Southwest Division (NBA) explained

Southwest Division
Conference:Western Conference
Sport:Basketball
Inaugural:2004–05 season
Teams:5
Champion:Dallas Mavericks
(4th title)
Most Champs:San Antonio Spurs
(9 titles)

The Southwest Division is one of the three divisions in the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Despite its name, the division is actually located in the South Central United States. The division consists of five teams: the Dallas Mavericks, the Houston Rockets, the Memphis Grizzlies, the New Orleans Pelicans and the San Antonio Spurs. Three of the teams, the Mavericks, Rockets, and Spurs, are based in Texas.

Consisting of some of the most historically competitive teams in the NBA's Western Conference, the division was created at the start of the 2004–05 season, when the league expanded from 29 to 30 teams with the addition of the Charlotte Bobcats. The league realigned itself into three divisions in each conference. The Southwest Division began with five inaugural members, the Mavericks, the Rockets, the Grizzlies, the Hornets (now Pelicans) and the Spurs.[1] The Mavericks, the Rockets, the Grizzlies and the Spurs joined from the now-defunct Midwest Division, while the Pelicans joined from the Central Division.

The Spurs have been dominant since the division's inaugural season, having won the most Southwest Division titles with nine. The Rockets have won four, the Mavericks have won three, the Grizzlies have won two and the Pelicans have won one title. Four NBA champions came from the Southwest Division. The Spurs won the NBA championship in 2005, 2007 and 2014, while the Mavericks won in 2011. In the 2007–08 season, all four teams that qualified for the playoffs each had more than 50 wins. In the 2010–11 season and the 2014–15 season, all teams in the division had winning percentages above 0.500 (50%). In the 2014–15 season, the Southwest Division saw every one of its teams making the playoffs, a feat achieved only twice in the last 30 years.[2] The most recent division champions are the Dallas Mavericks.

Since the 2021–22 season, the Southwest Division champion has received the Willis Reed Trophy, named after Hall of Famer Willis Reed.[3]

2023–24 standings

See main article: article and 2023–24 NBA season. Notes

Teams

TeamCityYearFrom
Joined
Dallas MavericksDallasMidwest Division
Houston RocketsHoustonMidwest Division
Memphis Grizzlies (–present)
Vancouver Grizzlies (–)
Memphis, Tennessee
Vancouver, British Columbia
Midwest Division
New Orleans Pelicans (–present)
New Orleans Hornets (–, –)
New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets (–)
New Orleans

New Orleans and Oklahoma City
Central Division
San Antonio SpursSan Antonio, TexasMidwest Division

Willis Reed Trophy

Beginning with the 2021–22 season, the Southwest Division champion has received the Willis Reed Trophy. As with the other division championship trophies, it is named after one of the African American pioneers from NBA history. During his playing career from 1964 to 1974, Willis Reed became the first HBCU graduate to win both the NBA MVP Award and the Finals MVP Award. The Reed Trophy consists of a NaN200 crystal ball.[4]

Division champions

bgcolor=#FFFF99 align=center width=10px^Had or tied for the best regular season record for that season
SeasonTeamRecordPlayoffs result
San Antonio Spurs 59–23 (.720)Won NBA Finals
San Antonio Spurs 63–19 (.768)Lost conference semifinals
Dallas Mavericks^ 67–15 (.817)Lost First round
New Orleans Hornets 56–26 (.683)Lost conference semifinals
San Antonio Spurs 54–28 (.659)Lost First round
Dallas Mavericks 55–27 (.671)Lost First round
San Antonio Spurs 61–21 (.744)Lost First round
San Antonio Spurs^ 50–16 (.758)Lost conference finals
San Antonio Spurs 58–24 (.707)Lost NBA Finals
bgcolor=#FF9San Antonio Spurs^ 62–20 (.756)Won NBA Finals
Houston Rockets 56–26 (.683)Lost conference finals
San Antonio Spurs 67–15 (.817)Lost conference semifinals
San Antonio Spurs 61–21 (.744)Lost conference finals
bgcolor=#FF9Houston Rockets^ 65–17 (.793)Lost conference finals
Houston Rockets 53–29 (.646)Lost conference semifinals
Houston Rockets 44–28 (.611)Lost conference semifinals
Dallas Mavericks 42–30 (.583)Lost First round
Memphis Grizzlies 56–26 (.683)Lost conference semifinals
2022–23Memphis Grizzlies 51–31 (.622)Lost First round
2023–24Dallas Mavericks 50–32 (.610)Lost NBA Finals

