The Pacific Division is one of the three divisions in the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The division consists of five teams: the Golden State Warriors, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Phoenix Suns and the Sacramento Kings. All teams, except the Suns, are based in California. Along with the American League West of Major League Baseball (MLB), they are one of two North American major league divisions with no animal themed nicknames.
The 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 each in each conference. The Pacific Division began with five inaugural members: the Lakers, the Blazers, the San Diego Rockets, the San Francisco Warriors and the Seattle SuperSonics. The Lakers, the Rockets, the Warriors and the SuperSonics all joined from the Western Division.
The Lakers have won the most Pacific Division titles with 25. The Phoenix Suns have the second most titles with eight. 19 NBA champions have come from the Pacific Division. The Lakers have won 12 championships, the Warriors won 5, and the Blazers and Sonics won one championship each. All of them, except the 1976–77 Blazers, the 2001–02 Lakers and the 2021–22 Warriors, were division champions. In the 1991–92 season, six teams from the division qualified for the playoffs. In the 1977–78 season, all teams in the division had winning percentages above 0.500 (50%). The most recent division champions are the Los Angeles Lakers.
Since the 2021–22 season, the Pacific Division champion has received the Chuck Cooper Trophy, named after Hall of Famer Chuck Cooper.
2025–26 standings
Notes y – Clinched division title pi – Clinched play-in tournament spot (locked into a play-in spot but not able to clinch a playoff spot directly) x – Clinched playoff spot
Teams Team City Joined Year From Golden State Warriors (–present)San Francisco Warriors (–) San Francisco, CaliforniaOakland, California Western Division Los Angeles Clippers (–present)San Diego Clippers (–) Inglewood, CaliforniaLos Angeles, CaliforniaSan Diego, California Atlantic Division(as Buffalo Braves) Los Angeles Lakers Los Angeles, California Western Division Phoenix Suns Phoenix, Arizona Midwest Division Sacramento Kings Sacramento, California Midwest Division
Former teams Team City Joined Left Current division Year From Year To Houston Rockets (–present)San Diego Rockets (–) Houston, TexasSan Diego, California Western Division Central Division Southwest Division Portland Trail Blazers Portland, Oregon — Northwest Division Northwest Division Seattle SuperSonics (–, now Oklahoma City Thunder) Seattle, Washington Western Division Northwest Division Northwest Division Notes denotes an expansion team.
Team timeline Denotes team currently in the division Denotes team that has left the division
Chuck Cooper Trophy Beginning with the 2021–22 season, the Pacific Division champion has received the Chuck Cooper Trophy. As with the other division championship trophies, it is named after one of the many African American pioneers from NBA history. Chuck Cooper became the first African-American to be drafted by an NBA team when the Boston Celtics selected him with the first pick in the second round of the 1950 draft. The Cooper 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 Los Angeles Lakers 48–34 (.585) Lost conference finals Los Angeles Lakers^ 69–13 (.841) Won NBA Finals Los Angeles Lakers 60–22 (.732) Lost NBA Finals Los Angeles Lakers 47–35 (.573) Lost conference semifinals Golden State Warriors 48–34 (.585) Won NBA Finals Golden State Warriors^ 59–23 (.720) Lost conference finals Los Angeles Lakers^ 53–29 (.646) Lost conference finals Portland Trail Blazers^ 58–24 (.707) Lost conference semifinals Seattle SuperSonics 52–30 (.634) Won NBA Finals Los Angeles Lakers 60–22 (.732) Won NBA Finals Phoenix Suns 57–25 (.695) Lost conference semifinals Los Angeles Lakers 57–25 (.695) Won NBA Finals Los Angeles Lakers 58–24 (.707) Lost NBA Finals Los Angeles Lakers 54–28 (.659) Lost NBA Finals Los Angeles Lakers 62–20 (.756) Won NBA Finals Los Angeles Lakers 62–20 (.756) Lost conference finals Los Angeles Lakers^ 65–17 (.793) Won NBA Finals Los Angeles Lakers^ 62–20 (.756) Won NBA Finals Los Angeles Lakers 57–25 (.695) Lost NBA Finals Los Angeles Lakers^ 63–19 (.768) Lost conference semifinals Portland Trail Blazers^ 63–19 (.768) Lost conference finals Portland Trail Blazers 57–25 (.695) Lost NBA Finals Phoenix Suns^ 62–20 (.756) Lost NBA Finals Seattle SuperSonics^ 63–19 (.768) Lost first round Phoenix Suns 59–23 (.720) Lost conference semifinals Seattle SuperSonics 64–18 (.780) Lost NBA Finals Seattle SuperSonics 