A look at the pathetic Eastern Conference

The 2013-14 NBA season projected the Western Conference to hold a majority of the powerhouse teams in the league. However no one predicted the Eastern Conference would be this pathetic.

As I sit down to write this at 7:25 PM on the east coast, here are some insane statistics that show how far the scale is tipped in favor of the Western Conference:
(surely some numbers will change tonight)


  • The EC has ten teams with a losing record, the WC has two.
  • The EC has three teams with winning records. The Boston Celtics have beaten two (Miami and Atlanta)
  • And this one just about sums it up: The Toronto Raptors are the four-seed in the EC. They would be the 14-seed in the WC.
Honestly, anyone can make the playoffs in the EC, no one could get in and surprise me. Not that it matters. The EC is going to come down to Miami and Indiana, probably the only two teams that could switch over to the WC and make the playoffs. 

If it hasn't sunk in yet for you, take a look at the standings: 


Simply put, everyone sucks. Sure, teams like New York and Brooklyn should be able to dig deep and separate themselves by April… but man have they been brutal thus far. Chicago just got the news that Derrick Rose is done for the season again, and with Rose lost so are their championship aspirations. 

With Rajon Rondo presumably making a return to the Celtics this season, Boston could be in some trouble. Assuming the goal is to get a high draft pick that is. But that's a different story. The point is that as someone on the record for pro-tanking, it scares the hell out of me how bad the EC is. 

If you told me that the Celtics would end up anywhere from the five-seed or lower this year I would believe you no matter what number you threw at me, it's that crazy. I want to see this team as high in the lottery as possible. That's something you say about a bad team, not a team that could end up in a playoff series (and maybe winning one round in the right matchup with a healthy Rondo). This year is something we have never seen before, no other way to say it.

We have no clue who is going to end up making the playoffs. What I am sure of is the Eastern Conference playoffs are going to be like pulling teeth until we get to Miami Vs. Indiana, and it's not something I want to see the Celtics be a part of. 

Source: NBA.com

Follow Julian @BleedGreenBlogs
Share