- Atlantic Division (NBA)
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Atlantic Division Conference Eastern Conference League National Basketball Association Sport Basketball Inaugural season 1970–71 season No. of teams 5 Most recent champion(s) Boston Celtics (20th title) Most titles Boston Celtics (20 titles) The Atlantic Division is one of the three divisions in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The division consists of five teams, the Boston Celtics, the New Jersey Nets, the New York Knicks, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Toronto Raptors. All teams, except the Raptors, are located on the East Coast of the United States.
The division was created at the start of the 1970–71 season, when the league expanded from 14 to 17 teams with the addition of the Buffalo Braves, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Portland Trail Blazers. The league realigned itself into two conference, the Western Conference and the Eastern Conference, with two divisions each in each conference. The Atlantic Division began with four inaugural members, the Celtics, the Braves, the Knicks and the 76ers.[1] The Celtics, the Knicks and the 76ers all joined from the Eastern Division.
The Celtics have won the most Atlantic Division titles with 20. The 76ers have won the second most titles with five. Eight NBA champions came from the Atlantic Division. The Celtics won six championships, while the Knicks and the 76ers won one championship each. All of them, except the 1972–73 Knicks, were division champions. In the 1983–84 season, all five teams from the division qualified for the playoffs. In the 1982–83 season, all teams in the division had winning percentages above 0.500 (50%). The most recent division champion is the Boston Celtics.
Contents
Standings
Main article: 2010–11 NBA seasonAtlantic Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div y-Boston Celtics 56 26 .683 – 33–8 23–18 13–3 x-New York Knicks 42 40 .512 14 23–18 19–22 10–6 x-Philadelphia 76ers 41 41 .500 15 26–15 15–26 9–7 New Jersey Nets 24 58 .293 32 19–22 5–36 3–13 Toronto Raptors 22 60 .268 34 16–25 6–35 5–11 Notes
- y – Clinched division title
- x – Clinched playoff spot
Teams
Team City Year From Joined Boston Celtics Boston, Massachusetts 1970 Eastern Division New Jersey Nets (1977–present)
New York Nets (1968–1977)Piscataway / East Rutherford / Newark, New Jersey
New York City, New York1976 ABA 
New York Knicks New York City, New York 1970 Eastern Division Philadelphia 76ers Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1970 Eastern Division Toronto Raptors Toronto, Ontario 2004 Central Division - Notes
- denotes a team that merged from the American Basketball Association (ABA).
Former teams
Team City Year From Year To Current division Joined Left Buffalo Braves (1970–1978, now Los Angeles Clippers) Buffalo, New York 1970 — 
1978 Pacific Division
(as San Diego Clippers)Pacific Division Charlotte Hornets (1988–2002, now New Orleans Hornets) Charlotte, North Carolina 1988 — 1989 Midwest Division Southwest Division Miami Heat Miami, Florida 1989 Midwest Division 2004 Southeast Division Southeast Division Orlando Magic Orlando, Florida 1991 Midwest Division 2004 Southeast Division Southeast Division Washington Wizards (1997–present)
Washington Bullets (1974–1997)Washington, D.C.
Landover, Maryland1978 Central Division 2004 Southeast Division Southeast Division - Notes
- denotes an expansion team.
Team timeline
Denotes team that is currently in the division Denotes team that has left the division 
Division champions
^ Had or tied for the best regular season record for that season Titles by team
^ Denotes team that has left the division Team Titles Season(s) won Boston Celtics 20 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1983–84, 1984–85,
1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1990–91, 1991–92, 2004–05, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11Philadelphia 76ers 5 1976–77, 1977–78, 1982–83, 1989–90, 2000–01 New York Knicks 4 1970–71, 1988–89, 1992–93, 1993–94 Miami Heat^ 4 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–00 New Jersey Nets 4 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2005–06 Orlando Magic^ 2 1994–95, 1995–96 Washington Bullets^ (now Washington Wizards) 1 1978–79 Toronto Raptors 1 2006–07 Season results
^ Denotes team that won the NBA championships + Denotes team that won the Conference Finals, but lost the NBA Finals * Denotes team that qualified for the NBA Playoffs Season Team (record) 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th - 1970: The Atlantic Division was formed with four inaugural members. An expansion team, the Buffalo Braves, joined the division. The Boston Celtics, the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers joined from the Eastern Division.
