The NBA regular season is over with all 30 teams completing their 82-game schedules. Now we are finally playoff bound.
It has been a spectacular season that included a handful of unforgettable mid-season trades, with Luka Doncic and Jimmy Butler switching teams.
In the Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers ascended into first place in 2024-25, while in the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder retained top spot and even improved their record from last season.
As we now head towards an exciting playoffs, and the NBA Draft Lottery for others, let’s check in with every team’s final season record in the standings and comparison to the 2023-24 season.
The Cleveland Cavaliers were the class of the East, while the defending champions Boston Celtics are the most feared team in the league, with many believing they have been pacing themselves for another playoff tilt.
- 1st: Cleveland Cavaliers: 64-18
- Improvement from fourth placed 48-34 record last season.
- 2nd: Boston Celtics: 61-21
- Minor decline on first place 64-18 record last season.
- 3rd: New York Knicks: 51-31
- Narrow improvement on 50-32 record last season, back to back 50 win seasons for first time since 1995.
- 4th: Indiana Pacers: 50-32
- Improving on their sixth placed 47-35 record last season.
- 5th: Milwaukee Bucks: 48-34
- Finished with a 49-33 record last season.
- 6th: Detroit Pistons: 44-38
- Major improvement on 15th placed 14-68 record last season.
- 7th: Orlando Magic: 41-41
- Backwards from 47-35 record last season, but still enough for seventh place.
- 8th: Atlanta Hawks: 40-42
- Bettering their 36-46 record last season.
- 9th: Chicago Bulls: 39-43
- The Bulls finish with the exact same 39-43 record last season, ninth in the East once again.
- 10th: Miami Heat: 37-45
- 46-36 record last season, and this year is their worst since a 37-45 record in 2014-15.
- 11th: Toronto Raptors: 30-52
- A small improvement on their 25-57 record last season
- 12th: Brooklyn Nets: 26-56
- 32-50 record last season.
- 13th: Philadelphia 76ers: 24-58
- Big decline on 47-35 record last season, this year was a total disaster.
- 14th: Charlotte Hornets: 19-63
- Two fewer wins than their 21-61 record last season
- 15th: Washington Wizards: 18-64
- 15-67 record last season, 14th in the East.
Final placings in the West were determined on a dramatic final day of action, but the OKC Thunder locked up top spot weeks in advance. The Houston Rockets were another big success story under Ime Udoka, while JJ Redick led the Lakers to a third placed finish in his first season in charge.
- 1st: Oklahoma City Thunder: 68-14
- Improvement on first place 57-25 record last season, with big expectations for playoff success.
- 2nd: Houston Rockets: 52-30
- Big improvement on 11th placed 41-41 record last season, and deserves more credit.
- 3rd: LA Lakers: 50-32
- Improvement on 47-35 record last season, helped along by the Luka Doncic trade.
- 4th: Denver Nuggets: 50-32
- Decline on 57-25 record last season, but ended the season strongly. Finished below Lakers on tie-breaker.
- 5th: LA Clippers: 50-32
- 51-31 record last season, another impressive year.
- 6th: Minnesota Timberwolves: 49-33
- Step back from their third placed 56-26 record last season.
- 7th: Golden State Warriors: 48-34
- Finished 10th with 46-36 record last season
- 8th: Memphis Grizzlies: 48-34
- Big improvement on 27-55 record last season.
- 9th: Sacramento Kings: 40-42
- 46-36 record last season, in the Play-In tournament again.
- 10th: Dallas Mavericks: 39-43
- Decline on 50-32 record last season, they have themselves to blame.
- 11th: Phoenix Suns: 36-46
- Worrying decline on 49-33 record last season, expect changes.
- 12th: Portland Trail Blazers: 36-46
- Improved on 15th placed 21-61 record last season.
- 13th: San Antonio Spurs: 34-48
- Improved on 22-60 record last season.
- 14th: New Orleans Pelicans: 21-61
- Decline on ninth placed 49-33 record last season.
- 15th: Utah Jazz: 17-65
- Decline on 31-51 record last season.
