http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2003/basketball/nba/11/17/power.rankings/index.html
The Western Conference has a suppposedly insurmountable advantage over the Eastern Conference? Not according to Marty Burns at Sports Illustrated. Three of his top five, and four of the top seven in his power ratings are from the Eastern Conference.
True, it is early in the season to draw conclusions and his bottom six are Eastern doormats, but the Kings got embarassed on their eastern road swing, and the Lakers got flat out-played by the Pistons on their first journey east.
There's a lot more parity in the league than Western Conference fans are willing to admit.