The Eastern Conference is a blood bath right now...

[RPGenerate]

We've won four straight, yet we have neither made up ground to Milwaukee, nor separate ourselves from the pack. This has to be the best start for the Eastern Conference as a whole in long time, right?

[staticcc]

Um no. After the top six, the rest suck - and we’ll play against the other teams more than the top six. Also, the Bucks are just really good.

Check the 15-16 season. All the East playoff teams had records that were at least six games above .500.

[fairweatherfan]

With Denver, Portland, and Utah underperforming and Miami and Toronto looking surprisingly strong the East is better than the West so far.  I don't know if it'll stay that way but it's been impressive. The top 7 have all won at least 7 out of their last 10. The top 4 are 45-1 at home! Crazy stuff.

[Donoghus]

Going by a quick eyeball test of the "standings by date" for the 2010s, it certainly seems like the top of the East (Top 6) is having as strong as a season as they've had this decade.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2011_standings_by_date_eastern_conference.html

[staticcc]

I’m curious to know if it’s because the top six are really good or 7-15 really suck.

Going by a quick eyeball test of the "standings by date" for the 2010s, it certainly seems like the top of the East (Top 6) is having as strong as a season as they've had this decade.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2011_standings_by_date_eastern_conference.html

[Donoghus]

I’m curious to know if it’s because the top six are really good or 7-15 really suck.

Going by a quick eyeball test of the "standings by date" for the 2010s, it certainly seems like the top of the East (Top 6) is having as strong as a season as they've had this decade.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2011_standings_by_date_eastern_conference.html

Your answer is probably somewhere in the middle but likely skewing towards the latter.    I didn't do any real digging besides quick glances at each season as of 12/10. (lockout season aside).

[fairweatherfan]

I’m curious to know if it’s because the top six are really good or 7-15 really suck.

Going by a quick eyeball test of the "standings by date" for the 2010s, it certainly seems like the top of the East (Top 6) is having as strong as a season as they've had this decade.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2011_standings_by_date_eastern_conference.html

In the interest of not doing work here's my extremely scientific Suck Index

15. Knicks: Haha oh goodness yes.
14. Cavs: Suck for sure.
13. Hawks: Shouldn't suck as much as they have but boy have they sucked and even if they play up to potential they'll just suck less.
12. Wizards: Suck but a feisty kind of suck, they can scare and even beat good teams like they did the Sixers.
11. Bulls: Suck but with some promise, the coach seems to be driving the suck more than the players.
10. Hornets: They suck worse than their record but have pulled out some improbable Ws so another feisty suck.
9. Pistons: They don't suck - any team with a positive point differential doesn't suck. They can definitely suck on any given night but overall they're aggressively mediocre.
8. Magic: Don't suck, another mediocre one with legit but dubious chance for improvement.
7. Nets: Don't suck, they have a slightly negative point differential but they're 3 games over .500 with some injury and schedule adversity. They're only 1.5 games behind the Pacers who definitely don't suck.

In conclusion, suckage is a land of contrasts. Thank you for your time.

[Amonkey]

I’m curious to know if it’s because the top six are really good or 7-15 really suck.

Going by a quick eyeball test of the "standings by date" for the 2010s, it certainly seems like the top of the East (Top 6) is having as strong as a season as they've had this decade.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2011_standings_by_date_eastern_conference.html

In the interest of not doing work here's my extremely scientific Suck Index

15. Knicks: Haha oh goodness yes.
14. Cavs: Suck for sure.
13. Hawks: Shouldn't suck as much as they have but boy have they sucked and even if they play up to potential they'll just suck less.
12. Wizards: Suck but a feisty kind of suck, they can scare and even beat good teams like they did the Sixers.
11. Bulls: Suck but with some promise, the coach seems to be driving the suck more than the players.
10. Hornets: They suck worse than their record but have pulled out some improbable Ws so another feisty suck.
9. Pistons: They don't suck - any team with a positive point differential doesn't suck. They can definitely suck on any given night but overall they're aggressively mediocre.
8. Magic: Don't suck, another mediocre one with legit but dubious chance for improvement.
7. Nets: Don't suck, they have a slightly negative point differential but they're 3 games over .500 with some injury and schedule adversity. They're only 1.5 games behind the Pacers who definitely don't suck.

