1272:
1283:
35:
397:
161:
often important, as a team's record in common games, as well as its overall record against its conference, are sometimes used as tiebreakers for playoff seeding at the end of the regular season. Also, many regular season opponents have met again in the playoffs, and the result of a regular season game can affect where the playoff game will be played.
160:
Interdivisional rivalries comprise games between opponents in different divisions but within the same conference. A team plays against each team from the other two divisions in its conference either three or four times. The total interdivisional games an NBA team plays is 36. Conference games are
157:, there are 30 teams in six divisions of 5 teams each. Each team plays each division opponent 4 times during the regular season (twice at home, twice away) for a total of 16 games out of 82 total regular season games.
846:
1133:
860:
139:. This article lists some of the famous rivalries in the NBA. Rivalries are classified into three primary groups; intradivisional, interdivisional, and interconference.
457:
17:
1121:
910:
987:
982:
1116:
1204:
1026:
915:
1234:
1014:
450:
1256:
836:
1128:
956:
99:
1286:
1072:
927:
443:
71:
1324:
1056:
1019:
52:
1111:
1041:
1004:
78:
1091:
761:
1169:
1009:
941:
420:
85:
951:
831:
118:
1495:
1031:
425:
360:
67:
946:
841:
466:
410:
132:
1607:
1189:
1106:
175:
56:
1551:
999:
744:
343:
1556:
1533:
1523:
1442:
1393:
1317:
1174:
1145:
1046:
994:
333:
315:
305:
263:
224:
1617:
1612:
1518:
1365:
1051:
1036:
798:
300:
202:
180:
170:
1561:
1457:
1398:
1360:
900:
338:
273:
229:
197:
1582:
1577:
1543:
1513:
1490:
1482:
1471:
1437:
1432:
1408:
1375:
1341:
865:
691:
615:
604:
562:
475:
377:
372:
355:
295:
258:
253:
212:
136:
92:
1528:
1452:
1447:
1370:
1352:
1096:
1063:
486:
310:
278:
268:
207:
45:
1686:
1587:
1505:
1416:
1385:
1310:
1291:
890:
885:
880:
855:
788:
653:
638:
628:
524:
382:
241:
154:
1665:
1214:
1140:
808:
661:
633:
1302:
1068:
974:
905:
766:
714:
666:
146:. A team plays each opponent from the other conference in one home game and one away game.
8:
922:
756:
537:
143:
435:
1691:
1649:
1161:
1101:
671:
590:
509:
1276:
771:
751:
719:
709:
575:
1219:
1199:
778:
699:
681:
415:
150:
931:
704:
552:
542:
514:
504:
1209:
1179:
623:
547:
494:
1680:
585:
570:
532:
499:
402:
1226:
793:
676:
1633:
1246:
872:
320:
142:
Interconference rivalries comprise games between opponents in different
803:
580:
149:
Intradivisional rivalries comprise games between opponents in the same
1184:
739:
643:
34:
783:
1239:
1332:
465:
392:
59:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
1678:
1318:
451:
164:
1325:
1311:
458:
444:
1334:National Basketball Association rivalries
119:Learn how and when to remove this message
18:National Basketball Association rivalries
14:
1679:
1306:
439:
349:
327:
284:
235:
186:
131:Throughout more than 76 seasons, the
