The Midwest Division was a division in the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association (NBA). 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 in each conference. The Midwest Division began with four inaugural members, the Chicago Bulls, the Detroit Pistons, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns. The Bulls and the Suns joined from the Western Division, while the Pistons and the Bucks joined from the Eastern Division.
The division was disbanded when the league expanded from 29 to 30 teams with the addition of the Charlotte Bobcats at the start of the 2004–05 season. The league realigned itself into two conferences with three divisions each. The Midwest Division was replaced with two new divisions, the Southwest Division and the Northwest Division. The 2003–04 season, the division's last season, consisted of seven teams, the Dallas Mavericks, the Denver Nuggets, the Houston Rockets, the Memphis Grizzlies, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the San Antonio Spurs and the Utah Jazz. The Mavericks, the Rockets, the Grizzlies and the Spurs joined the Southwest Division, while the Nuggets, the Timberwolves and the Jazz joined the Northwest Division.
The Denver Nuggets played 28 seasons in the Midwest Division, longer than any other team. Three teams, the Heat, the Magic and the Charlotte Hornets, only played one season each in the division. None of the four inaugural members remained when the division was disbanded in 2004.
Despite the name, the division was made up mostly of teams who were located far outside the Midwest from 1980 to 2004.
Results
The San Antonio Spurs won the most Midwest Division titles with eleven. The Milwaukee Bucks and the Utah Jazz won the second most titles with six. However, the Bucks won those six titles in only ten seasons before they left the division. The 34th and last division champion was the Minnesota Timberwolves. Seven division champions had or tied for the best regular season record during the season.
Five NBA champions came from the Midwest Division. The Spurs and the Houston Rockets won two championships each, while the Bucks won one championship. All of them, except the 1994–95 Rockets, were division champions.
The Midwest Division twice had six teams qualified for the playoffs. In the 1985–86 season, all six teams from the division qualified for the playoffs, while in the 2003–04 season, six of seven teams qualified for the playoffs. In the division's first and last season, all teams in the division had winning percentages above 0.500 (50%).
Teams Team City Year From Year To Current division Joined Left Charlotte Hornets (–; –present) Charlotte, North Carolina Atlantic Division Central Division Southeast Division Chicago Bulls Chicago, Illinois Western Division Central Division Central Division Dallas Mavericks Dallas, Texas — Southwest Division Southwest Division Denver Nuggets Denver, Colorado ABA Northwest Division Northwest Division Detroit Pistons Detroit, Michigan Eastern Division Central Division Central Division Houston Rockets Houston, Texas Central Division Southwest Division Southwest Division Indiana Pacers Indianapolis, Indiana ABA Central Division Central Division Memphis Grizzlies (–present)Vancouver Grizzlies (–) Memphis, TennesseeVancouver, British Columbia — Southwest Division Southwest Division Miami Heat Miami, Florida — Atlantic Division Southeast Division Milwaukee Bucks Milwaukee, Wisconsin Eastern Division Central Division Central Division Minnesota Timberwolves Minneapolis, Minnesota — Northwest Division Northwest Division Orlando Magic Orlando, Florida Central Division Atlantic Division Southeast Division Phoenix Suns Phoenix, Arizona Western Division Pacific Division Pacific Division Sacramento Kings (–present)Kansas City Kings (–)Kansas City-Omaha Kings (–) Sacramento, CaliforniaKansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri and Omaha, Nebraska Central Division(as Cincinnati Royals) Pacific Division Pacific Division San Antonio Spurs San Antonio, Texas Central Division Southwest Division Southwest Division Utah Jazz Salt Lake City, Utah Central Division(as New Orleans Jazz) Northwest Division Northwest Division Notes denotes an expansion team. denotes a team that merged from the American Basketball Association (ABA).
Team timeline
Division champions ^ Had or tied for the best regular season record for that season Season Team Record Playoffs result Milwaukee Bucks^ 66–16 (.805) Won NBA Finals Milwaukee Bucks 63–19 (.768) Lost conference finals Milwaukee Bucks 60–22 (.732) Lost conference semifinals Milwaukee Bucks^ 59–23 (.720) Lost NBA Finals Chicago Bulls 47–35 (.573) Lost conference finals Milwaukee Bucks 38–44 (.463) Lost First round Denver Nuggets 50–32 (.610) Lost conference semifinals Denver Nuggets 48–34 (.585) Lost conference finals Kansas City Kings 48–34 (.585) Lost conference semifinals Milwaukee Bucks 49–33 (.598) Lost conference semifinals San Antonio Spurs 52–30 (.634) Lost conference semifinals San Antonio Spurs 48–34 (.585) Lost conference finals San Antonio Spurs 53–29 (.646) Lost conference finals Utah Jazz 45–37 (.549) Lost conference semifinals Denver Nuggets 52–30 (.634) Lost conference finals Houston Rockets 51–31 (.622) Lost NBA Finals Dallas Mavericks 55–27 (.671) Lost First round Denver Nuggets 54–28 (.659) Lost conference semifinals Utah Jazz 51–31 (.622) Lost First round San Antonio Spurs 56–26 (.683) Lost conference semifinals San Antonio Spurs 55–27 (.671) Lost First round Utah Jazz 55–27 (.671) Lost conference finals Houston Rockets 55–27 (.671) Lost conference semifinals Houston Rockets 58–24 (.707) Won NBA Finals San Antonio Spurs^ 62–20 (.756) Lost conference finals San Antonio Spurs 59–23 (.720) Lost conference semifinals Utah Jazz 64–18 (.780) Lost NBA Finals Utah Jazz^ 62–20 (.756) Lost NBA Finals San Antonio Spurs^ 37–13 (.740) Won NBA Finals Utah Jazz 55–27 (.671) Lost conference semifinals San Antonio Spurs^ 58–24 (.707) Lost conference finals San Antonio Spurs 58–24 (.707) Lost conference semifinals San Antonio Spurs^ 60–22 (.732) Won NBA Finals Minnesota Timberwolves 58–24 (.707) Lost conference finals
Titles by team Team Titles Season(s) won San Antonio Spurs 11 , , , , , , , , , , Milwaukee Bucks 6 , , , , , Utah Jazz 6 , , , , , Denver Nuggets 4 , , , Houston Rockets 3 , , Chicago Bulls 1 Kansas City Kings (now Sacramento Kings) 1 Dallas Mavericks 1 Minnesota Timberwolves 1
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 Season Team (record) 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 1970: The Midwest Division was formed with four inaugural members. The Chicago Bulls and the Phoenix Suns joined from the Western Division, while the Detroit Pistons and the Milwaukee Bucks joined from the Eastern Division. Milwaukee^ (66–16) Chicago* (51–31) Phoenix (48–34) Detroit (45–37) — — — Milwaukee* (63–19) Chicago* (57–25) Phoenix (49–33) Detroit (26–56) — — — 1972: The Cincinnati Royals, who relocated and became the Kansas City-Omaha Kings, joined from the Central Division. The Phoenix Suns left to join the Pacific Division. Milwaukee* (60–22) Chicago* (51–31) Detroit (40–42) Kansas City-Omaha (36–46) — — — Milwaukee+ (59–23) Chicago* (54–28) Detroit* (52–30) Kansas City-Omaha (33–49) — — — Chicago* (47–35) Detroit* (44–38) Kansas City-Omaha* (40–42) Milwaukee (38–44) — — — 1975: The Kansas City-Omaha Kings were renamed the Kansas City Kings. Milwaukee* (38–44) Detroit* (36–46) Kansas City (31–51) Chicago (24–58) — — — 1976: Two American Basketball Association (ABA) teams that merged with the NBA, the Denver Nuggets and the Indiana Pacers, joined the division. Denver (50–32)* Detroit* (44–38) Chicago* (44–38) Kansas City (40–42) Indiana (36–46) Milwaukee (30–52) — Denver* (48–34) Milwaukee* (44–38) Chicago (40–42) Detroit (38–44) Kansas City (31–51) Indiana (31–51) — 1978: The Detroit Pistons