Now represented by a plethora of superstars such as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Derrick Rose, Dwight Howard, Amare Stoudemire and now, Carmelo Anthony and Deron Williams, the East seems to have taken over as the most dominant conference in the league.With the trades that occurred before the February 25th deadline, the New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets have truly put themselves in the spotlight as they will emerge as contenders in the Eastern Conference. In addition to picking up Anthony, the Knicks managed to pry Chauncey Billups away from the Nuggets. The new deadly big three of Stoudemire, Anthony and Billups will start to bond and eventually dominate the teams of the east.
On the other hand, the Nets have added an attractive piece in Deron Williams to their team as they prepare to move to Brooklyn for the 2012 season. With Williams now on board, the Nets could now easily lure additional significant players such as Dwight Howard of the Magic who will be available in free agency at the end of the season.
Not only did the Knicks and Nets shake up the east with trades, but the Chicago Bulls have surfaced as one of the best teams in the NBA with their 41-18 record, the best since 1997 when Michael Jordan led the team to a 62-20 record. This has been Rose’s best season in the NBA as he is averaging about 25 points and 8 assists a game and is a likely candidate for the league’s MVP award. The Heat, with their big three, as well as the Bulls have the potential to win the championship. The Celtics will also make a serious run in the postseason.
On the other hand, it’s important to remember that the west is currently dominating the NBA. The San Antonio Spurs have a league-leading record of 50-11 and Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder is dominating his opponents. The Los Angeles Lakers are proving to be a dying breed, as they are currently struggling despite their 43-19 record. Losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers should have prompted the Lakers to step up, but perhaps aging players are becoming a factor for the first time in franchise history.
New faces such as Anthony and Williams will gradually shift the league’s power to the Eastern Conference. They might not start to see progress for a few seasons, but with a fresh new class fo free agency, these teams could attract additional faces to their franchises which will result with wins and championships.
