As the NBA season approaches its All Star break it has become increasingly clear that the Western Conference has far more depth and talent than the rival Eastern Conference. With a little over 40 games played now for each team, the East has only one club with at least 27 wins: the surprise Washington Wizards. The West on the other hand, has 6 teams with more than 27 wins.

The Atlantic Division leading Toronto Raptors are at an even .500 winning percentage right now and have a record of 23-23. Of the three division leading teams in the Western Conference, none of them have fewer than 30 wins.

It is unusual to see such a large imbalance of power in professional sports, but it may end up being a detriment to the Western Conference teams. Not only do they have to compete with each other throughout the season, but they must also jockey for position in the playoff races as well. Many believe that just getting through the playoffs in the West will leave a team too drained to make an impact in the finals, much like the Dallas Mavericks last season.

The West is loaded with legitimate title contenders and there are still plenty of teams who could make a late playoff push. Denver and Golden State have each made significant trades that could help them make a run at the playoffs. This year’s chase for the Western Conference Title could go down as one of the best of all time.