1970–71 New York* (52–30) Philadelphia* (47–35) Boston (44–38) Buffalo (22–60) — — — 1971–72 Boston* (56–26) New York+ (48–34) Philadelphia (30–52) Buffalo (22–60) — — — 1972–73 Boston* (68–14) New York^ (57–25) Buffalo (21–61) Philadelphia (9–73) — — — 1973–74 Boston^ (56–26) New York* (49–33) Buffalo* (42–40) Philadelphia (25–57) — — — 1974–75 Boston* (60–22) Buffalo* (49–33) New York* (40–42) Philadelphia (34–48) — — — 1975–76 Boston^ (54–28) Philadelphia* (46–36) Buffalo* (46–36) New York (38–44) — — — - 1976: An American Basketball Association (ABA) team that merged with the NBA, the New York Nets, joined the division.
1976–77 Philadelphia+ (50–32) Boston* (44–38) N.Y. Knicks (40–42) Buffalo (30–52) N.Y. Nets (22–60) — — - 1977: The New York Nets relocated and became the New Jersey Nets.
1977–78 Philadelphia* (55–27) New York* (43–39) Boston (32–50) Buffalo (27–55) New Jersey (24–58) — — - 1979: The Washington Bullets joined from the Central Division. The Buffalo Braves, who relocated and became the San Diego Clippers, left to join the Pacific Division.
1978–79 Washington+ (54–28) Philadelphia* (47–35) New Jersey* (37–45) New York (31–51) Boston (29–53) — — 1979–80 Boston* (61–21) Philadelphia+ (59–23) Washington* (39–43) New York (39–43) New Jersey (34–48) — — 1980–81 Boston^ (62–20) Philadelphia* (62–20) New York* (50–32) Washington (39–43) New Jersey (24–58) — — 1981–82 Boston* (63–19) Philadelphia+ (58–24) New Jersey* (44–38) Washington* (43–39) New York (33–49) — — 1982–83 Philadelphia^ (65–17) Boston* (56–26) New Jersey* (49–33) New York* (44–38) Washington (42–40) — — 1983–84 Boston^ (62–20) Philadelphia* (52–30) New York* (47–35) New Jersey* (45–37) Washington* (35–47) — — 1984–85 Boston+ (63–19) Philadelphia* (58–24) New Jersey* (42–40) Washington* (40–42) New York (24–58) — — 1985–86 Boston^ (67–15) Philadelphia* (54–28) Washington* (39–43) New Jersey* (39–43) New York (23–59) — — 1986–87 Boston+ (59–23) Philadelphia* (45–37) Washington* (42–40) New Jersey (24–58) New York (24–58) — — 1987–88 Boston* (57–25) Washington* (38–44) New York* (38–44) Philadelphia (36–46) New Jersey (19–63) — — - 1988: An expansion team, the Charlotte Hornets, joined the division.
1988–89 New York* (52–30) Philadelphia* (46–36) Boston* (42–40) Washington (40–42) New Jersey (26–56) Charlotte (20–62) — - 1989: The Miami Heat joined from the Midwest Division. The Charlotte Hornets left to join the Midwest Division.
1989–90 Philadelphia* (53–29) Boston* (52–30) New York* (45–37) Washington (31–51) Miami (18–64) New Jersey (17–65) — 1990–91 Boston* (56–26) Philadelphia* (44–38) New York* (39–43) Washington (30–52) New Jersey (26–56) Miami (24–58) — - 1991: The Orlando Magic joined from the Midwest Division.
