The NBA Conference Final is a series of matches every single NBA fan looks forward to. Up until now, the Western Conference standing hasn’t changed dramatically, but in the Eastern Conference? It’s a whole other story. After a series of losses, Lebron and the Cavaliers were looking as though they won’t even make it to the NBA Playoffs this year.

Kyrie Irving and Co were dominating the East, and it looked like they had all the big guns to challenge the Golden State Warriors finally. But guess what? The Toronto Raptors are sitting pretty at the Eastern Conference Point table right now.

A team no one talked about at the beginning of the season, a team no one cared about even for the fact that they started the season well. They were the tournament’s dark horse from the very beginning, and now they are running riot in the East.

Their recent win against the Houston Rockets should tell the story of their form and power. As the Warriors swept through the NBA Playoffs last season, with four All-Stars in their team, it was looking like no one would even challenge them anymore. Well, at least they won’t think that way from now. They are second in the West, behind Houston Rockets. Now, the Rockets had a Seventeen game winning streak that was recently broken by the Raptors. But they are in no real danger of losing their No.1 position in the West, at least not right now.

Why aren’t the Warriors dominating anymore?

It is extremely evident that the Warriors are poorer than they were in their previous two seasons. They have the DPOY (Defensive Player of the Year) and Four All-Stars in their team. Yet they are not their usual dominating self. Loses against the Rockets, the Thunders, the Timberwolves, the Trail Blazers and even the Utah Jazz shed lights on the fact that there is a huge dent in the Warriors arsenal.

That dent is — Stephen Curry.

Stephen Curry has been on and off with ankle injuries throughout the whole season. He is out for another week, even now. According to Statistics, they are averaging 13.2 points less than they are used to, with him on the court. Even with Durant scoring thirty or forty points the Warriors become vulnerable without their Unanimous MVP on the Court.

Too many super teams

After Kevin Durant joined the Warriors, they became otherworldly. But that same technique is being adopted by so many teams now. This season alone, the Rockets and the Thunder have gone above and beyond to compete with the Warriors. The Celtics and the Cavaliers have done the same in the East. To top it all, the Trail Blazers and a young Timberwolves team are looking too sharp to be taken lightly this season.

In all honesty, we are almost certain that a Rockets vs Warriors game is happening. But no one knows what will happen in the East. Will we see a Raptors vs Celtics? Will the Indiana Pacers or the Cavaliers make it to the Eastern Conference final?

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