NBA Conference Standings

2020-21 National Basketball Association Magic Numbers

Eastern Conference

East GP/R W L PCT GB
PHI 72/0 49 23 .681 —   ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ←
BKN 72/0 48 24 .667 1 •   ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ←
MIL 72/0 46 26 .639 3 • •   ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ←
NYK 72/0 41 31 .569 8 • • •   — ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ←
ATL 72/0 41 31 .569 8 • • • —   ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ←
MIA 72/0 40 32 .556 9 • • • • •   ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ←
BOS 72/0 36 36 .500 13 • • • • • •   ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ←
WAS 72/0 34 38 .472 15 • • • • • • •   — ← ← ← ← ← ←
IND 72/0 34 38 .472 15 • • • • • • • —   ← ← ← ← ← ←
CHA 72/0 33 39 .458 16 • • • • • • • • •   ← ← ← ← ←
CHI 72/0 31 41 .431 18 • • • • • • • • • •   ← ← ← ←
TOR 72/0 27 45 .375 22 • • • • • • • • • • •   ← ← ←
CLE 72/0 22 50 .306 27 • • • • • • • • • • • •   ← ←
ORL 72/0 21 51 .292 28 • • • • • • • • • • • • •   ←
DET 72/0 20 52 .278 29 • • • • • • • • • • • • • •  

Western Conference

West GP/R W L PCT GB
UTH 72/0 52 20 .722 —   ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ←
PHX 72/0 51 21 .708 1 •   ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ←
DEN 72/0 47 25 .653 5 • •   — ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ←
LAC 72/0 47 25 .653 5 • • —   ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ←
DAL 72/0 42 30 .583 10 • • • •   — — ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ←
POR 72/0 42 30 .583 10 • • • • —   — ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ←
LAL 72/0 42 30 .583 10 • • • • — —   ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ←
MEM 72/0 38 34 .528 14 • • • • • • •   • ← ← ← ← ← ←
GSW 72/0 39 33 .542 13 • • • • • • • ←   ← ← ← ← ← ←
SAS 72/0 33 39 .458 19 • • • • • • • • •   ← ← ← ← ←
NWO 72/0 31 41 .431 21 • • • • • • • • • •   — ← ← ←
SAC 72/0 31 41 .431 21 • • • • • • • • • • —   ← ← ←
MIN 72/0 23 49 .319 29 • • • • • • • • • • • •   ← ←
OKC 72/0 22 50 .306 30 • • • • • • • • • • • • •   ←
HOU 72/0 17 55 .236 35 • • • • • • • • • • • • • •  

Eight teams from each conference qualify for the playoffs:

  • The top six teams, who are ranked 1-6 based on their win/loss records
  • The winners of the 7/8 & 9/10 play-in games:
    • The 7th and 8th seeds will play a one-game playoff at seasons end. The winner will be the 7th seed, the loser will move on to the second round of the play-in.
    • The 9th and 10th seeds will play a one-game playoff at seasons end. The winner will move on to the second round of the play-in, the loser will be eliminated from the playoffs.
    • The 7/8 loser will play the 9/10 winner, with the winner of this game being the 8th seed for the playoffs, and the loser being eliminated from the playoffs.
Clinched top-6 playoff berth
Clinched play-in round berth
Eliminated from the playoffs

Two-Team Tiebreaker

  1. Better record in head-to-head games
  2. Division winner
  3. Higher winning percentage within division (if teams are in the same division)
  4. Higher winning percentage in conference games
  5. Higher winning percentage against playoff teams in own conference
  6. Higher winning percentage against playoff teams in opposite conference
  7. Higher point differential between points scored and points allowed

Three-Team Tiebreaker

  1. Division winner
  2. Best head-to-head winning percentage among all teams tied
  3. Highest winning percentage within division (if teams are in the same division)
  4. Highest winning percentage in conference games
  5. Highest winning percentage against playoff teams in own conference
  6. Higher winning percentage against playoff teams in opposite conference
  7. Highest point differential between points scored and points allowed

Tiebreaking procedures from nba.com

Updated: September 25, 2021 6:00am ET