If you look at it, I think the East has better Centers than the west. The West has about three Star centers(Shaq,Vlade,TD). After that there are a few solid centers and that's about it. Yao Ming may be a star you could add to that list, though. The east has good, young centers and stars (Mourning, Wallace, O'neal,Mutumbo, etc.) I think all this bashing on the Centers in the East isn't looked into. Everyone sees Shaq and TD and thinks the West owns the East with their centers. I'd give it to the East What do you think?
I don't buy it, IMO the east has good young power forwards (J.O'Neal, Wallace) who play out of position at Center precisely because there are so many stiffs there. Mutumbo and Mourning are shadows of their former selves and are the "best" they have to offer. The west may only have Shaq, with a few others like Divac, Olowokandi and Duncan and when he plays C, but that IMO is enough for me.
i agree with mav3434 that guys like jermaine o'neal and ben wallace are simply good PF's playing center. the west is WAY better in the center position. Two good centers in Mourning and Deke do not match up to 5 or 6 good ones in Shaq, Duncan, Divac, Kandi, Raef LaFrentz, and probably even Yao ming.
Jermaine Oneal play out place because the lack of a quality center on his team but after the trade with Chicago they got Brad Miller . A quality center in the league. Mourning is power forward that been playing center because lack of center in the league. The same for Ben Wallace , Antonio Davis, Ratliff, Kurt Thomas. In the east Mutumbo, Todd Mac are the only legit 7 footer that can play . I know I left Pryzibilla(sp) I said that can play. Look at The Dream he really is 6'10 but he had bulk and skill.
The east has great centers. However, they arent really centers. If most of them played on a western conference team, they would be power forwards.