57–25 (.695) Lost conference semifinals Seattle SuperSonics 61–21 (.744) Lost conference semifinals Portland Trail Blazers 35–15 (.700) Lost conference finals Los Angeles Lakers^ 67–15 (.817) Won NBA Finals Los Angeles Lakers 56–26 (.683) Won NBA Finals Sacramento Kings^ 61–21 (.744) Lost conference finals Sacramento Kings 59–23 (.720) Lost conference semifinals Los Angeles Lakers 56–26 (.683) Lost NBA Finals Phoenix Suns^ 62–20 (.756) Lost conference finals Phoenix Suns 54–28 (.659) Lost conference finals Phoenix Suns 61–21 (.744) Lost conference semifinals Los Angeles Lakers 57–25 (.695) Lost NBA Finals Los Angeles Lakers 65–17 (.793) Won NBA Finals Los Angeles Lakers 57–25 (.695) Won NBA Finals Los Angeles Lakers 57–25 (.695) Lost conference semifinals Los Angeles Lakers 41–25 (.621) Lost conference semifinals Los Angeles Clippers 56–26 (.683) Lost first round Los Angeles Clippers 57–25 (.695) Lost conference semifinals Golden State Warriors^ 67–15 (.817) Won NBA Finals Golden State Warriors^ 73–9 (.890) Lost NBA Finals Golden State Warriors^ 67–15 (.817) Won NBA Finals Golden State Warriors 58–24 (.707) Won NBA Finals Golden State Warriors 57–25 (.695) Lost NBA Finals Los Angeles Lakers 52–19 (.732) Won NBA Finals Phoenix Suns 51–21 (.708) Lost NBA Finals Phoenix Suns^ 64–18 (.780) Lost conference semifinals Sacramento Kings 48–34 (.585) Lost first round Los Angeles Clippers 51–31 (.622) Lost first round Los Angeles Lakers 50–32 (.610) Lost first round Los Angeles Lakers 53–29 (.646) Lost conference semifinals
Titles by team ^ Denotes team that has left the division Team Titles Season(s) won Los Angeles Lakers 26 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Phoenix Suns 8 , , , , , , , Golden State Warriors 7 , , , , , , Seattle SuperSonics^ (now Oklahoma City Thunder) 5 , , , , Portland Trail Blazers^ 4 , , , Sacramento Kings 3 , , Los Angeles Clippers 3 , ,
Season results ^ Denotes team that won the NBA championships + 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 1970: The Pacific Division was formed with five inaugural members. An expansion team, the Portland Trail Blazers, joined the division. The Los Angeles Lakers, the San Diego Rockets, the San Francisco Warriors and the Seattle SuperSonics joined from the Western Division. Los Angeles* (48–34) San Francisco* (41–41) San Diego (40–42) Seattle (38–44) Portland (29–53)1971: The San Diego Rockets had relocated and became the Houston Rockets. The San Francisco Warriors had also relocated to Oakland and became the Golden State Warriors. Los Angeles^ (69–13) Golden State* (51–31) Seattle (47–35) Houston (34–48) Portland (18–64) 1972: The Phoenix Suns joined from the Midwest Division. The Houston Rockets left to join the Central Division. Los Angeles+ (60–22) Golden State* (47–35) Phoenix (38–44) Seattle (26–56) Portland (21–61) Los Angeles* (47–35) Golden State (44–38) Seattle (36–46) Phoenix (30–52) Portland (27–55) Golden State^ (48–34) Seattle* (43–39) Portland (38–44) Phoenix (32–50) Los Angeles (30–52) Golden State* (59–23) Seattle* (43–39) Phoenix+ (42–40) Los Angeles (40–42) Portland (37–45) Los Angeles* (53–29) Portland^ (49–33) Golden State* (46–36) Seattle (40–42) Phoenix (34–48) Portland* (58–24) Phoenix* (49–33) Seattle+ (47–35) Los Angeles* (45–37) Golden State (43–39) 1978: The Buffalo Braves, who relocated and became the San Diego Clippers, joined from the Atlantic Division. Seattle^ (52–30) Phoenix* (50–32) Los Angeles* (47–35) Portland* (45–37) San Diego (43–39) Golden State (38–44) Los Angeles^ (60–22) Seattle* (56–26) Phoenix* (55–27) Portland* (38–44) San Diego (35–47) Golden State (24–58) Phoenix* (57–25) Los Angeles* (54–28) Portland* (45–37) Golden State (39–43) San Diego (36–46) Seattle (34–48) Los Angeles^ (57–25) Seattle* (52–30) Phoenix* (46–36) Golden State (45–37) Portland (42–40) San Diego (17–65) Los Angeles+ (58–24) Phoenix* (53–29) Seattle* (48–34) Portland* (46–36) Golden State (30–52) San Diego (25–57) Los Angeles+ (54–28) Portland* (48–34) Seattle* (42–40) Phoenix* (41–41) Golden State (37–45) San Diego (30–52) 1984: The San Diego Clippers relocated and became the Los Angeles Clippers. L.A. Lakers^ (62–20) Portland* (42–40) Phoenix* (36–46) Seattle (31–51) L.A. Clippers (31–51) Golden State (22–60) L.A. Lakers* (62–20) Portland* (40–42) Phoenix (32–50) L.A. Clippers (32–50) Seattle (31–51) Golden State (30–52) L.A. Lakers^ (65–17) Portland* (49–33) Golden State* (42–40) Seattle* (39–43) Phoenix (36–46) L.A. Clippers (12–70) L.A. Lakers^ (62–20) Portland* (53–29) Seattle* (44–38) Phoenix (28–54) Golden State (20–62) L.A. Clippers (17–65)