366:
191:
57:adding citations to reliable sources
28:
289:
218:
24:
421:National Football League rivalries
247:
25:
1703:
321:SuperSonics–Trail Blazers rivalry
1282:
1281:
1270:
866:2007 Tim Donaghy betting scandal
426:National Hockey League rivalries
395:
33:
1170:collective bargaining agreement
467:National Basketball Association
411:Major League Baseball rivalries
133:National Basketball Association
44:needs additional citations for
13:
1:
431:
861:Criticisms and controversies
361:Nuggets–Timberwolves rivalry
7:
388:
135:(NBA) has had many intense
10:
1708:
762:Martin Luther King Jr. Day
176:Cavaliers–Warriors rivalry
1658:
1642:
1634:SuperSonics–Trail Blazers
1626:
1600:
1570:
1542:
1504:
1481:
1470:
1425:
1407:
1384:
1351:
1340:
1265:
1154:
1082:
1005:first overall draft picks
967:
821:
732:
690:
652:
614:
603:
561:
523:
485:
474:
344:Mavericks–Rockets rivalry
165:Interconference rivalries
1097:Maurice Podoloff Trophy
334:Mavericks–Spurs rivalry
316:Lakers–Warriors rivalry
306:Lakers–Clippers rivalry
264:Celtics–Pistons rivalry
225:Bulls–Cavaliers rivalry
68:"List of NBA rivalries"
856:Walter A. Brown Trophy
639:Portland Trail Blazers
629:Minnesota Timberwolves
301:Kings–Warriors rivalry
203:Celtics–Knicks rivalry
181:Lakers–Pistons rivalry
171:Celtics–Lakers rivalry
1277:Basketball portal
1117:Conference Finals MVP
662:Golden State Warriors
634:Oklahoma City Thunder
339:Rockets–Spurs rivalry
274:Knicks–Pacers rivalry
230:Bulls–Pistons rivalry
198:76ers–Celtics rivalry
1496:Nuggets–Timberwolves
1092:Larry O'Brien Trophy
715:New Orleans Pelicans
667:Los Angeles Clippers
378:Lakers–Spurs rivalry
373:Jazz–Rockets rivalry
356:Jazz–Nuggets rivalry
296:Kings–Lakers rivalry
259:Celtics–Heat rivalry
254:Bulls–Knicks rivalry
213:Nets–Raptors rivalry
53:improve this article
1292:2023–24 season
1015:banned or suspended
538:Cleveland Cavaliers
311:Lakers–Suns rivalry
279:Heat–Pacers rivalry
269:Heat–Knicks rivalry
208:Knicks–Nets rivalry
1608:Cavaliers–Warriors
1000:race and ethnicity
928:2019–20 suspension
672:Los Angeles Lakers
591:Washington Wizards
510:Philadelphia 76ers
383:Spurs–Suns rivalry
350:Northwest Division
328:Southwest Division
285:Western Conference
242:Heat–Magic rivalry
236:Southeast Division
187:Eastern Conference
155:2004–05 NBA season
1674:
1673:
1596:
1595:
1552:Mavericks–Rockets
1466:
1465:
1300:
1299:
1141:Anniversary teams
877:Former divisions
728:
727:
720:San Antonio Spurs
710:Memphis Grizzlies
599:
598:
576:Charlotte Hornets
192:Atlantic Division
129:
128:
121:
103:
16:(Redirected from
1699:
1479:
1478:
1349:
1348:
1327:
1320:
1313:
1304:
1303:
1285:
1284:
1275:
1274:
1273:
979:current rosters
957:win–loss records
767:All-Star weekend
700:Dallas Mavericks
682:Sacramento Kings
612:
611:
483:
482:
460:
453:
446:
437:
436:
416:MLS rivalry cups
405:
400:
399:
398:
290:Pacific Division
219:Central Division
124:
117:
113:
110:
104:
102:
61:
37:
29:
21:
1707:
1706:
1702:
1701:
1700:
1698:
1697:
1696:
1677:
1676:
1675:
1670:
1654:
1638:
1622:
1601:Interconference
1592:
1571:Interdivisional
1566:
1557:Mavericks–Spurs
1538:
1534:Lakers–Warriors
1524:Lakers–Clippers
1500:
1473:
1462:
1443:Celtics–Pistons
1426:Interdivisional
1421:
1403:
1394:Bulls–Cavaliers
1380:
1343:
1336:
1331:
1301:
1296:
1271:
1269:
1261:
1190:team valuations
1175:jersey sponsors
1150:
1146:Retired numbers
1084:
1078:
995:foreign players
963:
817:
724:
705:Houston Rockets
686:
648:
606:
595:
557:
553:Milwaukee Bucks
543:Detroit Pistons
519:
515:Toronto Raptors
505:New York Knicks
477:
470:
464:
434:
401:
396:
394:
391:
369:
367:Interdivisional
352:
330:
292:
287:
250:
248:Interdivisional
238:
221:
194:
189:
167:
125:
114:
108:
105:
62:
60:
50:
38:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1705:
1695:
1694:
1689:
1672:
1671:
1669:
1668:
1662:
1660:
1656:
1655:
1653:
1652:
1646:
1644:
1640:
1639:
1637:
1636:
1630:
1628:
1624:
1623:
1621:
1620:
1618:Lakers–Pistons
1615:
1613:Celtics–Lakers
1610:
1604:
1602:
1598:
1597:
1594:
1593:
1591:
1590:
1585:
1580:
1574:
1572:
1568:
1567:
1565:
1564:
1559:
1554:
1548:
1546:
1540:
1539:
1537:
1536:
1531:
1526:
1521:
1519:Kings–Warriors
1516:
1510:
1508:
1502:
1501:
1499:
1498:
1493:
1487:
1485:
1476:
1468:
1467:
1464:
1463:
1461:
1460:
1455:
1450:
1445:
1440:
1435:
1429:
1427:
1423:
1422:
1420:
1419:
1413:
1411:
1405:
1404:
1402:
1401:
1396:
1390:
1388:
1382:
1381:
1379:
1378:
1373:
1368:
1366:Celtics–Knicks
1363:
1357:
1355:
1346:
1338:
1337:
1330:
1329:
1322:
1315:
1307:
1298:
1297:
1295:
1294:
1289:
1279:
1266:
1263:
1262:
1260:
1259:
1254:
1249:
1244:
1243:
1242:
1237:
1229:
1224:
1223:
1222:
1217:
1212:
1207:
1202:
1194:
1193:
1192:
1187:
1182:
1177:
1172:
1164:
1158:
1156:
1152:
1151:
1149:
1148:
1143:
1138:
1137:
1136:
1126:
1125:
1124:
1119:
1114:
1109:
1099:
1094:
1088:
1086:
1080:
1079:
1077:
1076:
1066:
1061:
1060:
1059:
1054:
1049:
1044:
1039:
1037:player-coaches
1034:
1024:
1023:
1022:
1017:
1012:
1007:
1002:
997:
992:
991:
990:
985:
971:
969:
965:
964:
962:
961:
960:
959:
954:
949:
944:
942:regular season
936:
935:
934:
920:
919:
918:
913:
908:
903:
895:
894:
893:
888:
883:
875:
870:
869:
868:
858:
853:
852:
851:
850:
849:
839:
834:
825:
823:
819:
818:
816:
815:
814:
813:
812:
811:
801:
791:
786:
784:Cup tournament
781:
776:
775:
774:
764:
759:
754:
749:
748:
747:
736:
734:
730:
729:
726:
725:
723:
722:
717:
712:
707:
702:
696:
694:
688:
687:
685:
684:
679:
674:
669:
664:
658:
656:
650:
649:
647:
646:
641:
636:
631:
626:
624:Denver Nuggets
620:
618:
609:
601:
600:
597:
596:
594:
593:
588:
583:
578:
573:
567:
565:
559:
558:
556:
555:
550:
548:Indiana Pacers
545:
540:
535:
529:
527:
521:
520:
518:
517:
512:
507:
502:
497:
495:Boston Celtics
491:
489:
480:
472:
471:
463:
462:
455:
448:
