Are you confused between the NBA conferences or NBA divisions? Stay with me to clear up the confusion about both!
In 1946, the National Basketball Association (NBA) created itself. Originally, people knew it as the Basketball Association of America. In 1949-50, the league united with the National Basketball League (NBL), becoming the NBA as we know it today. The NBA consists of 30 clubs divided into two conferences. There are two conferences: the Western Conference and the Eastern Conference. Within those two conferences, the NBA is divided into six divisions, each containing five clubs.
Why do NBA divisions exist, and how do they function?
By 1970, when more clubs joined the NBA, the league had divided into two conferences: Eastern and Western. The NBA classified the clubs by location. This was after they got the Buffalo Braves. The Braves later became the Los Angeles Clippers. The company also got the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Portland Trail Blazers.
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When the Charlotte Bobcats (later Hornets) joined the NBA for the 2004-2005 season, the league added six NBA divisions. Each had five teams and was in one of two conferences Each conference had three NBA division. Each had five teams, based on their location. Teams in different NBA divisions established and thrived on their rivalries.
The Eastern Conference
The Eastern Conference consists of fifteen clubs, divided into three divisions of five each.
1. Central Division
The Central division is one of three divisions within the NBA’s Eastern Conference. The division has five teams. They are the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, and Milwaukee Bucks. The teams in the Central Division were all in the Midwest Division, except for the Cavaliers. So, the Central Division now looks like the 1970s Midwest Division.
The creation of the division happened at the start of the 1970-71 season. At that time, the league grew from 14 to 17 teams. The Buffalo Braves, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Portland Trail Blazers joined.
All but the Indiana Pacers have won at least one NBA championship. The Milwaukee Bucks won the NBA championship in 2021. Superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo led them. LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers won it in 2016. Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and coach Phil Jackson led the Chicago Bulls. They won six NBA championships in six finals. Not to be outdone, Chicago’s arch-rival, the Detroit Pistons, have won three of the seven NBA finals.
2. Atlantic Division
The Atlantic Division is one of three divisions within the NBA’s Eastern Conference. The division includes five teams: the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, and Toronto Raptors. Except for the Raptors, all teams are on the East Coast of the United States. However, Toronto sports teams have historically had a rivalry with clubs from the Northeastern United States.
This NBA division formed at the start of the 1970-71 season. The league grew from 14 to 17 teams by adding the Buffalo Braves, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Portland Trail Blazers.
The Boston Celtics have won 17 NBA championships, the most recent in 2022. The Celtics and the Lakers (from Minneapolis and Los Angeles) have won the most league championships. In 2019, the Toronto Raptors won the NBA championship, becoming the first Canadian club to do so. They did it with talents like Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam, and Kawhi Leonard.
3.Southeast Division
The Southeast Division is one of three divisions in the NBA’s Eastern Conference. This division has five teams: the Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, and Washington Wizards.
The Southeast NBA division was established in 2004 with the arrival of the Charlotte Bobcats, one of the original divisional teams. The Miami Heat are the most successful team, having won three championships and three runners-up. The Heat won the NBA title in 2006, 2012, and 2013, but defeated in the 2011–2014, and 2020 NBA Finals.
The Western Conference
Fifteen clubs divided into three five-team divisions make the Western Conference
1. Pacific Division
The Pacific Division is one of three divisions. They make up the NBA’s Western Conference. The five teams in the divisions are : the Los Angeles Clippers, the Sacramento Kings, the Golden State Warriors, the Phoenix Suns, and the Los Angeles Lakers. All teams, except the Suns, are based in California. They are one of only two North American major league divisions without animal nicknames. The other is the American League West.
The division was made at the start of the 1970-71 season. Then, the league grew from 14 to 17 teams. This was due to the additions of the Buffalo Braves, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Portland Trail Blazers.
The Pacific Division is perhaps the most successful. It has had great Los Angeles Lakers squads and dominant Golden State Warriors teams. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have led the Warriors to four NBA championships: 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022. The Los Angeles Lakers were led by Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and LeBron James. They won 15 of the franchise’s 17 NBA championships.
2. Southwest Division
The Southwest Division is one of three divisions that make up the National Basketball Association’s Western Conference. Despite its name, the NBA division is based in the South Central United States. This division has five teams. They are the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, and San Antonio Spurs. Three teams, the Mavericks, Rockets, and Spurs, have their headquarters in Texas.
At the start of the 2004-05 season, the NBA’s Western Conference made this division. It included some of its most historically competitive teams. The league expanded from 29 to 30 teams by adding the Charlotte Bobcats.
From 1999 to 2014, the Spurs won five NBA championships, with Tim Duncan on all five teams. Hakeem Olajuwon led Houston to consecutive NBA championships in 1993 and 1994. The Dallas Mavericks won one championship in 2011, owing to the fearsome tandem of Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd.
3. Northwest Division
The Northwest Division is one of three divisions in the NBA’s Western Conference. The division includes five teams: the Denver Nuggets, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Portland Trail Blazers, and the Utah Jazz.
At the start of the 2004-05 season, the league expanded from 29 to 30 teams by adding the Charlotte Bobcats, establishing the division.
Only two teams from this NBA division have won NBA championships. In 1977, the Portland Trail Blazers, led by Hall of Famer Bill Walton, defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA Finals. In 1979, with Dennis Johnson and Jack Sikma, the Seattle Supersonics beat the Washington Bullets. They did this to win their only NBA championship. They now share it with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Utah Jazz had Karl Malone and John Stockton. They made it to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998. But, they could not beat Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls for the championship.
How many leagues exist in the NBA?
It has five pro basketball leagues: the NBA, the Women’s NBA (WNBA), the NBA G League, the NBA 2K League, and the Basketball Africa League.
Do divisional champions receive a bye?
The top seed in each conference receives a bye in the NFL postseason’s Wild Card round, while the other division winners receive the Nos. 2–4 seeding.
Do NBA divisions matter?
Teams in other leagues celebrate division titles as achievements. In the NBA, they are meaningless.
Conclusion
So, we cleared all the confusion regarding NBA divisions. We have discussed the 6 divisions that the NBA currently has. In the future, the emergence of new teams may form new divisions.