As the 2026-27 season gets underway, understanding how the NBA standings work is the first step to following the playoff race in both conferences.
How Teams Are Ranked
Standings are determined by regular-season winning percentage, with teams ranked 1 through 15 in both the Eastern and Western Conference. The top six seeds in each conference qualify directly for the playoffs, while seeds seven through ten enter the Play-In Tournament.
Key Tiebreaker Rules
- Head-to-head record between tied teams
- Division and conference record
- Overall point differential in specific tiebreaker scenarios
Who’s Being Watched Early
The defending champion New York Knicks enter the season looking to defend their first title since 1973, while a retooled Philadelphia 76ers roster featuring LeBron James and Jaylen Brown immediately becomes a top storyline in the East. Out West, the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are widely expected to battle atop the conference again after last season’s memorable finals series.
Where Standings Fit Into the Bigger Picture
Seeding doesn’t just determine playoff matchups — it also decides which teams land in the Play-In Tournament versus a guaranteed playoff spot. For the full postseason picture, see our breakdown of how NBA teams qualify for the playoffs.
How Fast Standings Can Shift
Early-season records are notoriously unreliable predictors of where teams finish, since schedule strength and injuries vary widely from week to week. It’s common for a team sitting outside the top six in November to climb into a top playoff seed by the trade deadline, or vice versa, which is exactly what makes tracking the standings all season worthwhile.
Bottom Line
Standings will shift constantly over an 82-game season, but understanding the format now makes it far easier to follow the playoff race as it tightens in the spring.