NBA Western Conference standings: the basics
Kabayan, the NBA splits its 30 teams into two conferences of 15: the Western Conference and the Eastern Conference. Teams are ranked inside their own conference, and the playoffs are played within each conference until the NBA Finals. Dito sa Pinas, maraming Pinoy fans ang naka-tutok sa West, lalo na sa Lakers at Warriors. This page explains how to read the NBA West conference standings (people also search “Western Conference NBA standing” or “NBA standing Western Conference”) and the NBA East table. For the full league table, see NBA standings.
Who plays in the NBA West?
| Division | Teams |
|---|---|
| Northwest | Denver, Minnesota, Oklahoma City, Portland, Utah |
| Pacific | Golden State, LA Clippers, LA Lakers, Phoenix, Sacramento |
| Southwest | Dallas, Houston, Memphis, New Orleans, San Antonio |
And the NBA East?
| Division | Teams |
|---|---|
| Atlantic | Boston, Brooklyn, New York, Philadelphia, Toronto |
| Central | Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Indiana, Milwaukee |
| Southeast | Atlanta, Charlotte, Miami, Orlando, Washington |
What the places mean
| Conference place | What it gets |
|---|---|
| 1st to 6th | A direct playoff place |
| 7th to 10th | The Play-In, which decides the 7th and 8th playoff seeds |
| 11th to 15th | Season over; no postseason |
That’s why the NBA West standings get tense in March and April. The difference between 6th and 7th is a guaranteed playoff spot versus a Play-In game. Isang panalo lang, iba na ang sitwasyon mo. Read more on our NBA playoffs page.
How to read the NBA West standings table
A conference table lists wins (W), losses (L), winning percentage (PCT) and games behind (GB). The ranking follows winning percentage, not total wins, because teams may have played a different number of games at any point in the season.
Games behind shows how far a team trails the leader: add the difference in wins to the difference in losses and divide by two. Example with two fictional teams: the leader is 30-10 and another team is 26-14. That’s (30 − 26 + 14 − 10) ÷ 2 = 4 games behind. A half game (like 2.5 GB) appears when the teams have played a different number of games.
Tie-breakers
When two teams finish with the same record, the NBA’s tie-break rules decide the order. The first check between two tied teams is their head-to-head record against each other this season, followed by further criteria in the league’s official procedure. So in a close race, the games between direct rivals count double: a win also gives you the tie-breaker. Don’t assume alphabetical order or “who won more recently”.
NBA conference standings vs the full league table
A team can be 8th in the West with a better record than the 6th team in the East. Conference standings decide the playoffs; the full league table is useful for comparing teams across conferences, for example for the draft order. When you see “NBA standings” in a headline, check which table it means.
Western Conference odds (21+)
Standings shape conference-winner and playoff markets. If you’re 21 or older, our NBA odds guide explains how those futures work. A strong record now doesn’t guarantee a playoff run, and an operator’s price is not a prediction. Set a budget and read our responsible gambling page.
Quick answers
How many teams are in the NBA Western Conference?
15, in three divisions of five: Northwest, Pacific and Southwest.
Which places reach the Play-In?
7th to 10th in each conference. They play for the 7th and 8th playoff seeds.
Tara, check the table and see where your team stands. Laban, West!