The Western Conference has been an NBA powerhouse for years already. In fact, it has overshadowed the East so much that the road to am Eastern Conference Finals has come without many challenges. The West has always been a dog fight, and it is no wonder why only the Warriors have made it look easy once they added a cheat code in Kevin Durant.
Yet, for many of the West’s top stars, they seem to be missing out on chances to put up even bigger numbers playing in the East along with a legitimate chance to reach the Finals. Playing in the West is no fun at all since the two Los Angeles powerhouses are there in the Clippers and Lakers. Not to mention, top contenders such as the Rockets and Nuggets can beat anybody at home or away. Even the Utah Jazz have one of the most difficult challenges a team could face with their defense, while the Dallas Mavericks look to be on their way to becoming a very good team.
In the East, only the Sixers and Bucks present a real challenge on the same level. It may be time for some of the best players in the West to give themselves a chance at trying their luck in the East, where they can put up big numbers, gain recognition, and possibly play in the NBA Finals.
Damian Lillard
Without a doubt, Lillard is one of the top five point guards in the league. His ability to score the ball is very impressive since he can do it in just about any way possible. Lillard is also one of the best shooters at his position and he can get hot from the perimeter in just a few minutes.
Lillard will most certainly challenge the throne as the best point guard in the conference if he goes East. Lillard will have the opportunity to take over the league with his scoring and possibly lead his team to a top-three seed in the East. This will greatly boost his MVP chances and even give him a shot at playing in the Finals. In the West, both of these achievements seem very unlikely.
C.J. McCollum
Lillard’s teammate might also find greater success in the East. As talented and prolific that McCollum is on the offensive side of the floor, he will always be overshadowed by Lillard’s greatness. Not to mention, McCollum has not even made an All-Star team despite being one of the most consistent scorers in the league. If he plays in the East, he might finally gain some recognition.
McCollum should find a way to try his luck in the East, away from the talent in the West and also away from his running buddy Lillard.
DeMar DeRozan
DeRozan played in the East for years with the Raptors, and he was the best player on a very good Raptor’s team before he was traded away to San Antonio. Even though DeRozan showed how he might not be the best player on a championship team, he is still a fantastic player and a legitimate second option on the offensive end.
DeRozan can score the ball in the paint and from the perimeter, so he has a great chance to be a top player in the East once again. He might even finally reach an NBA Finals, something he might never achieve if he keeps playing out West.
Karl-Anthony Towns
KAT is one of the best big men in the league and can take over games with his scoring and rebounding. Towns is also developing into a legitimate knockdown shooter from three and spends the bulk of his time out there. Towns is also very young and can be a superstar in just a few more seasons.
But playing in the West is limiting his chances of being recognized as an MVP candidate thanks to his competition. If Towns played in the East, he would be a top 2 big man in the league and put up outstanding numbers while leading his team to more wins than he’s doing now. The Wolves simply cannot compete with the best teams in the West so Towns should look East.
LaMarcus Aldridge
Aldridge played in the West for his whole career, and it might be time for a change. Aldridge can still be a 20-10 guy and a top player for a championship team in the East. Playing in the West is not doing him any favors, and he has not found the success he anticipated with the San Antonio Spurs.
The West is just too deep, and the Spurs do not look like a team to be going anywhere. Aldridge should be hungry for an NBA Finals by now, and the East might present the opportunity he so craves. It might be time for Aldridge to take a crack at making some All-NBA teams by playing East.
Devin Booker
Booker is developing into an unstoppable scorer. He looks to have all the tools in the box and should be ready for multiple All-Star appearances and a chance to play in the playoffs. Booker is that good of talent already in his young career.
Booker playing in the East would be perfect for him since it would give him plenty of recognition as an All-Star and being away from top shooting guards like James Harden and Klay Thompson would do him great. He must play against the best players in the conference every single night, and that is hurting his team’s record tremendously. If Booker plays East, he will be one of the best scorers and one of the best players in the entire conference.
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