The Quadrangle

Issue date: 4/6/05 Section: Sports

Co-star of Miami Heat, Dwayne Wade

We're closing in on the final month of the NBA regular season, and if there's one term that can describe this season, it would be "a shift in power". There has been a tremendous shift in power between the Eastern and Western conferences. In the past seasons, the Western conference has greatly outclassed the Eastern conference, and it was usually a given that whichever team came out on top in the west would also win the championship. With the trade of Shaquille O'Neal to the Miami Heat, and key trades to other powerhouse western teams such as the Sacramento King's Chris Webber being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, many teams from the Eastern conference have become strong contenders for the NBA championship.

With the current standings the way they are, the Miami Heat sits atop the NBA with the best overall record in the league. The addition of O'Neal has made this team the favorite to win it all come playoff time. Winning their 17th straight home game has given the Heat a 54-18 record with only 10 games remaining for them. Having the most dominant player in the game in one O'Neal, who leads the league in scoring by a center with 22.8 points a game, and one of the most outstanding sophomore players this season in Dwyane Wade, who is currently leading the league in assists per game with 6.9, has really given the Heat an added muscle and skill that was needed to lead them to their current position atop the Eastern conference.

The team most likely to topple the Heat in the playoffs is the defending world champs, Detroit Pistons. Even though they have been under the radar lately, they currently have the second best record in the East, giving them the number 2 seed in the playoffs, and likely giving home court advantage to the Heat if they were to face each other in the playoffs. With a record of 43-27, the Pistons are considered the underdogs against the Heat in the playoffs. Not like being the underdogs will hurt Detroit in the playoffs however, since being the underdogs in last years playoffs lead them to the NBA Finals, and then an NBA championship. Look to see them make a strong push for the title once Larry Brown returns to the team and the playoffs begin.

Over on the west coast, there is no clear leader in terms of records as both the Phoenix Suns and the San Antonio Spurs hold impressive records right now at 53-17 and 52-18 respectively. Though it can be said that the Spurs will be slipping further and further away from the top seed by the time the regular season is over with the injury to 2 time MVP Time Duncan. Having lost 4 of their last 5 away games, the Spurs seem to be looking at a tough path to the playoffs with 7 of their last 12 games being played on the road. If the Spurs make it to the playoffs as the second seed, then they will have a tough time against the Suns if they have to play them in Phoenix, and if Tim Duncan isn't in the line up, then look for the Spurs to try to play catch up with the Suns during the playoffs.

Continued...

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