NBA Conferences Still Show Disparity
By Doug Upstone
For a number of years now the Western Conference has been superior to the East. This is easily shown by the fact Eastern Conference has six teams with winning records (one is one game over .500) and the West has just four teams with losing records among its 15 members.
One aspect this year besides the dominance once again, the wagering aspect comes into play more than one might think. The West holds a 160-122 (56.7) edge in head to head competition against those from the other conference. It would make sense the West would also be grabbing most of the money when these teams meet, however their stranglehold ends up being a little tighter than traditional numbers. The West is 150-126-6 ATS, 54.3 percent, just over two percent off the SU winning percentage.
As to be expected there are winners and losers in each conference, thus lets take a look at who is profiting and who is not on either side of the Mississippi River.
The two West squads that have taken everyone aback are up and comers Oklahoma City and Memphis. Unquestionably these are two young and talented teams who could change the dynamics of the Western Conference if they can keep their best players while adding more quality to their rosters in the seasons to come. Each has grown this season primarily beating up the East. The Thunder is 16-6 SU and ATS, while the Grizzlies are 9-6 and 10-5 ATS. Oklahoma City in particular has been impressive in winning by 6.6 points per contest.
The Los Angeles Lakers have enjoyed the most success at 17-3, but most nights are fighting the oddsmakers for their supporters and are a fair 10-8-2 ATS. The other club that plays in the Staples Center is actually a better bet and has shown real signs of improvement despite lacking players they thought they could count on like No. 1 pick Blake Griffin and Kareem Rush, both injured all or most of the season. The Clippers are 11-8 and 12-6-1 ATS.
A number of other teams have winning records, however are not at least to this point an overwhelming wager. Denver has 13-6 (11-8 ATS) record, San Antonio 13-5 (10-8 ATS), Utah 13-6 (11-8 ATS) and Dallas is 14-5 with only 9-10 spread mark.
The biggest disappointments out West have been Houston at 5-9 ATS with six wins and Sacramento at 6-13 SU and ATS when they face teams from at least two zones away. Golden State may be 6-13, but their style of play leaves Eastern teams confounded and the Warriors are 11-7-1 ATS.
Not every East team is horrible versus the West, it just seems that way. Six Eastern teams have winning records against their Western counterparts; however a couple of those are a loss or two from being .500 or less straight up. For those laying down the cash, Atlanta is the best at 12-7 ATS with 13-6 record. The Hawks are where Oklahoma City and Memphis envision themselves in a year or two or possibly sooner, a good team that has young veteran talent which still has an upside.
Cleveland is the best of the bunch at 18-5, handing the Lakers two of their three Eastern defeats. Nonetheless, like L.A., too often, too many points to overcome with 13-10-1 ATS mark. Boston has a representative 10-6 record, but being a public team and injury-plagued are crestfallen 4-11-1 ATS.
The lousy teams in the East are rotten pretty much against whomever they play. Here are their crummy numbers.
Philadelphia 7-14, 9-12 ATS
Washington 4-14, 7-10-1 ATS
Detroit 4-15, 7-12 ATS
Indiana 4-14, 6-12 ATS
You are probably wondering about New Jersey, because they have been so insufferable, thought the Nets deserved special mention at 1-19 and 5-15 ATS. Their Atlantic Division partners New York, are a sleepy 6-11 vs. the West, yet are about even money bet at 9-8 ATS.
In conclusion, when East meets West, the teams in the Central and Eastern Time zones consistently come up short and are poor wagers.