440:
433:
430:
429:
428:
423:
418:
413:
407:
406:
390:
387:
386:
385:
380:
375:
368:
365:
364:
363:
358:
351:
348:
347:
346:
341:
336:
329:
326:
325:
324:
318:
313:
308:
303:
298:
291:
288:
286:
283:
282:
281:
276:
271:
266:
261:
256:
249:
246:
245:
244:
237:
234:
233:
232:
227:
220:
217:
216:
215:
210:
205:
200:
193:
190:
188:
185:
184:
183:
178:
173:
166:
163:
127:
126:
41:
39:
32:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1704:
1693:
1690:
1688:
1687:NBA rivalries
1685:
1684:
1682:
1667:
1664:
1663:
1661:
1657:
1651:
1648:
1647:
1645:
1641:
1635:
1632:
1631:
1629:
1625:
1619:
1616:
1614:
1611:
1609:
1606:
1605:
1603:
1599:
1589:
1586:
1584:
1581:
1579:
1576:
1575:
1573:
1569:
1563:
1562:Rockets–Spurs
1560:
1558:
1555:
1553:
1550:
1549:
1547:
1545:
1541:
1535:
1532:
1530:
1527:
1525:
1522:
1520:
1517:
1515:
1512:
1511:
1509:
1507:
1503:
1497:
1494:
1492:
1489:
1488:
1486:
1484:
1480:
1477:
1475:
1469:
1459:
1458:Knicks–Pacers
1456:
1454:
1451:
1449:
1446:
1444:
1441:
1439:
1436:
1434:
1431:
1430:
1428:
1424:
1418:
1415:
1414:
1412:
1410:
1406:
1400:
1399:Bulls–Pistons
1397:
1395:
1392:
1391:
1389:
1387:
1383:
1377:
1374:
1372:
1369:
1367:
1364:
1362:
1361:76ers–Celtics
1359:
1358:
1356:
1354:
1350:
1347:
1345:
1339:
1335:
1328:
1323:
1321:
1316:
1314:
1309:
1308:
1305:
1293:
1290:
1288:
1280:
1278:
1268:
1267:
1264:
1258:
1255:
1253:
1250:
1248:
1245:
1241:
1238:
1236:
1233:
1232:
1230:
1228:
1225:
1221:
1218:
1216:
1213:
1211:
1208:
1206:
1203:
1201:
1198:
1197:
1195:
1191:
1188:
1186:
1183:
1181:
1178:
1176:
1173:
1171:
1168:
1167:
1165:
1163:
1160:
1159:
1157:
1153:
1147:
1144:
1142:
1139:
1135:
1132:
1131:
1130:
1127:
1123:
1120:
1118:
1115:
1113:
1110:
1108:
1105:
1104:
1103:
1100:
1098:
1095:
1093:
1090:
1089:
1087:
1081:
1074:
1070:
1067:
1065:
1062:
1058:
1055:
1053:
1050:
1048:
1045:
1043:
1040:
1038:
1035:
1033:
1030:
1029:
1028:
1025:
1021:
1018:
1016:
1013:
1011:
1008:
1006:
1003:
1001:
998:
996:
993:
989:
986:
984:
981:
980:
978:
977:
976:
973:
972:
970:
966:
958:
955:
953:
950:
948:
945:
943:
940:
939:
937:
933:
929:
926:
925:
924:
921:
917:
914:
912:
909:
907:
904:
902:
899:
898:
896:
892:
889:
887:
884:
882:
879:
878:
876:
874:
871:
867:
864:
863:
862:
859:
857:
854:
848:
845:
844:
843:
840:
838:
835:
833:
830:
829:
828:Predecessors
827:
826:
824:
820:
810:
807:
806:
805:
802:
800:
797:
796:
795:
792:
790:
787:
785:
782:
780:
777:
773:
770:
769:
768:
765:
763:
760:
758:
755:
753:
752:Summer League
750:
746:
743:
742:
741:
738:
737:
735:
733:Annual events
731:
721:
718:
716:
713:
711:
708:
706:
703:
701:
698:
697:
695:
693:
689:
683:
680:
678:
675:
673:
670:
668:
665:
663:
660:
659:
657:
655:
651:
645:
642:
640:
637:
635:
632:
630:
627:
625:
622:
621:
619:
617:
613:
610:
608:
602:
592:
589:
587:
586:Orlando Magic
584:
582:
579:
577:
574:
572:
571:Atlanta Hawks
569:
568:
566:
564:
560:
554:
551:
549:
546:
544:
541:
539:
536:
534:
533:Chicago Bulls
531:
530:
528:
526:
522:
516:
513:
511:
508:
506:
503:
501:
500:Brooklyn Nets
498:
496:
493:
492:
490:
488:
484:
481:
479:
473:
468:
461:
456:
454:
449:
447:
442:
441:
438:
427:
424:
422:
419:
417:
414:
412:
409:
408:
404:
403:Sports portal
393:
384:
381:
379:
376:
374:
371:
370:
362:
359:
357:
354:
353:
345:
342:
340:
337:
335:
332:
331:
322:
319:
317:
314:
312:
309:
307:
304:
302:
299:
297:
294:
293:
280:
277:
275:
272:
270:
267:
265:
262:
260:
257:
255:
252:
251:
243:
240:
239:
231:
228:
226:
223:
222:
214:
211:
209:
206:
204:
201:
199:
196:
195:
182:
179:
177:
174:
172:
169:
168:
162:
158:
156:
152:
147:
145:
140:
138:
134:
123:
120:
112:
101:
98:
94:
91:
87:
84:
80:
77:
73:
70: –
69:
65:
64:Find sources:
58:
54:
48:
47:
42:This article
40:
36:
31:
30:
27:
19:
1583:Lakers–Spurs
1578:Jazz–Rockets
1514:Kings–Lakers
1491:Jazz–Nuggets
1438:Celtics–Heat
1433:Bulls–Knicks
1376:Nets–Raptors
1333:
1251:
1200:cheerleading
1129:Hall of Fame
1122:All-Star MVP
1027:Head coaches
1010:highest paid
779:Global Games
677:Phoenix Suns
159:
153:. Since the
148:
141:
130:
115:
106:
96:
89:
82:
75:
63:
51:Please help
46:verification
43:
26:
1529:Lakers–Suns
1453:Heat–Pacers
1448:Heat–Knicks
1371:Knicks–Nets
1247:NBA Academy
947:post-season
745:eligibility
144:conferences
1681:Categories
1627:Historical
1588:Spurs–Suns
1474:Conference
1417:Heat–Magic
1344:Conference
1215:superteams
1210:dress code
1180:salary cap
1112:Finals MVP
1102:NBA awards
1085:and honors
607:Conference
581:Miami Heat
478:Conference
432:References
109:March 2023
79:newspapers
1692:NBA lists
1666:Shams–Woj
1659:Reporters
1650:Shaq–Kobe
1544:Southwest
1483:Northwest
1409:Southeast
1252:Rivalries
1185:NBA Store
1166:Business
1042:champions
911:relocated
906:expansion
809:champions
757:Christmas
692:Southwest
644:Utah Jazz
616:Northwest
563:Southeast
323:(defunct)
137:rivalries
1353:Atlantic
1287:Category
1227:G League
1196:Culture
1069:Referees
952:All-Star
938:Records
916:timeline
873:Lockouts
794:Playoffs
487:Atlantic
389:See also
151:division
1643:Players
1506:Pacific
1472:Western
1386:Central
1342:Eastern
1205:mascots
1134:Members
1047:foreign
1032:current
988:Western
983:Eastern
975:Players
923:Seasons
901:defunct
891:Western
886:Midwest
881:Eastern
822:History
789:Play-in
654:Pacific
605:Western
525:Central
476:Eastern
93:scholar
1240:NBA TV
1231:Media
1162:Arenas
1155:Others
1083:Awards
1064:Owners
1052:female
968:People
932:bubble
897:Teams
847:merger
804:finals
95:
88:
81:
74:
66:
1220:sleep
740:Draft
469:(NBA)
100:JSTOR
86:books
1257:WNBA
1073:NBRA
1057:NBCA
1020:NBPA
930:and
799:list
772:game
72:news
1107:MVP
842:ABA
837:NBL
832:BAA
55:by
1683::
1235:TV
1326:e
1319:t
1312:v
1075:)
1071:(
459:e
452:t
445:v
122:)
116:(
111:)
107:(
97:·
90:·
83:·
76:·
49:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.