Information about NBA Eastern vs NBA Western Conference according to NBA Score Stats: A Detailed Look into the Historic Rivalry The East vs West NBA rivalry has been the root of the league from its very existence: a battle of geographical pride, contrarian playing styles, and extreme competition against each other. In a long way, the history of the NBA, some of the most memorable moments, be it within the regular-season showdowns, the legendary Finals matchups, and the annual NBA All-Star Game.
We discuss the competition between the East and West NBA teams. Explore matches, East and West NBA All-Stars, records, achievements, coaching staff, and even Hall of Fame inductees with key statistics and history to illustrate differences and contributions.
Background: The Foundation of West vs East NBA Rivalry
It was in 1946 that the National Basketball Association came into being, and from its beginning, the league divided into two conferences-the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference. The formation of these conferences was intended to balance the geographic distribution of teams, hence creating regional rivalries developed over time.
The conference is broken down into three divisions. The East Conference, for example, contains the Atlantic, Central, and Southeast; whereas the Western Conference possesses Northwest, Pacific, and Southwest, divisions. Teams play most of their games within their conference, leading to styles that become quite distinctive and kind of identity per side of the league.
The East vs West NBA dynamic has influenced everything from playoff matchups to fan engagement, particularly when the two conferences meet in the NBA Finals, where the best from each side clash for ultimate supremacy.
East vs West NBA: Standings (2023-2024)
The West vs East NBA standings are watched intently throughout the regular season, as teams jockey for playoff positioning within their respective conferences. The strength of the conference often shows in the standings as well, and it makes a good preview of the impending playoff games.
The 2023-2024 season will primarily bring attention to how the NBA will end the West vs East NBA 2024 standings.
| East Conference Standings (2023-2024) | |||||
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | GP |
| z – Boston Celtics * | 64 | 18 | 0.78 | – | 82 |
| x – New York Knicks | 50 | 32 | 0.61 | 14 | 82 |
| y – Milwaukee Bucks * | 49 | 33 | 0.598 | 15 | 82 |
| x – Cleveland Cavaliers | 48 | 34 | 0.585 | 16 | 82 |
| y – Orlando Magic * | 47 | 35 | 0.573 | 17 | 82 |
| x – Indiana Pacers | 47 | 35 | 0.573 | 17 | 82 |
| x – Philadelphia 76ers | 47 | 35 | 0.573 | 17 | 82 |
| x – Miami Heat | 46 | 36 | 0.561 | 18 | 82 |
| pi – Chicago Bulls | 39 | 43 | 0.476 | 25 | 82 |
| pi – Atlanta Hawks | 36 | 46 | 0.439 | 28 | 82 |
| Brooklyn Nets | 32 | 50 | 0.39 | 32 | 82 |
| Toronto Raptors | 25 | 57 | 0.305 | 39 | 82 |
| Charlotte Hornets | 21 | 61 | 0.256 | 43 | 82 |
| Washington Wizards | 15 | 67 | 0.183 | 49 | 82 |
| Detroit Pistons | 14 | 68 | 0.171 | 50 | 82 |
Notes:
- z – Clinched home-court advantage for the entire playoffs
- y – Clinched division title
- x – Clinched playoff spot
- pi – Clinched play-in tournament spot
- * – Division leader
| Western Conference Standings (2023-2024) | |||||
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | GP |
| c – Oklahoma City Thunder * | 57 | 25 | 0.695 | – | 82 |
| x – Denver Nuggets | 57 | 25 | 0.695 | – | 82 |
| x – Minnesota Timberwolves | 56 | 26 | 0.683 | 1 | 82 |
| y – Los Angeles Clippers * | 51 | 31 | 0.622 | 6 | 82 |
| y – Dallas Mavericks * | 50 | 32 | 0.61 | 7 | 82 |
| x – Phoenix Suns | 49 | 33 | 0.598 | 8 | 82 |
| x – New Orleans Pelicans | 49 | 33 | 0.598 | 8 | 82 |
| x – Los Angeles Lakers | 47 | 35 | 0.573 | 10 | 82 |
| pi – Sacramento Kings | 46 | 36 | 0.561 | 11 | 82 |
| pi – Golden State Warriors | 46 | 36 | 0.561 | 11 | 82 |
| Houston Rockets | 41 | 41 | 0.5 | 16 | 82 |
| Utah Jazz | 31 | 51 | 0.378 | 26 | 82 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | 27 | 55 | 0.329 | 30 | 82 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 22 | 60 | 0.268 | 35 | 82 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 21 | 61 | 0.256 | 36 | 82 |
Notes:
- c – Clinched home-court advantage for the entire playoffs
- y – Clinched division title
- x – Clinched playoff spot
- pi – Clinched play-in tournament spot
- * – Division leader
West vs East NBA Championships: A Battle for Supremacy
The most crucial factor of the West vs East NBA rivalry is the battle for NBA championships. Since the inception of this league, the NBA Finals have taken place between the best team in the East and the best team in the West, setting it up to play each other in a best-of-seven series. This is the closest place where the rivalry between the conferences could come to its hottest point whoever wins will become the supreme conference.
