1980-81 NBA Season Standings
The Boston Celtics, in Larry Bird's second season, won the title by defeating a Houston Rockets team that reached the Finals with a sub-.500 (40-42) regular season — still the only such Finals participant in NBA history. The Dallas Mavericks debuted as an expansion franchise in the Midwest Division, expanding the league to 23 teams. Boston and Philadelphia tied for the NBA's best record (62-20), but Boston won the Atlantic Division tiebreaker; Central Division champion Milwaukee was automatically seeded #2 in the East, ranking ahead of Philadelphia despite Philadelphia's identical record.
Sourcing caveat: 23 teams total this season (11 East, 12 West) following the Dallas Mavericks expansion. Milwaukee and San Antonio's division titles earned them automatic #2 conference seeding ahead of teams with equal or better records (e.g. Philadelphia, tied with Boston at 62-20, ranked third).
Eastern Conference
| Seed | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BCBoston Celtics | 62 | 20 | .756 | - |
| 2 | MBMilwaukee Bucks | 60 | 22 | .732 | 2 |
| 3 | P7Philadelphia 76ers | 62 | 20 | .756 | 0 |
| 4 | NYKNew York Knicks | 50 | 32 | .610 | 12 |
| 5 | CBChicago Bulls | 45 | 37 | .549 | 17 |
| 6 | IPIndiana Pacers | 44 | 38 | .537 | 18 |
| 7 | WBWashington Bullets | 39 | 43 | .476 | 23 |
| 8 | AHAtlanta Hawks | 31 | 51 | .378 | 31 |
| 9 | CCCleveland Cavaliers | 28 | 54 | .341 | 34 |
| 10 | NJNNew Jersey Nets | 24 | 58 | .293 | 38 |
| 11 | DPDetroit Pistons | 21 | 61 | .256 | 41 |
Western Conference
| Seed | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PSPhoenix Suns | 57 | 25 | .695 | - |
| 2 | SASSan Antonio Spurs | 52 | 30 | .634 | 5 |
| 3 | LALLos Angeles Lakers | 54 | 28 | .659 | 3 |
| 4 | PTBPortland Trail Blazers | 45 | 37 | .549 | 12 |
| 5 | KCKKansas City Kings | 40 | 42 | .488 | 17 |
| 6 | HRHouston Rockets | 40 | 42 | .488 | 17 |
| 7 | GSWGolden State Warriors | 39 | 43 | .476 | 18 |
| 8 | DNDenver Nuggets | 37 | 45 | .451 | 20 |
| 9 | SDCSan Diego Clippers | 36 | 46 | .439 | 21 |
| 10 | SSSeattle SuperSonics | 34 | 48 | .415 | 23 |
| 11 | UJUtah Jazz | 28 | 54 | .341 | 29 |
| 12 | DMDallas Mavericks | 15 | 67 | .183 | 42 |
Sources
Data last verified: 11 August 2026.
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