NBA Western Conference divisions and the teams in each division
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is one of the most organized sports organizations. The conference division has made everything easier to improve the structure and bring teams from the same region together to save on travelling expenditures. Here are the NBA Western conference divisions.
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Thirty squads are participating in the North American league. With these, the NBA put a unique structure in place to accommodate all the groups located in different states in the U.S. and one in Canada. The Western conference divisions have had the best teams with the best records since its inception. So, what are these divisions?
NBA western conference divisions
The NBA originated in 1946 with 11 teams. Through its development and expansion, more groups joined to make a total of 30. The association organizes the squads into two leading conferences, each further divided into three divisions consisting of five teams. Here are the divisions and their squads:
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Northwest
| Denver Nuggets |
| Minnesota Timberwolves |
| Oklahoma City Thunder |
| Portland Trailblazers |
| Utah Jazz |
Pacific
| Golden State Warriors |
| Los Angeles Clippers |
| Los Angeles Lakers |
| Phoenix Suns |
| Sacramento Kings |
Southwest
| Dallas Mavericks |
| Houston Rockets |
| New Orleans Pelicans |
| Memphis Grizzlies |
| San Antonio Spurs |
Western conference divisions NBA teams
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The Western side has some of the best squads in the NBA. While the Eastern is competitive, most western teams' value could be more matchable. It is also more profound, more robust and has better athletes than its counterparts. The Western Conference has won 10 out of the last 13 NBA championships. The Western conference list of teams arranged in alphabetical order includes:
- Dallas Mavericks
- Denver Nuggets
- Golden State Warriors
- Houston Rockets
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- New Orleans Pelicans
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Phoenix Suns
- Portland Trailblazers
- Sacramento Kings
- San Antonio Spurs
- Utah Jazz
NBA western conference records
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The west side was less potent than the Eastern, judging from the past few decades. However, the west has become more assertive with heavy top squads, unlike their well-balanced counterparts. The west has outstanding records, some of which are highlighted below.
Northwest
| Team | Win | Loss | Percentile win | Games behind |
| Denver Nuggets | 30 | 13 | .698 | _ |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 22 | 22 | .500 | 0.5 |
| Portland Trailblazers | 21 | 22 | .488 | 9 |
| Utah Jazz | 22 | 24 | .478 | 9.5 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | 21 | 23 | .477 | 9.5 |
Pacific
| Team | Win | Loss | Percentile win | Games behind |
| Sacramento Kings | 24 | 18 | .571 | 5.5 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 23 | 22 | .511 | 8 |
| Golden State Warriors | 21 | 22 | .488 | 9 |
| Phoenix Suns | 21 | 23 | .477 | 9.5 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 19 | 24 | .442 | 11 |
Southwest
| Team | Win | Loss | Percentile win | Games behind |
| Memphis Grizzlies | 29 | 13 | .690 | 0.5 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | 26 | 17 | .605 | 4 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 24 | 21 | .533 | 7 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 13 | 31 | .295 | 17.5 |
| Houston Rockets | 10 | 33 | .233 | 20 |
NBA western conference standings as of today
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Competition is rising as the season continues as no one seems to back down. Squads have been competing for head-on to try to earn a playoff spot or a play-in spot for the worst scenario. However, some have dominated the league and are as sure as night follows day that they will reach the playoffs. Here are the Western Conference standings as of today (15 January 2023):
| 1 | Denver Nuggets |
| 2 | Memphis Grizzlies |
| 3 | New Orleans Pelicans |
| 4 | Sacramento Kings |
| 5 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 6 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 7 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 8 | Golden State Warriors |
| 9 | Portland Trailblazers |
| 10 | Utah Jazz |
| 11 | Phoenix Suns |
| 12 | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 13 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 14 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 15 | Houston Rockets |
The top eight will proceed to the playoffs. However, only six move directly as the Teams seeded 7-10 in each conference will compete in a play-in tournament at the end of the regular season for the top two to proceed.
When were the NBA teams divided into conferences?
In the 2004-05 season, the NBA decided to adopt the current divisional alignment. This came when the now Charlotte Hornets joined the league as the NBA's 20th franchise. It also caused changes for other squads, with the New Orleans Pelicans moving from the Eastern Conference's central division to the newly created Southwest Division in the Western Conference.
How many NBA teams are there?
There are 30 teams in the National Basketball Association. Initially, there were eight teams, with the others joining as the game became more popular.
Which is the best Western Conference team?
The best team in the Western Conference currently are the Denver Nuggets. They top the league standings with a 30-13 win-loss record. They are led by their star captain and centre, Nikola Jokic, who is in the 2022-23 KIA MVP race.
Source: Getty Images
The Western Conference divisions consist of the best teams in the NBA. Over the past decade, the west has dominated the league, winning 10 of the last 13 championships. The Denver Nuggets are currently the best squad, with a 30-13 win-loss record.
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