NBA Conference Standings

2020-21 National Basketball Association Magic Numbers

Eastern Conference

East GP/R W L PCT GB
PHI 66/6 45 21 .682 —   5 4 ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ←
BKN 66/6 43 23 .652 2 NC   6 — ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ←
MIL 66/6 42 24 .636 3 NC NC   2 — ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ←
NYK 66/6 37 29 .561 8 • NC NC   6 5 5 3 — ← ← ← ← ← ←
ATL 67/5 37 30 .552 8.5 • • NC NC   5 5 3 — ← ← ← ← ← ←
BOS 66/6 35 31 .530 10 • • • NC NC   7 5 3 2 ← ← ← ← ←
MIA 66/6 35 31 .530 10 • • • NC NC 7   5 3 2 ← ← ← ← ←
CHA 65/7 32 33 .492 12.5 • • • NC NC NC NC   6 5 2 2 ← ← ←
IND 65/7 30 35 .462 14.5 • • • NC NC NC NC NC   7 4 4 ← ← ←
WAS 66/6 30 36 .455 15 • • • • • NC NC NC NC   4 4 ← ← ←
TOR 66/6 27 39 .409 18 • • • • • • • NC NC NC   7 — — ←
CHI 65/7 26 39 .400 18.5 • • • • • • • NC NC NC 8   2 2 ←
ORL 66/6 21 45 .318 24 • • • • • • • • • • NC NC   7 5
CLE 66/6 21 45 .318 24 • • • • • • • • • • NC NC 7   5
DET 66/6 19 47 .288 26 • • • • • • • • • • • • NC NC  

Western Conference

West GP/R W L PCT GB
UTH 66/6 48 18 .727 —   6 3 3 ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ←
PHX 66/6 47 19 .712 1 NC   4 4 ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ←
DEN 66/6 44 22 .667 4 NC NC   7 — — ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ←
LAC 66/6 44 22 .667 4 NC NC 7   — — ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ← ←
DAL 65/7 37 28 .569 10.5 • • NC NC   8 7 4 3 2 ← ← ← ← ←
LAL 65/7 37 28 .569 10.5 • • NC NC 8   7 4 3 2 ← ← ← ← ←
POR 66/6 37 29 .561 11 • • • • NC NC   4 3 2 ← ← ← ← ←
MEM 65/7 33 32 .508 14.5 • • • • NC NC NC   7 6 4 3 ← ← ←
GSW 66/6 33 33 .500 15 • • • • NC NC NC NC   6 4 3 ← ← ←
SAS 65/7 31 34 .477 16.5 • • • • NC NC NC NC NC   6 5 ← ← ←
NWO 66/6 30 36 .455 18 • • • • • • • NC NC NC   6 ← ← ←
SAC 66/6 29 37 .439 19 • • • • • • • NC NC NC NC   ← ← ←
OKC 66/6 21 45 .318 27 • • • • • • • • • • • •   6 2
MIN 66/6 20 46 .303 28 • • • • • • • • • • • • NC   3
HOU 66/6 16 50 .242 32 • • • • • • • • • • • • NC NC  

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 playoff berth (top 6 seeds)
Clinched top 10 seed, still alive to clinch top 6
Still alive for top 6, haven't clinched anything
Clinched top 10 seed, eliminated from top 6, will play in play-in round
Still alive for play-in, haven't clinched anything
Eliminated from the playoffs

Clinched top-6 playoff berth
Clinched play-in round berth
In the hunt
Eliminated from the playoffs

Two-Team Tiebreaker

  1. Division winner
  2. Better record in head-to-head games
  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. Highest point differential between points scored and points allowed

Tiebreaking prodecures from NBA.com

Updated: May 6, 2021 12:00pm ET