John Ford | May 18, 2020 | Updated on: December 4th, 2023
Over the last few years, the NBA’s Central Division has seen a real turnaround. When Lebron James was still in Cleveland, the Cavaliers were the team to bet on to take not only the division but the Conference too. However, following his relocation, Giannis Antetokounmpo has really helped push the Milwaukee Bucks to the forefront of the division and the league as a whole. That’s not to say that there aren’t other competitive teams in the division, though, as the Indiana Pacers also look to be on track for some good seasons.
Although the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons aren’t really inspiring any confidence at the moment, it really only does take one or two skilled players to change the game completely. If you’re having a tough time wrapping your head around betting on the NBA’s Central Division, we recommend that you stick around.
We have created the ultimate guide to betting on the Eastern Conference division below, where we have a look at things like each team’s odds to win the NBA Central Division, the history of the division, and some betting statistics to keep in mind. We also provide a list of the best online gambling sites for basketball betting below.
There are five teams in the NBA’s Central Division. It is one of three divisions in the Eastern Conference, with the other two being the Atlantic and the Southeast. Below we have a quick look at each team’s chances of winning the division so you can make better bets at sports betting sites:
Chicago Bulls – the Chicago Bulls last won a division title in 2012. They have been very quiet in recent years with them finishing 13th in the Eastern Conference last season. The team seemed to be on the up for a while, but they’ve returned to poor form. They still can’t fill the shadow Michael Jordan despite it being more than 20 years since he left the team.
Cleveland Cavaliers – when Lebron James was at the Cavaliers, they were the team to beat. However, he is now at the Lakers, and the Cavaliers have been struggling to get anywhere. They have very low prospects of winning the Central Division any time soon unless they get some talent soon.
Detroit Pistons – although they have the most Central Division titles (9), the team has not been doing well in recent years. Since their last division win in 2008, the team really has dropped in form. They have notched two playoff appearances since then, finishing in third place in Central on both occasions.
Indiana Pacers – the Indiana Pacers last won a division title in 2014. First, it was the Cavaliers, and now it’s the Bucks; they seem to be a good choice for second place in the Central division. They just can’t seem to find that Championship winning formula.
Milwaukee Bucks – the Bucks have been a rising team since Giannis Antetokounmpo joined the squad. They seemed to be playing the long game as they have finally turned into a team that is fully capable of taking not only the Central Division (which they last won in 2019) but also the NBA Championship itself.
Here is a list of the Central Division champions NBA for the last decade. Although the list is dominated by the
Year
Winner
2010
Cleveland Cavaliers
2011
Chicago Bulls
2012
Chicago Bulls
2013
Indiana Pacers
2014
Indiana Pacers
2015
Cleveland Cavaliers
2016
Cleveland Cavaliers
2017
Cleveland Cavaliers
2018
Cleveland Cavaliers
2019
Milwaukee Bucks
NBA Central Division Standings
Here are the NBA Central Division standings at the time of writing. It is plain to see that the Milwaukee Bucks are dominating:
Place
Team
Record
1
Milwaukee Bucks
52-9
2
Indiana Pacers
37-24
3
Chicago Bulls
21-40
4
Detroit Pistons
20-42
5
Cleveland Cavaliers
17-44
Current NBA Central Division Betting Statistics
Before placing a bet on any on the teams in the NBA Central Division, make sure to have a look at some of these betting statistics:
The Milwaukee Bucks are current holders of the Central Division title. They look to be on track to retain the title and perhaps push for an NBA Championship win.
The Detroit Pacers have won the most Central Division titles with nine. This is followed by the Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks, who have both won it eight times.
With regards to NBA Championship wins, the Chicago Bulls are the most successful team in the division, having won the title a total of six times. The least successful team in this respect is the Indiana Pacers, who have yet to win it.
The last Central Division team to win the NBA Championship was the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. This occurred in a four consecutive season finals streak. It was their only win with the Golden State Warriors then coming into prominence.
The Milwaukee Bucks is last season’s best-performing Central Division team. They made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they were bested by the Toronto Raptors.
History of the NBA Central Division
The Central Division was created in 1970 following a leaguer expansion. Initially, it consisted of the Atlanta Hawks, