East Stronger Conference This Season?

[PosImpos]

It's early, but looking at the conference standings, it looks like the top 6 teams in the East are significantly stronger as a whole than the top 6-8 teams in the West, at least in terms of record.  The caveat is that in the East, there's a significant drop-off after that, with the 7 and 8 spots taken at the moment by 6-7 teams followed by Milwaukee and Boston, both 4-8. 

Is the East stronger overall at the top this season, or is the West just more competitive, leading to more early-season losses among the elite?

[Who]

Not stronger but I think it has drawn even in seeds three through eight.

Then weaker from that point on down.

[PosImpos]

Only 3 through 8?  You don't think the East is stronger at the top?  I think Miami and Chicago are stronger than any team out west other than the Thunder.

[Donoghus]

East is stronger at the top with Miami & Chicago although I think OKC is shaping up as a pretty formidable squad in the West.

[Who]

Only 3 through 8?  You don't think the East is stronger at the top?  I think Miami and Chicago are stronger than any team out west other than the Thunder.

The East has been stronger at the top of the conference for a few years now.

Not just this season. Last year and prior to that with Cleveland, Boston and Orlando too. The West used to be LA and a bunch of second tier teams with squads like Denver and Phoenix rotating around in the Conference Finals.

It's been the next tier that has let the East down and then the tier just outside of the playoffs too. That is where the West's strength in depth has been (rather than the top). The East has closed a good bit of that difference this season [3 through 8] with squads like Phily and Indiana joining Atlanta, Boston and Orlando (and NY once they get their act together, likely post-D'Antoni).

[cman88]

the west is deeper...thats why an indiana team with a sub .500 record made the playoffs in the east...while a 8th seed Grizzlies team pushed the thunder to 7games in the 2nd round

[slamtheking]

I think there are more title contenders in the East but more overall good teams in the West.  For example, I can't see the C's not making the playoffs as at least the 8 seed no matter how bad they do simply because there are 7 really bad teams in the East.  They wouldn't make the playoffs if they were in the West

[ManUp]

The east is become more respectable, but I think West is still the better conference. The after the true contenders which are tier 1 teams the east is full of tier 3 teams. After the tier 1 teams in the West there are a bunch of tier 2 teams. Tier 1 teams are true contenders "expected to atleast make conference finals", tier 2 are the pretenders "very good teams that lack something to put them over the top), and tier 3 are the play-off fodder teams that can only hope to see the second round. The West is pretty much tier 2 and better the east is two tier 1 teams and the rest a bunch of threes.

[Phil125]

With the current trend of the talent in the NBA the league will be as popular as the NHL in about 10 years.

[Zev Love X]

This year, as has been the case the past couple years, the East is more top heavy while the west is much more balanced from top to bottom (and not just the playoff teams)