Heat have Clear Path in the East

Who is the best team in the western conference? The old man spurs? The new look Lakers? The up and coming Grizzlies? Blake and CP3? Oklahoma City?

The season is young and there is a long way to go, but it’s never too early to wonder. Playoffs are a different beast so we’ll focus on the “regular season crown” in other words, which team will earn the number one seed in their respective conferences.

Each of these teams could make a valid case that they will finish with the best record and claim the number one seed come playoffs. But if you ask who the team to beat in the East is, people may start to look at you funny.

It’s obvious. The Miami Heat proved last year that they can play on a level no one can match. They crushed the favored Thunder in just five games and King James showed the world why he is, well, King James.

Pretty simple, but this is the reason why the Heat are the favorites to have home court advantage throughout the postseason. Want more evidence?

The East is not the same animal as it was even three years ago. The Big Three in Boston were young-er, Cleveland still had their man, and Dwight and Dwyane each made their Florida teams relevant.

Now fast-forward.

Currently the New York Knicks are the second best team in the East. The Knicks! Not to undermine the great season they have had thus far, but if the same Knick squad played a western schedule they would finish around fifth or sixth in the West.

This is not to say Carmelo’s crew will in fact earn the two seed, so let’s look at the other candidates.

Brooklyn, Milwaukee, Indiana, Chicago, Boston…. All solid teams, but do any have a chance at all to challenge for the East’s top spot? The answer is no. Miami is the best team in the NBA, which makes them far and away the top team in the East.

Heat fans, if you aren’t doing it already…rest easy. Until the playoffs.

Brandon Kendrick