The Central Division is one of the three divisions in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The division consists of five teams, the Chicago Bulls, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Detroit Pistons, the Indiana Pacers, and the Milwaukee Bucks. All teams except the Cavaliers are former Midwest Division teams; thus, the Central Division now largely resembles the Midwest Division in the 1970s.
An earlier five-team Central Division previously existed for the 1949–50 season as one of three divisions in the NBA, along with the Western and Eastern divisions. The current Central Division was created at the start of the 1970–71 season, when the league expanded from 14 to 17 teams with the addition of the Buffalo Braves, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Portland Trail Blazers. The league realigned itself into two conferences, the Western Conference and the Eastern Conference, with two divisions in each conference. The Central Division began with four inaugural members, the Atlanta Hawks, the Baltimore Bullets, the Cincinnati Royals, and the Cavaliers. The Hawks were moved from the Western Division, while the Bullets and the Royals were moved from the Eastern Division.
Thirteen NBA champions came from the Central Division. The Bulls won six championships, the Pistons won three, the Bucks won two, and the Bullets and Cavaliers won one each. All of the teams, except the 1977–78 Bullets and the 2003–04 Pistons, were division champions. In the 2005–06 season, all five teams from the division qualified for the playoffs. Overall, the Bucks have won thirteen Central Division titles, followed by the Bulls and Pistons with nine division titles each. The Central Division has the highest percentage of teams that have won a championship, with four out of the five teams having won an NBA title. The Pacers are the lone exception, although they have advanced to the NBA Finals on two occasions, in 2000 and 2025.
Since the 2021–22 season, the Central Division champion has received the Wayne Embry Trophy, named after Hall of Famer Wayne Embry who played for the Bucks in the 1968–69 NBA season.
2025–26 standings
Notes c – Clinched home court advantage for the conference playoffs y – Clinched division (and playoff spot) x – Clinched playoff spot ps – Clinched play-in tournament spot (locked into a play-in spot but has not yet clinched a playoff spot directly) o – Eliminated from playoffs and play-in tournament
Teams Team City Year From Joined Chicago Bulls Chicago, Illinois Midwest Division Cleveland Cavaliers Cleveland, Ohio — Detroit Pistons Detroit, Michigan Midwest Division Indiana Pacers Indianapolis, Indiana Midwest Division Milwaukee Bucks Milwaukee, Wisconsin Midwest Division Notes denotes an expansion team.
Former teams Team City Year From Year To Current division Joined Left Atlanta Hawks Atlanta, Georgia Western Division Southeast Division Southeast Division Charlotte Hornets (–; –present) Charlotte, North Carolina Midwest Division Southeast Division Southeast Division Cincinnati Royals (–, now Sacramento Kings) Cincinnati, Ohio 1970 Eastern Division Midwest Division(as Kansas City–Omaha Kings) Pacific Division Houston Rockets Houston, Texas Western Division Midwest Division Southwest Division New Orleans Hornets (–present, now New Orleans Pelicans) New Orleans, Louisiana — 2004 Southwest Division Southwest Division New Orleans Jazz (–, now Utah Jazz) New Orleans, Louisiana — Midwest Division(as Utah Jazz) Northwest Division Orlando Magic Orlando, Florida — Midwest Division Southeast Division San Antonio Spurs San Antonio, Texas ABA 1980 Midwest Division Southwest Division Toronto Raptors Toronto, Ontario — 2004 Atlantic Division Atlantic Division Washington Bullets (–, now Washington Wizards)Capital Bullets ()Baltimore Bullets (–) Landover, MarylandBaltimore, Maryland 1970 Eastern Division Atlantic Division Southeast Division Notes denotes an expansion team. denotes a team that merged from the American Basketball Association (ABA). The Charlotte NBA franchise was inactive from 2002 to 2004 upon the relocation of the Hornets to New Orleans. A new franchise, initially known as the Bobcats, began play in the 2004–05 season. In 2013, the New Orleans Hornets were renamed the Pelicans, and the following season, the Bobcats were renamed the Hornets, acquiring the history and records of the 1988–2002 Hornets while retroactively designating the Pelicans as an expansion team.
Team timeline Denotes team that currently in the division Denotes team that has left the division
Wayne Embry Trophy Beginning with the 2021–22 season, the Central Division champion has received the Wayne Embry Trophy. As with the other division championship trophies, it is named after one of the African American pioneers from NBA history. Wayne Embry became the NBA's first African American general manager when he was hired by the Milwaukee Bucks in 1972. The Embry Trophy consists of a crystal ball.
