Is the East as competitive as the West???

[MMM]

The west is still the superior conference but is the East staring to become as wide open???

I feel this is the first year in about a decade where the ECF didn't have at least one team etched in stone. For example all last season Miami/Indiana was the anticipated match up and going over the years I feel the East has largely been a 2 team race while the rest of the conference was non competitive.

04-06 you had those classic Miami/Detroit series

From 03-08 The Pistons were common place in the ECF which is why i guess i have this notion of anticipatory matchups in the East.

But even over the last few years we've had Miami/Chicago, Miami/Boston, Boston/Detroit, etc all seemed pretty straightforward going into any of those particular season.

Is this season the first time that no East team is guaranteed of an ECF spot. I feel This East lacks teams as good as the recent Miami teams, Peak Rose Bulls, Big 3 Celtics, etc and maybe that is a good thing, because not only do I feel that nobody is guaranteed of an ECF but I feel there are more teams that have the potential to make it out the first round or even make the playoffs.

Maybe I'm being heavily influenced by how early on in the season it is but I feel anyone out side of Philly, Philly, Philly can make the playoffs.

okay you can possibly add the Pacers and Magic to Philly

and maybe that is what the East needs, if teams feel they aren't that far away from the playoffs, 2nd round, etc then maybe they can start being more aggressive in building their teams.

Charlotte/Toronto/Washington were all terrible just a few seasons ago and now they have real aspirations in the playoffs. I feel a few teams can join them and make the east just as wide open as the West.

[Timmy D for MVP]

It is far more open than recent past, but I'm not sure I jibe with it being wide open. There are still two HEAVY favorites, the only difference is that the other teams have caught up to them. Obviously injury can ruin everything, but barring that anything other than a Cavs/Bulls ECF would be an upset.

The difference is that if Toronto/Charlotte/Washington/Miami make it to the ECF we wouldn't be completely shocked. Whereas as early as last season that would have been a huge Cinderella story, even with the Pacers completely imploding.

I'm not going to say it's as competitive as the West where really nothing would be a huge shock. I mean I guess if it's the Kings/Pelicans WCF it'd be a huge shock, but that doesn't seem likely. What does seem likely it that any of the 8 playoff teams will have a solid case for how they'll win the West.

But the East is getting better.

[miggyme1]

yea man the east is looking pretty competitive...in my opinion these teams will be battling for playoff spots out east and could end with just about any seed

cavs
bulls
heat
wizards
raptors
nets
hornets
hawks

and i think either the pistons or bucks will be pretty competitive and could possibly make a playoff push.

but its definitely gonna be fun watching the eastern conference playoffs this year compared to the last few seasons since everyone knew who was gonna represent the east and it was pretty predictable who was gonna win each series...not this year....i could easily see the cavs getting bounced in the second round if they get matched up with the wizards,raptors or heat...if they stay healthy of course..same for the bulls or whoever gets the top 2 seeds out east

but the east isnt as competitive as the west just yet...ill give it a few more years when the magic and celtics get better then its gonna be a blood bath...hopefully the knicks can improve as well

[MMM]

I feel any of the following teams could win a round; Cleveland, Chicago, Toronto, Miami, Washington, Charlotte, and Atlanta. And the majority of those teams might have ECF potential. I can't really remember the last time the East was that open but more importantly I feel the product in the East is improving. In the past non competitive teams would slow down the game and play a going to an halt style of play but bad teams now are looking for more offensive possessions as an equalizer.

[ProfessorMurder]

I could see 5-6 teams taking the East, and about the same for the West, so I guess so... But the East is still a tier below the West in overall quality.

[T_L_P]

Cavs or Bulls. Everyone else are pretenders.

People said similar stuff going into last Playoffs. Who was in the ECF?

[MMM]

Cavs or Bulls. Everyone else are pretenders.

People said similar stuff going into last Playoffs. Who was in the ECF?

Don't remember that at all, people were anticipating Miami / Indiana all season long. As for this season, Toronto and Miami are on the same level of Chicago\Cleveland. I would say they should have more respect in what they are getting.

[ProfessorMurder]

Don't remember that at all, people were anticipating Miami / Indiana all season long. As for this season, Toronto and Miami are on the same level of Chicago\Cleveland. I would say they should have more respect in what they are getting.

Cavs, Bulls, Heat, Raps, Bullets, Hornets could all take each other out depending on match ups in the playoffs... Especially if you factor in injuries to guys like Nene, Rose, Noah, Varejao, Wade.

[Spurs5Rings2014]

Absolutely not.

[JimmyMcAdocious]

Sure, like the Big Ten is competitive.

[pastis]

let KD and WB come back. Clippers struggling a little.... but surely not for long.

But yeah, with Cavs, heat, Raptors, Bulls the east is getting more and more skillfull.

[dunksby]

Miami, Chicago and Cleveland are the only legit teams in the east, Raptors I'm not so sure of.

[MMM]

let KD and WB come back. Clippers struggling a little.... but surely not for long.

But yeah, with Cavs, heat, Raptors, Bulls the east is getting more and more skillfull.

I'm comparing the east competitiveness within conference not necessarily head to head with the West. The West is still superior as I said in my opening line.

Miami, Chicago and Cleveland are the only legit teams in the east, Raptors I'm not so sure of.

Why are people unsure about the Raptors??? They were on a 55 win pace post Gay trade. Yeah they lost in the first round but so did the Bulls while Miami/Cleveland are somewhat new teams. There are reasons to be unsure about those teams as well.