It was not long ago that another NBA Western Conference love-in was happening in the media.
The pitiful bottom half of the Eastern Conference playoff teams compared to the six Western Conference clubs fighting it out for the last three playoff spots. And all those Western contenders for the last few playoff spots playing well over .500 ball while those teams in the East didn’t look so good.
But as usual, some in the media didn’t look all that hard at what had really been happening.
Those bottom four playoff teams in the East have been absolutely feasting on the West for the last month! The Raptors, Bulls, Bobcats, and Heat went a combined 21-7 against the West in January.
The recovering Chicago Bulls have just finished a seven game western road trip by winning their last five games in a row beating up on the: Suns; Rockets; Spurs; Thunder; and Hornets. Take that all those gloating about the superiority of the West’s playoff race.
The Charlotte Bobcats who Achilles heal this season has been games on the road just won three of four in the West beating the: Suns; Warriors; and Kings. Earlier this month, the Bobcats feasted on the West at home taking down the: Grizzlies; Rockets; Spurs; Suns; and, Kings.
Miami, the early favorite among the East’s lower seeds, has slipped a bit, but they’ve stayed in the race by beating up on the West. The Heat has beaten the: Suns; Warriors; Rockets; and, Kings in January. The Heat’s slippage has come at the hands of the Bobcats (twice), Raptors, and mostly recently, Milwaukee.
The resurgent Raptors have saved their best performances in January to beat the best of the West. The Lakers, Mavericks, and Spurs have all fallen to Toronto in January.
The Raptors currently sit alone in the East’s fifth place, a half game up on Charlotte and one up on Chicago. And each team has 22 losses. The recently fifth place Miami Heat have slipped to eighth with 23 losses and are one game back.
The race for playoff position in the East has suddenly gotten very interesting and all those Western Conference teams the media was so in love with are now only one loss ahead with 21 losses each.
The new beasts of the East have re-leveled the playing field with their counterparts from the West. Let the feasting continue!
Great analysis, I was thinking the same way, the race for the 5th spot is going to be a war. Chicago has played extremly well lately and they’re into the mix too. The Raptors have the easiest scheadule of all but a simple two games losing streak and you’re 8th.
I think it’s very clear what teams will enter to the playoffs in the Eastern Conference, it’s just what see each team is going to be. The top four have a very interesting race too, anyone can finish first or 4th, it’s going to be interesting.
Charlotte and Chicago are playing great, and the Raptors are one of the league’s hottest team. Miami is struggling but they’ll recover. Any prediction right now is taking a huge risk, a simple injury to the starter and you could end up being the 8th
All the makings for one of the most exciting finishes to a regular season in Raptors history!
Go Raps!
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