NBA Conference Gap Wider Than Ever Amid Injuries to East’s Best

One collateral effect of Tyrese Haliburton’s torn Achilles injury during Game 7 of the NBA Finals is another blow to an already weak Eastern Conference.

Haliburton is the third Eastern Conference star to tear his Achilles during the 2025 playoffs after the Bucks’ Damian Lillard in the first round and Celtics’ Jayson Tatum in the conference semifinals. Athletes tend to take about 10 months to a year before returning from an Achilles tear, which means all three stars could miss the entire 2025–26 season. Most players don’t regain their full athleticism until two years after the injury.

On top of those three, Cavaliers All-Star Darius Garland underwent toe surgery earlier this month and will miss 4–5 months, which should keep him out for the early part of next season.

That means four of the East’s top five seeds enter the offseason with major injuries to All-Stars.

Chance of Change?

The gap between the two conferences is not new. It’s been going on since the start of the century.

The East has lost the head-to-head regular-season battle with the West in 23 of the last 26 seasons. After the Thunder won the title Sunday, the West has now won 17 titles in that span (65.4%).

The West is also set up for sustained success compared to the East. Beyond the Thunder’s young roster, the Mavericks are expected to select Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick, while the Spurs have the last two Rookie of the Year winners in Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle. 

ESPN reported in November that Western Conference executives are pushing for a change to the playoff format that would have the top 16 teams qualify based on record. Eastern Conference executives are, expectedly, resistant to that suggestion—and at least 23 of 30 league owners would need to approve any rule change.

Impact on Roster Construction

The gap between the two conferences could affect the way executives approach roster-building. The Pacers’ miraculous run this year showcased that the Eastern Conference is wide open, and with the juggernauts at the top now vulnerable, mid-tier teams can take advantage.

The Magic, who finished in the play-in tournament with a .500 record last season, appeared to take that shot even before the Haliburton injury. Last week, Orlando traded a package that included four first-round picks to add Desmond Bane to its young nucleus of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs.

The conference divide could also influence the decision of Giannis Antetokounmpo—who, in May, was reportedly “open-minded” to leaving Milwaukee—to make another run with the Bucks, even without Lillard.