Division Titles by team

TeamTitlesSeason(s) won
9 ,,,,,,,,
4 ,,,
4 ,,,
2 , 2022–23
1

Season results

bgcolor=#FFCC00 align=center width=10px^Denotes team that won the NBA Finals
bgcolor=#C0C0C0 align=center width=10px+Denotes team that won the Conference finals, but lost the NBA Finals
bgcolor=#CCFFCC align=center width=10pxDenotes team that qualified for the NBA Playoffs
bgcolor=#FFCCFF align=center width=10px×Denotes team that qualified for the NBA play-in tournament
Season Team (record)
width=150px1st width=150px2nd width=150px3rd width=150px4th width=150px5th
San Antonio^ (59–23) Dallas
  • (58–24)
Houston
  • (51–31)
Memphis
  • (45–37)
New Orleans (18–64)
San Antonio
  • (63–19)
Dallas+ (60–22) Memphis
  • (49–33)
New Orleans/OKC (38–44) Houston (34–48)
Dallas
  • (67–15)
San Antonio^ (58–24) Houston
  • (52–30)
New Orleans/OKC (39–43) Memphis (22–60)
New Orleans
  • (56–26)
San Antonio
  • (56–26)
Houston
  • (55–27)
Dallas
  • (51–31)
Memphis (22–60)
San Antonio
  • (54–28)
Houston
  • (53–29)
Dallas
  • (50–32)
New Orleans
  • (49–33)
Memphis (24–58)
Dallas
  • (55–27)
San Antonio
  • (50–32)
Houston (42–40) Memphis (40–42) New Orleans (37–45)
San Antonio
  • (61–21)
Dallas^ (57–25) New Orleans
  • (46–36)
Memphis
  • (46–36)
Houston (43–39)
San Antonio
  • (50–16)
Memphis
  • (41–25)
Dallas
  • (36–30)
Houston (34–32) New Orleans (21–45)
San Antonio+ (58–24) Memphis
  • (56–26)
Houston
  • (45–37)
Dallas (41–41) New Orleans (27–55)
San Antonio^ (62–20) Houston
  • (54–28)
Memphis
  • (50–32)
Dallas
  • (49–33)
New Orleans (34–48)
Houston
  • (56–26)
Memphis
  • (55–27)
San Antonio
  • (55–27)
Dallas
  • (50–32)
New Orleans
  • (45–37)
San Antonio
  • (67–15)
Dallas
  • (42–40)
Memphis
  • (42–40)
Houston
  • (41–41)
New Orleans (30–52)
San Antonio
  • (61–21)
Houston
  • (55–27)
Memphis
  • (43–39)
New Orleans (34–48) Dallas (33–49)
Houston
  • (65–17)
New Orleans
  • (48–34)
San Antonio
  • (47–35)
Dallas (24–58) Memphis (22–60)
Houston
  • (53–29)
San Antonio
  • (48–34)
Memphis (33–49) New Orleans (33–49) Dallas (33–49)
Houston
  • (44–28)
Dallas
  • (43–32)
Memphis× (34–39) San Antonio (32–39) New Orleans (30–42)
Dallas
  • (42–30)
Memphis
  • (38–34)
San Antonio× (33–39) New Orleans (31–41) Houston (17–55)
Memphis
  • (56–26)
Dallas
  • (52–30)
New Orleans
  • (36–46)
San Antonio× (34–48) Houston (20–62)
Memphis
  • (51–31)
New Orleans× (42–40) Dallas (38–44) Houston (22–60) San Antonio (22–60)
Dallas+ (50–32) New Orleans
  • (49–33)
Houston (41–41) Memphis (27–55) San Antonio (22–60)

Rivalries

See main article: article.

Houston Rockets vs. San Antonio Spurs

See main article: article and Rockets–Spurs rivalry.

Notes

See also

References

General
Specific

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: November 17, 2003 . Expansion Bobcats prompt change . May 29, 2011 . ESPN.com. Associated Press.
  2. Web site: Southwest Division's historical dominance. April 15, 2015. ESPN.com. April 16, 2015.
  3. Web site: NBA unveils new trophies for division winners named after 6 NBA legends. NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. April 11, 2022. January 28, 2023.
  4. Web site: NBA Unveils Division Winner Trophies Named After Black Pioneers from League History. Bleacher Report. April 11, 2022. January 28, 2023.
  5. Web site: 'tis The Season. Lee. Jenkins. December 5, 2011. CNN Sports Illustrated. Time Warner Company. April 30, 2012.