The Midwest Division was a division in the Western Conference of the NBA. The division was created at the start of the 1970-1971 Season. It is basically the Western Conference version of the Central Division. Upon the arrival of the expansion Charlotte Bobcats and the NBA's subsequent realignment in the 2004–05 season, the division was essentially split into what's now the Northwest Division and Southwest Division. The San Antonio Spurs won the most Midwest Division titles with eleven. The 34th and last champion of the Midwest Division was the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2003–04 season.
Division Lineups[]
1970-72
Creation of the Midwest Division as part of the 1970-71 realignment. Detroit and Milwaukee come from the Eastern Division. Chicago and Phoenix come from the Western Division.
1972-75
- Chicago Bulls
- Detroit Pistons
- Kansas City-Omaha Kings
- Milwaukee Bucks
Cincinnati Royals moved in from Central Division as Kansas City-Omaha Kings. Phoenix moved to Pacific Division.
1975-76
- Chicago Bulls
- Detroit Pistons
- Kansas City Kings
- Milwaukee Bucks
Kansas City-Omaha Kings simply renamed Kansas City Kings.
1976-78
- Chicago Bulls
- Denver Nuggets
- Detroit Pistons
- Kansas City Kings
- Indiana Pacers
- Milwaukee Bucks
Denver and Indiana moved in from the defunct ABA.
1978-79
- Chicago Bulls
- Denver Nuggets
- Indiana Pacers
- Kansas City Kings
- Milwaukee Bucks
Detroit moved to Central Division.
1979-80
- Chicago Bulls
- Denver Nuggets
- Kansas City Kings
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Utah Jazz
Indiana moved to Central Division. New Orleans Jazz moved in from Central Division as Utah Jazz.
1980-85
- Dallas Mavericks
- Denver Nuggets
- Houston Rockets
- Kansas City Kings
- San Antonio Spurs
- Utah Jazz
Chicago and Milwaukee moved to Central Division. Dallas Mavericks enfranchised. Houston and San Antonio moved in from Central Division.
1985-88
- Dallas Mavericks
- Denver Nuggets
- Houston Rockets
- Sacramento Kings
- San Antonio Spurs
- Utah Jazz
Kansas City moved to Sacramento.
1988-89
- Dallas Mavericks
- Denver Nuggets
- Houston Rockets
- Miami Heat
- San Antonio Spurs
- Utah Jazz
Miami enfranchised. Sacramento moved to Pacific Division.
1989-90
- Charlotte Hornets
- Dallas Mavericks
- Denver Nuggets
- Houston Rockets
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- San Antonio Spurs
- Utah Jazz
Charlotte moved in from Atlantic Division. Miami moved to Atlantic Division. Minnesota Timberwolves enfranchised.
1990-91
- Dallas Mavericks
- Denver Nuggets
- Houston Rockets
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- Orlando Magic
- San Antonio Spurs
- Utah Jazz
Orlando moved in from Central Division, Charlotte moved to Central Division as well.
1991-95
- Dallas Mavericks
- Denver Nuggets
- Houston Rockets
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- San Antonio Spurs
- Utah Jazz
Orlando moved to Atlantic Division.
1995-2001
- Dallas Mavericks
- Denver Nuggets
- Houston Rockets
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- San Antonio Spurs
- Utah Jazz
- Vancouver Grizzlies
Vancouver Grizzlies enfranchised.
2001-04
- Dallas Mavericks
- Denver Nuggets
- Houston Rockets
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- San Antonio Spurs
- Utah Jazz
Vancouver moved to Memphis. After the 2004-05 season, the Midwest Division respectively split into Northwest Division and Southwest Division, meaning that Denver, Minnesota, and Utah had joined the Northwest Division while Dallas, Houston, Memphis, and San Antonio joined the Southwest Division.
Midwest Division champions[]
- 1971: Milwaukee Bucks
- 1972: Milwaukee Bucks
- 1973: Milwaukee Bucks
- 1974: Milwaukee Bucks
- 1975: Chicago Bulls
- 1976: Milwaukee Bucks
- 1977: Denver Nuggets
- 1978: Denver Nuggets
- 1979: Kansas City Kings
- 1980: Milwaukee Bucks
- 1981: San Antonio Spurs
- 1982: San Antonio Spurs
- 1983: San Antonio Spurs
- 1984: Utah Jazz
- 1985: Denver Nuggets
- 1986: Houston Rockets
- 1987: Dallas Mavericks
- 1988: Denver Nuggets
- 1989: Utah Jazz
- 1990: San Antonio Spurs
- 1991: San Antonio Spurs
- 1992: Utah Jazz
- 1993: Houston Rockets
- 1994: Houston Rockets
- 1995: San Antonio Spurs
- 1996: San Antonio Spurs
- 1997: Utah Jazz
- 1998: Utah Jazz
- 1999: San Antonio Spurs
- 2000: Utah Jazz
- 2001: San Antonio Spurs
- 2002: San Antonio Spurs
- 2003: San Antonio Spurs
- 2004: Minnesota Timberwolves
Division titles[]
- 11: San Antonio Spurs
- 6: Utah Jazz
- 6: Milwaukee Bucks
- 4: Denver Nuggets
- 3: Houston Rockets
- 1: Dallas Mavericks
- 1: Minnesota Timberwolves
- 1: Kansas City Kings
- 1: Chicago Bulls