1991–92 Boston* (51–31) New York* (51–31) New Jersey* (40–42) Miami* (38–44) Philadelphia (35–47) Washington (25–57) Orlando (21–61) 1992–93 New York* (60–22) Boston* (48–34) New Jersey* (43–39) Orlando (41–41) Miami (36–46) Philadelphia (26–56) Washington (22–60) 1993–94 New York+ (57–25) Orlando* (50–32) New Jersey* (45–37) Miami* (42–40) Boston (32–50) Philadelphia (25–57) Washington (24–58) 1994–95 Orlando+ (57–25) New York* (55–27) Boston* (35–47) Miami (32–50) New Jersey (30–52) Philadelphia (24–58) Washington (21–61) 1995–96 Orlando* (60–22) New York* (47–35) Miami* (42–40) Washington (39–43) Boston (33–49) New Jersey (30–52) Philadelphia (18–64) 1996–97 Miami* (61–21) New York* (57–25) Orlando* (45–37) Washington* (44–38) New Jersey (26–56) Philadelphia (22–60) Boston (15–67) - 1997: The Washington Bullets was renamed the Washington Wizards.
1997–98 Miami* (55–27) New York* (43–39) New Jersey* (43–39) Washington (42–40) Orlando (41–41) Boston (36–46) Philadelphia (31–51) 1998–99[a] Miami* (33–17) Orlando* (33–17) Philadelphia* (28–22) New York+ (27–23) Boston (19–31) Washington (18–32) New Jersey (16–34) 1999–00 Miami* (52–30) New York* (50–32) Philadelphia* (49–33) Orlando (41–41) Boston (35–47) New Jersey (31–51) Washington (29–53) 2000–01 Philadelphia+ (56–26) Miami* (50–32) New York* (48–34) Orlando* (43–39) Boston (36–46) New Jersey (26–56) Washington (19–63) 2001–02 New Jersey+ (52–30) Boston* (49–33) Orlando* (44–38) Philadelphia* (43–39) Washington (37–45) Miami (36–46) New York (30–52) 2002–03 New Jersey+ (49–33) Philadelphia* (48–34) Boston* (44–38) Orlando* (42–40) Washington (37–45) New York (37–45) Miami (25–57) 2003–04 New Jersey* (47–35) Miami* (42–40) New York* (39–43) Boston* (36–46) Philadelphia (33–49) Washington (25–57) Orlando (21–61) - 2004: The Toronto Raptors joined from the Central Division. The Miami Heat, the Orlando Magic and the Washington Wizards joined the Southeast Division.
2004–05 Boston* (45–37) Philadelphia* (43–39) New Jersey* (42–40) Toronto (33–49) New York (33–49) — — 2005–06 New Jersey* (49–33) Philadelphia (38–44) Boston (33–49) Toronto (27–55) New York (23–59) — — 2006–07 Toronto* (47–35) New Jersey* (41–41) Philadelphia (35–47) New York (33–49) Boston (24–58) — — 2007–08 Boston^ (66–16) Toronto* (41–41) Philadelphia* (40–42) New Jersey (34–48) New York (23–59) — — 2008–09 Boston* (62–20) Philadelphia* (41–41) New Jersey (34–48) Toronto (33–49) New York (32–50) — — 2009–10 Boston+ (50–32) Toronto (40–42) New York (29–53) Philadelphia (27–55) New Jersey (12–70) — — 2010–11 Boston* (56–26) New York* (42–40) Philadelphia* (41–41) New Jersey (24–58) Toronto (22–60) — — Rivalries
Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Main article: Celtics–76ers rivalryNotes
- a 1 2 Because of a lockout, the season did not start until February 5, 1999, and all 29 teams played a shortened 50-game regular season schedule.[2]
References
- General
- "NBA & ABA League Index". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. http://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/.
- Specific
- ^ "1970–71 Season Overview: Kareem Rules the League". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. http://www.nba.com/history/season/19701971.html. Retrieved May 29, 2011.
- ^ Donovan, John (February 4, 1999). "Let the semi-season begin: Expect injuries, intensity and a new champion in '99". CNN Sports Illustrated. Time Warner Company. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/1999/nba_preview/news/1999/02/03/nba_expectations/. Retrieved May 31, 2011.
External links
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- Boston Celtics
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- Charlotte Hornets
- Miami Heat
- New Jersey Nets
- New York Nets
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- Orlando Magic
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Toronto Raptors
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