We are now almost a month into the 2015-2016 season and we are getting to the point where teams are beginning to show how big their balls are, and how well they get them in the hoop. There has been a new development; the East so far, has been more formidable than most NBA fans could have anticipated. Because of this it has to be asked, if not now then maybe never, is the east really better than the juggernaut that is the NBA western conference?
Last year the west was easily the most dominant conference. The 8th seed in the west, the New Orleans Pelicans, held a 45-37 record. That would have been the 5th seed in the east. Also the Brooklyn Nets were the east’s 8th seed with a 38-44 record, while the Oklahoma City Thunder missed the playoffs with a 45-37 record[1]. We have to remember that this season is still in its early stages but so far has been the direct opposite of the seasons that have come before. As of right now the 8th seed in the west is the Lance Stephenson led Clippers[2], who currently hold a record of 6-7. In the east the current 8th seed is the Wizards, but what is even more impressive is that the top 11 teams in the east all have better records than the Clippers.
The record could be explained by the fact that the west is said to have gotten much better yet many of these teams have come out slow to start. Mark Cuban is laughing as the Clippers slide. The Memphis Grizzlies have recovered from the 50-point ass whooping they received earlier this year, but still don’t look like the team they have been in the past. The Houston Rockets coming off a conference finals look more like a dysfunctional circle[3] jerk than a basketball team, and have sent Kevin McHale packing. New Orleans looks like the Tune Squad before they make their come back (actually I’m pretty sure I saw Omar Asik in an iron lung on the sideline). This of course isn’t taking into consideration the Warriors, who are proving what many in the league knew; when Luke Walton is on the bench good things happen. The east has been the exact opposite with both Charlotte, who were suppose to be bad without Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and the Kristaps Porzingis’s showing marked improvement. The difference in the conference becomes more convincing when looking at the record of inter-conference matchups this season. In 71 games, the East has won 38 and the West has won 33.
It’s too early to say for certain and maybe the whole east will regress back to their lowly status. But right now we have to ask are the beasts in the East mauling the West?
[1] This should be the origin of the term shit show.
[2] Clippers are playing as this is being written.
[3] Is there any other kind?
This post first appeared on Dime & Dash – Assisting You In Your Hoop Needs, please read the originial post: here
