The NBA has six divisions, with five teams in each: three divisions in the Eastern Conference and three in the Western Conference. The complete 2026–27 lineup is listed below, based on the NBA’s official team directory, checked October 11, 2026. A team’s conference affects its path to the postseason; its division groups it with four familiar opponents. The two labels are related, but they are not interchangeable.
Every NBA division and its five teams (2026–27)
| Conference | Division | Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern | Atlantic | Boston Celtics; Brooklyn Nets; New York Knicks; Philadelphia 76ers; Toronto Raptors |
| Eastern | Central | Chicago Bulls; Cleveland Cavaliers; Detroit Pistons; Indiana Pacers; Milwaukee Bucks |
| Eastern | Southeast | Atlanta Hawks; Charlotte Hornets; Miami Heat; Orlando Magic; Washington Wizards |
| Western | Northwest | Denver Nuggets; Minnesota Timberwolves; Oklahoma City Thunder; Portland Trail Blazers; Utah Jazz |
| Western | Pacific | Golden State Warriors; LA Clippers; Los Angeles Lakers; Phoenix Suns; Sacramento Kings |
| Western | Southwest | Dallas Mavericks; Houston Rockets; Memphis Grizzlies; New Orleans Pelicans; San Antonio Spurs |
That is 30 teams = 2 conferences × 3 divisions per conference × 5 teams per division. The divisions do not change simply because a club finishes first or last in the standings.
Eastern Conference divisions explained
Atlantic Division
Boston, Brooklyn, New York, Philadelphia and Toronto comprise the Atlantic. The Raptors are the only Canadian club in this division. The Atlantic is also where the Boston–New York and New York–Brooklyn geographic rivalries fit into the league’s formal structure.
Central Division
Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Indiana and Milwaukee are the Central’s five members. These teams can face one another as divisional opponents throughout the regular season, but their ranking within the division is not the same thing as their overall place in the Eastern Conference.
Southeast Division
Atlanta, Charlotte, Miami, Orlando and Washington make up the Southeast. The Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards pictured in the featured image are two examples of teams that share a division; the photo is from their October 29, 2021 meeting, not an image of a 2026–27 game.
Western Conference divisions explained
Northwest Division
Denver, Minnesota, Oklahoma City, Portland and Utah are the Northwest members. The name is geographic shorthand, not a claim that all five franchises sit in the northwestern corner of the United States.
Pacific Division
Golden State, the LA Clippers, the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix and Sacramento are the Pacific clubs. California supplies four of the five teams, while Phoenix is the Arizona member.
Southwest Division
Dallas, Houston, Memphis, New Orleans and San Antonio form the Southwest. Three Texas franchises belong to the same division, but those teams still compete against the other twelve Western Conference clubs for conference positioning.
NBA conferences vs. divisions: what is the difference?
A conference is the larger half of the league. Each conference has 15 teams and three divisions. A division is a smaller, five-team grouping inside a conference. Standings pages may offer filters for overall conference, division or league, so the same team can appear in multiple tables with different neighbors.
| Feature | Conference | Division |
|---|---|---|
| Groups across the NBA | 2 (East and West) | 6 |
| Teams per group | 15 | 5 |
| Group members | Three complete divisions | Five individual franchises |
| Main purpose for fans | Understanding the postseason route and conference standings | Understanding regional groupings and division races |
| Does winning it automatically guarantee a top-four playoff seed? | Not phrased as a conference title during the regular season | No; division winners do not automatically receive top-four playoff seeds |
Do NBA division winners automatically make the playoffs?
Do not confuse a division title with a guaranteed playoff berth or a protected high seed. Current NBA seeding is based on conference records and the league’s postseason qualification format, rather than automatically placing all three division winners in the top three or top four. Division-leading status can still be relevant in the official tie-breaking sequence where specified. For the authoritative order of tie-break criteria, refer to the NBA standings and tiebreaker explanation.
To read playoff scenarios correctly, start with the Eastern or Western Conference standings, not a list showing only the five clubs in one division. If a report says that a team leads the Central Division, it does not necessarily mean it leads the Eastern Conference.
Are NBA Cup groups the same as divisions?
No. The NBA Cup’s group-stage pools are a separate competition structure and should not be mistaken for the six permanent Atlantic/Central/Southeast/Northwest/Pacific/Southwest divisions. The group assignments and dates can change from one Cup tournament to another. For the latest Cup format and schedule, use the NBA’s official 2026 NBA Cup hub.
How to find a team’s division quickly
- Open the NBA’s team directory.
- Identify the section header above the team: Atlantic, Central, Southeast, Northwest, Pacific or Southwest.
- For its record and position, open the official standings and choose the relevant conference or divisional display.
- For a team’s upcoming games or roster, follow its official team profile from the directory; do not assume a player transfer changes a franchise’s divisional membership.
Why the six-division structure matters
It helps explain recurring opponents, familiar regional matchups, the way standings are displayed and certain regular-season tie-break discussions. But a division is not a separate mini-league in which each team plays only four opponents. Clubs play a schedule that includes teams across their conference and teams in the other conference, too.
Likewise, a division does not tell you who plays point guard, center or forward. Those are player roles, covered in our basketball positions guide. If you are new to the NBA and want a companion reference, see our guide to game lengths and basketball court dimensions comparison.
NBA divisions FAQ
How many NBA divisions are there?
Six. The Eastern Conference has Atlantic, Central and Southeast; the Western Conference has Northwest, Pacific and Southwest.
How many teams are in each NBA division?
Five. With six groups, that accounts for all 30 NBA franchises.
What NBA division are the Lakers in?
The Los Angeles Lakers play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, alongside the Clippers, Warriors, Suns and Kings.
Are the Celtics and Knicks in the same division?
Yes. Boston and New York are Atlantic Division opponents, along with Brooklyn, Philadelphia and Toronto.
Are the Mavericks and Spurs in the same division?
Yes. Dallas and San Antonio are both in the Western Conference’s Southwest Division.
Do NBA divisions change every season?
They are stable league groupings, not yearly competition draws. A formal league realignment could change them, but a team’s finish in the standings or NBA Cup draw does not.
Is the NBA Cup group stage based on the six divisions?
No. Cup groups are a separate temporary tournament arrangement; check the official NBA Cup page for the specific season’s assignments.
Sources and image credit
The roster of divisional members above was checked against NBA.com — All Teams on October 11, 2026. The official standings page is the appropriate source for current records and tiebreaks; the NBA Cup hub governs Cup groups.
Featured photo: All-Pro Reels, Washington Wizards vs. Atlanta Hawks, October 29, 2021, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. Unmodified by AVARIXO. The image illustrates two teams in the Southeast Division and is not a 2026–27 game photo.