In conclusion, suckage is a land of contrasts. Thank you for your time.

Well that sucked.

Just kidding, that was awesome! I agree with your assessment. I think Wizards is definitely a feisty team and Nets are surprisingly good without Kyrie.

[bdm860]

I’m curious to know if it’s because the top six are really good or 7-15 really suck.

Going by a quick eyeball test of the "standings by date" for the 2010s, it certainly seems like the top of the East (Top 6) is having as strong as a season as they've had this decade.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2011_standings_by_date_eastern_conference.html

In the interest of not doing work here's my extremely scientific Suck Index

15. Knicks: Haha oh goodness yes.
14. Cavs: Suck for sure.
13. Hawks: Shouldn't suck as much as they have but boy have they sucked and even if they play up to potential they'll just suck less.
12. Wizards: Suck but a feisty kind of suck, they can scare and even beat good teams like they did the Sixers.
11. Bulls: Suck but with some promise, the coach seems to be driving the suck more than the players.
10. Hornets: They suck worse than their record but have pulled out some improbable Ws so another feisty suck.
9. Pistons: They don't suck - any team with a positive point differential doesn't suck. They can definitely suck on any given night but overall they're aggressively mediocre.
8. Magic: Don't suck, another mediocre one with legit but dubious chance for improvement.
7. Nets: Don't suck, they have a slightly negative point differential but they're 3 games over .500 with some injury and schedule adversity. They're only 1.5 games behind the Pacers who definitely don't suck.

In conclusion, suckage is a land of contrasts. Thank you for your time.

Yeah, fwf, that team sure did suck last night. They just plain sucked. I've seen teams suck before but they were the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked.

[fairweatherfan]

I’m curious to know if it’s because the top six are really good or 7-15 really suck.

Going by a quick eyeball test of the "standings by date" for the 2010s, it certainly seems like the top of the East (Top 6) is having as strong as a season as they've had this decade.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2011_standings_by_date_eastern_conference.html

In the interest of not doing work here's my extremely scientific Suck Index

15. Knicks: Haha oh goodness yes.
14. Cavs: Suck for sure.
13. Hawks: Shouldn't suck as much as they have but boy have they sucked and even if they play up to potential they'll just suck less.
12. Wizards: Suck but a feisty kind of suck, they can scare and even beat good teams like they did the Sixers.
11. Bulls: Suck but with some promise, the coach seems to be driving the suck more than the players.
10. Hornets: They suck worse than their record but have pulled out some improbable Ws so another feisty suck.
9. Pistons: They don't suck - any team with a positive point differential doesn't suck. They can definitely suck on any given night but overall they're aggressively mediocre.
8. Magic: Don't suck, another mediocre one with legit but dubious chance for improvement.
7. Nets: Don't suck, they have a slightly negative point differential but they're 3 games over .500 with some injury and schedule adversity. They're only 1.5 games behind the Pacers who definitely don't suck.

In conclusion, suckage is a land of contrasts. Thank you for your time.

Yeah, fwf, that team sure did suck last night. They just plain sucked. I've seen teams suck before but they were the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked.

Always a TP for a Simpsons reference. Pretty funny that this was semi-scandalous language back then. I gotta go, my dang wiener team is listening.

[Moranis]

With Denver, Portland, and Utah underperforming and Miami and Toronto looking surprisingly strong the East is better than the West so far.  I don't know if it'll stay that way but it's been impressive. The top 7 have all won at least 7 out of their last 10. The top 4 are 45-1 at home! Crazy stuff.

The East has better records, but I don't think I'd say the East is better.  I'd still favor the West overall in if you matched 1 v 1, 2 v 2, etc.