1977-78 NBA Season Standings
The Washington Bullets won the title despite having only the East's third-best regular-season record, beating the Seattle SuperSonics in seven games — a Finals remembered partly because Portland, the league's best regular-season team, was upset in the first round after Bill Walton's foot injury. The New York Nets relocated to New Jersey (playing at the Rutgers Athletic Center in Piscataway) and were renamed the New Jersey Nets. The league held at 22 teams with the same four-division structure introduced the year before.
Sourcing caveat: Cleveland and New York tied at 43-39 in the East; Kansas City and Indiana tied at 31-51 in the West. First season of the New Jersey Nets name. 22 teams total (11 East, 11 West).
Eastern Conference
| Seed | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | P7Philadelphia 76ers | 55 | 27 | .671 | - |
| 2 | SASSan Antonio Spurs | 52 | 30 | .634 | 3.0 |
| 3 | WBWashington Bullets | 44 | 38 | .537 | 11.0 |
| 4 | CCCleveland Cavaliers | 43 | 39 | .524 | 12.0 |
| 5 | NYKNew York Knicks | 43 | 39 | .524 | 12.0 |
| 6 | AHAtlanta Hawks | 41 | 41 | .500 | 14.0 |
| 7 | NOJNew Orleans Jazz | 39 | 43 | .476 | 16.0 |
| 8 | BCBoston Celtics | 32 | 50 | .390 | 23.0 |
| 9 | HRHouston Rockets | 28 | 54 | .341 | 27.0 |
| 10 | BBBuffalo Braves | 27 | 55 | .329 | 28.0 |
| 11 | NJNNew Jersey Nets | 24 | 58 | .293 | 31.0 |
Western Conference
| Seed | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PTBPortland Trail Blazers | 58 | 24 | .707 | - |
| 2 | PSPhoenix Suns | 49 | 33 | .598 | 9.0 |
| 3 | DNDenver Nuggets | 48 | 34 | .585 | 10.0 |
| 4 | SSSeattle SuperSonics | 47 | 35 | .573 | 11.0 |
| 5 | LALLos Angeles Lakers | 45 | 37 | .549 | 13.0 |
| 6 | MBMilwaukee Bucks | 44 | 38 | .537 | 14.0 |
| 7 | GSWGolden State Warriors | 43 | 39 | .524 | 15.0 |
| 8 | CBChicago Bulls | 40 | 42 | .488 | 18.0 |
| 9 | DPDetroit Pistons | 38 | 44 | .463 | 20.0 |
| 10 | KCKKansas City Kings | 31 | 51 | .378 | 27.0 |
| 11 | IPIndiana Pacers | 31 | 51 | .378 | 27.0 |
Sources
Data last verified: 11 August 2026.
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