THE EASY EAST? NOT ANYMORE

(Bleacher Report)

Pepsi vs. Coke, dogs vs. cats, glass half full or glass half empty? Since the beginning of time, humans have debated all types of these questions. While the NBA has brought us many of these comparisons to debate over the years, one in particular stands out this season: Which conference is better, the east or the west? If you are a casual fan, or too young to remember, for at least a decade, the NBA’s western conference has been absolutely loaded. In fact, fourteen of the last 20 NBA champs have been western conference teams. Notable dynasties during that span include the Golden State Warriors, the LA Lakers, and the San Antonio Spurs, who all won at least three rings in that time. Competition was so fierce that teams like the Chris Paul led Clippers, or Kevin Durant’s Thunder collapsed from the inability to reach the top. The debate was never about which conference was better, but typically which of the top eastern conference teams could actually stand a chance in the west. The tides have been shifting for some time, but 2021-22 may be the season that the east finally takes over. The emergence of young stars in the east like Trae Young, Jayson Tatum, LaMelo Ball, Joel Embiid, and obviously Giannis Antetokounmpo, in addition to big time players like James Harden, Kevin Durant, and DeMar DeRozan packing their bags and leaving the west has started the change. With some key additions to accompany those players, the script may have finally flipped. Now let’s not get carried away. The western conference is no cake walk. In fact they still boast the top three teams in the league through the first quarter of the season. But from top to bottom, I give the edge to the east by a slight margin. I believe that the east is deeper overall and has more championship contenders. Though a debate about which conference is better could go back and forth, the main takeaway here should be the following: In recent years, fans could almost predict the finals match-up year after year. We saw Warriors vs. Cavs four years in a row. While some stars have still been teaming up, other stars have started the trend of staying put or going to pair with a young guy and making them a contender. With at least about three teams in each conference who have a legit shot at a title, we are in for an exciting season. Whichever side you fall on, one thing is for certain, The NBA is back!