. It's too early this season to project balanced schedule standings, but I'll get to it later on.
Current cumulative is West 96 - 49, so the east is playing marginally better. It started 48 - 22 and then went 48 - 27. The disparity is still very bad.
I don't see ATL or Toronto as playoff teams in the west... And they're tops in the East. It's a joke.
If Teague is arguably their best player, I guess Jones could count as arguably the best Rocket being out.
Assuming health, by years end the 8 best teams in the NBA will all be in the West. The teams in the East get to play more games against the East so their overall records will be inflated. But all the power is out West, one poor performance from the Rockets doesn't change that.
? Raptors are 7-2 against the west.. I would put the Raptors in the same tier as Portland and Houston if they were in the west. The whole time Howard was out we only got by because Harden was playing otherworldly MVP level basketball. I'd say if the Raptors and Rockets played a 7 game series they could beat us. The team is just way too deep to compete with, can score on any team at any position and defend all five positions extremely well. Dwayne Casey is probably the most underrated coach in the NBA right now.
The East's W-L% against the west starting with the 99-00 season Spoiler 2015 53-100 | 34.6% 2014 166-284 | 36.9% 2013 188-262 | 41.8% 2012 114-156 | 42.2% 2011 189-261 | 42.0% 2010 204-246 | 45.3% 2009 231-219 | 51.3% 2008 192-258 | 42.7% 2007 193-257 | 42.9% 2006 198-252 | 44.0% 2005 194-256 | 43.1% 2004 154-266 | 36.7% 2003 170-250 | 40.5% 2002 188-232 | 44.8% 2001 161-259 | 38.3% 2000 193-227 | 46.0% It been a freaking joke, and the Eastern Conference apologists continue to scream that it's cyclical. Not only is it not getting better, it appears to somehow be getting even worse. The East is JV, and what few decent teams they actually have get to cakewalk through the season playing that inferior competition.
Did you just compile that? If so, nice work just for a post. I don't think there are many East apologists. I think there are team apologists from successful Eastern teams that take exception to the West argument, such as Pacertom from last year when the Pacers started off pretty well vs. the West, then fell off the cliff the 2nd half of the season. I know many DC fans of the same mindset this year. Overall, I'm never really denigrating the individual success of an Eastern team for any particular year, but just the overall weakness of the conference.
And with Rondo coming West, and possibly Deron Williams, it's only getting more lopsided. And yes, I realize Deron Williams hasn't been elite in a very long time, but it's getting to the point that the East can't afford to lose a decent rotation guy. It is SOOOO bad.
Still feel this way. Wow the east only has 5 teams above .500 even tought they get to play the terrible eastern teams more. I think only atlatna would have made the play offs if they were in the west (the cavs had a bad start which would be even worse if they had to play western teams. Teams Like Utah, Sacramento and Denver would probably make the play offs in the east. The East's W-L% against the west is now: 192-256 42.8% Is anybody looking forward to the eastern play offs??
To be fair, the East as a whole has played a lot better vs. the West in the 2nd half of the season. There is still a disparity, but it has not been much. The 1st half was a joke. Most of the wins of course have been at the top of the East with the Cavs, Bulls, and Hawks being competitive no matter what team they played.
The East has only two teams that are good. The rest are from mediocre to garbage. That said, Atlanta and Cleveland, whoever reaches the Finals will make it a good series against any Western team.
Even though it seems there's "no end in sight" to this discrepancy, I'd still say its a cycle that will eventually even out. Traditional "good" East teams such as the Knicks, Celtics and 76ers have not all been good at the same time since the early 90's. That's bound to eventually correct itself (all three are big media markets with diehard fans that deserve winning products). You then add Orlando and Miami (teams that can attract free agents due to no state income tax and desirable weather) and add them to Atlanta, Indiana and Cleveland (who will all be good for the foreseeable future, barring injury), and you suddenly have a "respectable" conference. In the west, Dallas, OKC and San Antonio will not all be good forever (with the latter going south as soon as Poppovich retires). OKC is marked for extinction after the end of Durant's career along with Westbrook leaving for LA. Dallas will soon realize that they're not as desirable a location as they think they are. I could also see Memphis imploding if Gasol leaves. Houston/Portland/Clippers are set up to dominate the conference for the next 5 years, with New Orleans not too far behind.
