http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2013/11/24/no-contest-west-flexes-muscles-vs-east/ *43-17 Overall So Far. *19-1 Last 8 days. *The West has 11 teams with six or fewer losses; the East has 12 teams with six or more losses. * The West has nine teams with seven or more wins; the East has four. * The West has 12 teams that are .500 or better; The East has four, plus an entire division (the Atlantic) under .500 * The West’s top three teams — Spurs (5-0), Trail Blazers (6-0) and Thunder (3-0) — are a combined 14-0 against the East (The Warriors, Nuggets and Lakers are a combined 6-0) * The West’s bottom seven teams are 14-11 against the East and that includes Utah’s 0-4 mark. * The only West teams with a losing record against the East are the Clippers (1-2), Kings (1-2) and Jazz (0-4) * The Mavericks are 5-1 against the East and 9-5 overall * The Timberwolves are 5-2 against the East and 8-7 overall. * The 76ers are 6-9 overall and 1-4 against the West * The Pistons are 4-8 overall and 1-5 against the West
At the end of the season, people only remember one team. And the Heat are most likely three-peating this year, barring major injury.
If the Heat and, say, the Clippers were to switch conferences (forget about geography for a second), would you bet on the Heat vs. the field to win the West? Conversely, would you take the Clippers vs. the field in the East? It pretty much impossible to argue the idea that the Western Conference playoffs represent a significantly tougher road to the Finals than the East.
In the case of the Heat, I'd take them against the rest of the East. Not a chance if they were in the West. But if Rose doesn't make it back to 100% this season, I'd put money on the Spurs, Thunder, and probably Clippers against the rest of the East if any of those teams switched conferences. Because if the Bulls aren't the Bulls, you're really only betting against one other team. So I can understand why a Pacers fan might disagree.
So you exclude possibility of upsets or injuries entirely. That doesn't sound like a smart betting sports betting strategy, haha.
Oh FFS don't be obtuse. Fine, forget the betting analogy, how about if you were just making predictions?
Like I said in that post, I don't disagree with the general argument that you were trying to make. I simply said that I would bet on the field vs. Clippers. As a general remark, grow up.
Being #1 of a weak conference doesn't automatically make you an overhyped team that is inferior if moved to a stronger conference. The Heat are not the 76ers or Nets from the Shaq/Kobe 3peat years. Who cares if they come out of the weak conference? If they can beat the best of the west in the finals, then they are clearly the best team.
So if the Heat lost to the Spurs in Game 6 last year that would mean the East is weak? But because the Heat won the past two years, it means the conference isn't horrific? Is the logic I'm reading? I'm not sure if any non Pacers/Heat team would be a playoff team in the West.
The NBA should get rid of conferences... 6 teams will make the playoffs in the East that have no business being there, while at least 2 or 3 teams from the west will miss out even though they are better.