Eastern Conference Championships
| East Conference | ||
| Team | Championships Won | Last |
| Boston Celtics | 11 | 2024 |
| Miami Heat | 7 | 2023 |
| Chicago Bulls | 6 | 1998 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 5 | 2018 |
| Detroit Pistons | 5 | 2005 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 5 | 2001 |
| Baltimore/Washington Bullets/Wizards | 4 | 1979 |
| New York Knicks | 4 | 1999 |
| New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets | 2 | 2003 |
| Orlando Magic | 2 | 2009 |
| Indiana Pacers | 1 | 2000 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 1 | 2021 |
| Toronto Raptors | 1 | 2019 |
| Atlanta Hawks | 0 | N/A |
| Charlotte Hornets | 0 | N/A |
Notable West vs East NBA Finals:
- Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics of the 1980s: Greatest East-West NBA rivalry. During the 1980s, the two teams reached the playing field for three basketball titles in the NBA Finals. The rivalry between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson defined a decade and enthralled fans everywhere.
- Chicago Bulls vs Utah Jazz (1997, 1998): Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan faced the Utah Jazz in consecutive playoffs. A second East vs West final series cemented the legend further with Michael Jordan’s force on both occasions.
Western Conference Championships
| Western Conference | ||
| Team | Championships Won | Last |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 19 | 2020 |
| Golden State Warriors | 7 | 2022 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 6 | 2014 |
| Houston Rockets | 4 | 1995 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | 4 | 2012 |
| Phoenix Suns | 3 | 2021 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 3 | 1992 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 3 | 2024 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 2 | 1974^ |
| Utah Jazz | 2 | 1998 |
| Denver Nuggets | 1 | 2023 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | 0 | N/A |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 0 | N/A |
| New Orleans Pelicans | 0 | N/A |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 0 | N/A |
| Sacramento Kings | 0 | N/A |
- Golden State Warriors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (2015-2018): This rivalry includes four consecutive NBA finals, with the Warriors representing the Western Conference and the Cavaliers, under LeBron James, fighting for the East. The Warriors won three of these match-ups while LeBron’s Cavaliers pulled off one for the ages in 2016.
The East has won 40 championships, while the West has 35 as of this writing in 2023. Despite Western Conference teams dominating in recent years, the Eastern Conference sports some of the most legendary championship teams in the history of the league.
West vs East NBA Records and Statistics
These East vs West NBA all-time records show how well the two conferences have fared against each other through the years. The conference dominated another simply based on which teams were more well-suited for each other in a particular period and the individual players they happened to feature.
West vs East NBA stats seem to indicate the Western Conference on the winning side of most of recent history. In large measure, the years 2000s and 2010s have witnessed champions from the West. The San Antonio Spurs, the Golden State Warriors, and the Los Angeles Lakers were mostly always in contention, while in the East, the Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, and Toronto Raptors have been the torch-bearers over these periods.
Last 10 Years East vs West NBA: Records
| East | West | Head – Head | ||||||||
| Season | W | L | W/L% | W | L | W/L% | East W | East W/L% | West W | West W/L% |
| 2023-24 | 580 | 650 | 0.472 | 650 | 580 | 0.528 | 191 | 0.423 | 261 | 0.577 |
| 2022-23 | 626 | 604 | 0.509 | 604 | 626 | 0.491 | 236 | 0.524 | 214 | 0.476 |
| 2021-22 | 616 | 614 | 0.501 | 614 | 616 | 0.499 | 226 | 0.502 | 224 | 0.498 |
| 2020-21 | 523 | 557 | 0.484 | 557 | 523 | 0.516 | 208 | 0.462 | 242 | 0.538 |
| 2019-20 | 507 | 540 | 0.484 | 552 | 519 | 0.515 | 178 | 0.458 | 211 | 0.542 |
| 2018-19 | 588 | 642 | 0.478 | 642 | 588 | 0.522 | 198 | 0.44 | 252 | 0.56 |
| 2017-18 | 603 | 627 | 0.49 | 627 | 603 | 0.51 | 213 | 0.473 | 237 | 0.527 |
| 2016-17 | 594 | 636 | 0.483 | 636 | 594 | 0.517 | 204 | 0.453 | 246 | 0.547 |
| 2015-16 | 608 | 622 | 0.494 | 622 | 608 | 0.506 | 218 | 0.484 | 232 | 0.516 |
| 2014-15 | 577 | 653 | 0.469 | 653 | 577 | 0.531 | 187 | 0.416 | 263 | 0.58 |
Coaching Staff: East vs West NBA Coaching Legends
In the West vs West East NBA rivalry, the role of coaching cannot be understated. Each conference has produced legendary coaches who have left a lasting impact on the game and achieved stellar success on the biggest stages.