left to join the Central Division. Kansas City* (48–34) Denver* (47–35) Milwaukee (38–44) Indiana (38–44) Chicago (31–51) — — 1979: The New Orleans Jazz, who relocated and became the Utah Jazz, joined from the Central Division. The Indiana Pacers left to join the Central Division. Milwaukee* (49–33) Kansas City* (47–35) Denver (30–52) Chicago (30–52) Utah (24–58) — — 1980: An expansion team, the Dallas Mavericks, joined the division. The Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs joined from the Central Division. The Chicago Bulls and the Milwaukee Bucks left to join the Central Division. San Antonio* (52–30) Kansas City* (40–42) Houston+ (40–42) Denver (37–45) Utah (28–54) Dallas (15–67) — San Antonio* (48–34) Denver* (46–36) Houston* (46–36) Kansas City (30–52) Dallas (28–54) Utah (25–57) — San Antonio* (53–29) Denver* (45–37) Kansas City (45–37) Dallas (38–44) Utah (30–52) Houston (14–68) — Utah* (45–37) Dallas* (43–39) Denver* (38–44) Kansas City* (38–44) San Antonio (37–45) Houston (29–53) — Denver* (52–30) Houston* (48–34) Dallas* (44–38) Utah* (41–41) San Antonio* (41–41) Kansas City (31–51) — 1985: The Kansas City Kings relocated and became the Sacramento Kings. Houston+ (51–31) Denver* (47–35) Dallas* (44–38) Utah* (42–40) Sacramento* (37–45) San Antonio* (35–47) — Dallas* (55–27) Utah* (44–38) Houston* (42–40) Denver* (37–45) Sacramento (29–53) San Antonio (28–54) — Denver* (54–28) Dallas* (53–29) Utah* (47–35) Houston* (46–36) San Antonio* (31–51) Sacramento (24–58) — 1988: An expansion team, the Miami Heat, joined the division temporarily for one season. The Sacramento Kings left to join the Pacific Division. Utah* (51–31) Houston* (45–37) Denver* (44–38) Dallas (38–44) San Antonio (21–61) Miami (15–67) — 1989: An expansion team, the Minnesota Timberwolves, joined the division. The Charlotte Hornets joined temporarily for one season from the Atlantic Division. The Miami Heat left to join the Atlantic Division. San Antonio* (56–26) Utah* (55–27) Dallas* (47–35) Denver* (43–39) Houston* (41–41) Minnesota (22–60) Charlotte (19–63) 1990: The Orlando Magic joined temporarily for one season from the Central Division. The Charlotte Hornets left to join the Central Division. San Antonio* (55–27) Utah* (54–28) Houston* (52–30) Orlando (31–51) Minnesota (29–53) Dallas (28–54) Denver (20–62) 1991: The Orlando Magic left to join the Atlantic Division. Utah* (55–27) San Antonio* (47–35) Houston (42–40) Denver (24–58) Dallas (22–60) Minnesota (15–67) — Houston* (55–27) San Antonio* (49–33) Utah* (47–35) Denver (36–46) Minnesota (19–63) Dallas (11–71) — Houston^ (58–24) San Antonio* (55–27) Utah* (53–29) Denver* (42–40) Minnesota (20–62) Dallas (13–69) — San Antonio* (62–20) Utah* (60–22) Houston^ (47–35) Denver* (41–41) Dallas (36–46) Minnesota (21–61) — 1995: An expansion team, the Vancouver Grizzlies, joined the division. San Antonio* (59–23) Utah* (55–27) Houston* (48–34) Denver (35–47) Minnesota (26–56) Dallas (26–56) Vancouver (15–67) Utah+ (64–18) Houston* (57–25) Minnesota* (40–42) Dallas (24–58) Denver (21–61) San Antonio (20–62) Vancouver (14–68) Utah+ (62–20) San Antonio* (56–26) Minnesota* (45–37) Houston* (41–41) Dallas (20–62) Vancouver (19–63) Denver (11–71) San Antonio^ (37–13) Utah* (37–13) Houston* (31–19) Minnesota* (27–23) Dallas (19–31) Denver (14–36) Vancouver (8–42) Utah* (55–27) San Antonio* (53–29) Minnesota* (50–32) Dallas (40–42) Denver (35–47) Houston (34–48) Vancouver (22–60) San Antonio* (58–24) Utah* (53–29) Dallas* (53–29) Minnesota* (47–35) Houston (45–37) Denver (40–42) Vancouver (23–59)