Division champions ^ Had or tied for the best regular season record for that season Season Team Record Playoffs result Baltimore Bullets 42–40 (.512) Lost NBA Finals Baltimore Bullets 38–44 (.463) Lost conference semifinals Baltimore Bullets 52–30 (.634) Lost conference semifinals Capital Bullets 47–35 (.573) Lost conference semifinals Washington Bullets^ 60–22 (.732) Lost NBA Finals Cleveland Cavaliers 49–33 (.598) Lost conference finals Houston Rockets 49–33 (.598) Lost conference finals San Antonio Spurs 52–30 (.634) Lost conference semifinals San Antonio Spurs 48–34 (.585) Lost conference finals Atlanta Hawks 50–32 (.610) Lost conference semifinals Milwaukee Bucks 60–22 (.732) Lost conference semifinals Milwaukee Bucks 55–27 (.671) Lost conference semifinals Milwaukee Bucks 51–31 (.622) Lost conference finals Milwaukee Bucks 50–32 (.610) Lost conference finals Milwaukee Bucks 59–23 (.720) Lost conference semifinals Milwaukee Bucks 57–25 (.695) Lost conference finals Atlanta Hawks 57–25 (.695) Lost conference semifinals Detroit Pistons 54–28 (.659) Lost NBA Finals Detroit Pistons^ 63–19 (.768) Won NBA Finals Detroit Pistons 59–23 (.720) Won NBA Finals Chicago Bulls 61–21 (.744) Won NBA Finals Chicago Bulls^ 67–15 (.817) Won NBA Finals Chicago Bulls 57–25 (.695) Won NBA Finals Atlanta Hawks 57–25 (.695) Lost conference semifinals Indiana Pacers 52–30 (.634) Lost conference finals Chicago Bulls^ 72–10 (.878) Won NBA Finals Chicago Bulls^ 69–13 (.841) Won NBA Finals Chicago Bulls^ 62–20 (.756) Won NBA Finals Indiana Pacers 33–17 (.660) Lost conference finals Indiana Pacers 56–26 (.683) Lost NBA Finals Milwaukee Bucks 52–30 (.634) Lost conference finals Detroit Pistons 50–32 (.610) Lost conference semifinals Detroit Pistons 50–32 (.610) Lost conference finals Indiana Pacers^ 61–21 (.744) Lost conference finals Detroit Pistons 54–28 (.659) Lost NBA Finals Detroit Pistons^ 64–18 (.780) Lost conference finals Detroit Pistons 53–29 (.646) Lost conference finals Detroit Pistons 59–23 (.720) Lost conference finals Cleveland Cavaliers^ 66–16 (.805) Lost conference finals Cleveland Cavaliers^ 61–21 (.744) Lost conference semifinals Chicago Bulls^ 62–20 (.756) Lost conference finals Chicago Bulls^ 50–16 (.758) Lost first round Indiana Pacers 49–32 (.605) Lost conference finals Indiana Pacers 56–26 (.683) Lost conference finals Cleveland Cavaliers 53–29 (.646) Lost NBA Finals Cleveland Cavaliers 57–25 (.695) Won NBA Finals Cleveland Cavaliers 51–31 (.622) Lost NBA Finals Cleveland Cavaliers 50–32 (.610) Lost NBA Finals Milwaukee Bucks^ 60–22 (.732) Lost conference finals Milwaukee Bucks^ 56–17 (.767) Lost conference semifinals Milwaukee Bucks 46–26 (.639) Won NBA Finals Milwaukee Bucks 51–31 (.622) Lost conference semifinals Milwaukee Bucks^ 58–24 (.707) Lost first round Milwaukee Bucks 49–33 (.598) Lost first round Cleveland Cavaliers 64–18 (.780) Lost conference semifinals Detroit Pistons 60–22 (.732) Lost conference semifinals
Titles by team ^ Denotes team that has left the division Team Titles Season(s) won Milwaukee Bucks 13 , , , , , , , , , , , , Detroit Pistons 10 , , , , , , , , , Chicago Bulls 8 , , , , , , , Cleveland Cavaliers 8 , , , , , , , Indiana Pacers 6 , , , , , Baltimore / Capital / Washington Bullets^ (now Washington Wizards) 5 , , , , Atlanta Hawks^ 3 , , San Antonio Spurs^ 2 , Houston Rockets^ 1
Season results ^ Denotes team that won the NBA Finals + Denotes team that won the Conference finals, but lost the NBA Finals * Denotes team that qualified for the NBA Playoffs × Denotes team that qualified for the NBA play-in tournament † Denotes team that did not qualify for the 2020 NBA Bubble season restart Season Team (record) 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th