| East Conference Head Coaches | |
| Team | Coach |
| Washington Wizards | BRIAN KEEFE |
| Orlando Magic | JAMAHL MOSLEY |
| Miami Heat | ERIK SPOELSTRA |
| Charlotte Hornets | CHARLES LEE |
| Atlanta Hawks | QUIN SNYDER |
| Philadelphia 76ers | NICK NURSE |
| New York Knicks | TOM THIBODEAU |
| Brooklyn Nets | JORDI FERNANDEZ |
| Boston Celtics | JOE MAZZULLA |
| Toronto Raptors | DARKO RAJAKOVIĆ |
| Milwaukee Bucks | DOC RIVERS |
| Indiana Pacers | RICK CARLISLE |
| Detroit Pistons | J.B. BICKERSTAFF |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | KENNY ATKINSON |
| Chicago Bulls | BILLY DONOVAN |
Eastern Conference Coaching Legends:
- Red Auerbach (Boston Celtics): Auerbach won nine championships with the Celtics, and a culture of excellence he established defined the East Conference in the 1950s and 1960s.
- Pat Riley, Miami Heat (New York Knicks): A coaching icon in both the East and West, Riley took the Los Angeles Lakers to championships in the 1980s and the Miami Heat to several titles in the 2000s.
| West Conference Head Coaches | |
| Team | Coach |
| Utah Jazz | WILL HARDY |
| Portland Trail Blazers | CHAUNCEY BILLUPS |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | MARK DAIGNEAULT |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | CHRIS FINCH |
| Denver Nuggets | MICHAEL MALONE |
| Sacramento Kings | MIKE BROWN |
| Phoenix Suns | MIKE BUDENHOLZER |
| Los Angeles Lakers | JJ REDICK |
| Los Angeles Clippers | TYRONN LUE |
| Golden State Warriors | STEVE KERR |
| San Antonio Spurs | GREGG POPOVICH |
| New Orleans Pelicans | WILLIE GREEN |
| Memphis Grizzlies | TAYLOR JENKINS |
| Houston Rockets | IME UDOKA |
| Dallas Mavericks | JASON KIDD |
Western Conference Coaching Legends:
- Phil Jackson (Los Angeles Lakers): At 11 championships overall, divided between the Chicago Bulls in the East and Los Angeles Lakers in the West, Phil Jackson stands among the all-time great coaches in this game.
- Gregg Popovich (San Antonio Spurs): Gregg Popovich successfully took the San Antonio Spurs to five NBA championships and is now the definition of success in the Western Conference.
The two conferences witnessed great coaching staffs, but the rivalry between coaches in the East vs West NBA dynamic is particularly compelling during the NBA Finals and the All-Star Game.
East vs West NBA All-Star Game: Showcasing the League’s Best
The most thrilling exhibition of each season is the All-Star East vs. West game, an annual exhibition that pits the greatest players from each conference against one another since 1951. The format for the All-Star Game has changed in recent years, but it still focuses on the NBA’s best talents.
| East All-Star Players | |||||
| Players | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Minutes played | Position |
| Damian Lillard | 39 | 3 | 6 | 27′ | G |
| Jaylen Brown | 36 | 8 | 3 | 22′ | G-F |
| Tyrese Haliburton | 32 | 7 | 6 | 27′ | G |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | 23 | 7 | 1 | 23′ | F |
| Jayson Tatum | 20 | 3 | 3 | 21′ | F-G |
| Scottie Barnes | 16 | 8 | 3 | 17′ | F |
| Jalen Brunson | 12 | 4 | 5 | 17′ | G |
| Tyrese Maxey | 10 | 3 | 3 | 17′ | G |
| Donovan Mitchell | 9 | 7 | 2 | 16′ | G |
| Paolo Banchero | 6 | 9 | 5 | 18′ | F |
| Trae Young | 5 | 3 | 7 | 14′ | G |
| Bam Adebayo | 3 | 2 | 2 | 16′ | C-F |
| West All-Star Players | |||||
| Players | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Minutes played | Position |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | 50 | 8 | 3 | 27′ | F |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 31 | 4 | 6 | 27′ | G-F |
| Kevin Durant | 18 | 5 | 5 | 24′ | F |
| Stephen Curry | 16 | 5 | 8 | 25′ | G |
| Devin Booker | 15 | 4 | 7 | 19′ | G |
| Nikola Jokić | 13 | 4 | 9 | 23′ | C |
| Paul George | 13 | 1 | 2 | 9′ | F |
| LeBron James | 8 | 4 | 3 | 13′ | F |
| Luka Dončić | 7 | 7 | 7 | 22′ | F-G |
| Anthony Davis | 6 | 8 | 8 | 22′ | F-C |
| Kawhi Leonard | 5 | 2 | 1 | 10′ | F |
| Anthony Edwards | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12′ | G |
