NBA Central Division Standings 2026-27
Central standings for the 2026-27 NBA season. The Detroit Pistons lead the division at 5-1.
The Cleveland Cavaliers sit a game back. Inside the division, the records so far are the Cavaliers 1-0, the Pacers 0-1, the Bucks 1-2 and the Bulls 1-0. The Pistons have the best point differential in the division at +48.
Two of the five teams are in playoff position today, the Pistons at No. 2 and the Cavaliers at No. 4. The Pistons are the defending champions after winning the Central at 60-22 in 2025-26 and lead again.
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | HOME | AWAY | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | DIFF | STRK | L5 | PROJ | MAGIC | NEXT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Detroit PistonsDET |
5 | 1 | .833 | - | 2-0 | 3-1 | 0-0 | 5-1 | 659 | 611 | +48 | W2 | 4-1 | 68 | 76 | @ CHA Mon 11/2 |
| 2 |  Cleveland CavaliersCLE |
4 | 2 | .667 | 1 | 3-0 | 1-2 | 1-0 | 3-2 | 726 | 696 | +30 | W1 | 4-1 | 55 | E76 | vs OKC Mon 11/2 |
| 3 |  Indiana PacersIND |
2 | 4 | .333 | 3 | 0-2 | 2-2 | 0-1 | 1-3 | 700 | 719 | -19 | L3 | 1-4 | 27 | E74 | vs BKN Sun 11/1 |
| 4 |  Milwaukee BucksMIL |
1 | 5 | .167 | 4 | 1-3 | 0-2 | 1-2 | 1-4 | 678 | 757 | -79 | L2 | 1-4 | 14 | E73 | @ MIN Mon 11/2 |
| 5 |  Chicago BullsCHI |
1 | 5 | .167 | 4 | 0-2 | 1-3 | 1-0 | 1-5 | 681 | 776 | -95 | L4 | 1-4 | 14 | E73 | @ PHI Mon 11/2 |
- #
- Place in division
- W
- Wins
- L
- Losses
- PCT
- Winning percentage
- GB
- Games behind division leader
- HOME
- Home record
- AWAY
- Away record
- DIV
- Division record
- CONF
- Conference record
- PF
- Points for
- PA
- Points against
- DIFF
- Point differential
- STRK
- Current streak
- L5
- Last 5 games
- PROJ
- Projected final wins at the current rate
- MAGIC
- Magic number: any combination of leader wins and second-place losses that clinches the division (E = elimination number; 0 = out of the division race)
- NEXT
- Next game
- x
- Clinched playoff berth
- p
- Clinched play-in spot
- z
- Clinched division
- *
- Clinched No. 1 seed and home-court advantage
- e
- Eliminated from playoff contention
- ▲ ▼
- Moved up or down since the last games
- Playoff cutoff after seed 6, play-in cutoff after seed 10
Standings are updated with the completion of each game. Clinch tags use wins-only maths and appear once a spot is mathematically settled.
Central Teams
Detroit Pistons5-1 · Eastern Conference No. 2Next: @ Hornets, Mon, Nov 2 7:30 PMCleveland Cavaliers4-2 · Eastern Conference No. 4Next: vs Thunder, Mon, Nov 2 7:00 PMIndiana Pacers2-4 · Eastern Conference No. 11Next: vs Nets, Sun, Nov 1 5:00 PMMilwaukee Bucks1-5 · Eastern Conference No. 13Next: @ Timberwolves, Mon, Nov 2 8:00 PMChicago Bulls1-5 · Eastern Conference No. 14Next: @ 76ers, Mon, Nov 2 7:30 PMCentral Games
Results
Upcoming
Recent Central Champions
Detroit Pistons60-22 · +6692024-25Cleveland Cavaliers64-18 · +7822023-24Milwaukee Bucks49-33 · +2152022-23Milwaukee Bucks58-24 · +2982021-22Milwaukee Bucks51-31 · +275Central title history
Since 2021-22 the Central has been won by 3 different teams. The Milwaukee Bucks have the most titles in that span with 3. The strongest champion was the Cavaliers in 2024-25 at 64-18.
In the NBA a division title is a tiebreaker, not a seed: playoff position comes from conference record.
📋 Full Eastern Conference standings → 🏆 Playoff picture →
Central FAQ
Who is leading the Central?
The Detroit Pistons. They are 5-1 as of November 1.
Which teams are in the Central?
The Detroit Pistons, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Indiana Pacers, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Chicago Bulls.
How far back is second place in the Central?
The Cleveland Cavaliers trail the Detroit Pistons by a game.
How many Central teams are in playoff position?
Two as of November 1: the Pistons at No. 2 and the Cavaliers at No. 4.
When is the next Central game?
Bulls at Cavaliers on Monday, November 16.
Who won the Central last season?
The Detroit Pistons, at 60-22 in 2025-26.
Who has won the Central most often recently?
The Milwaukee Bucks, with 3 titles in the last 5 seasons.
How is the Central winner decided?
Best winning percentage over the 82-game regular season. If two teams tie, head-to-head record decides first, then division record and conference record.
Does the Central winner make the playoffs?
Not automatically. NBA seeds are by record; a division winner still needs a top-six record for a direct spot or a top-ten record for the play-in.
What does GB mean?
Games behind the division leader. A half game means the teams have played a different number of games.
Updated · last result change Oct 31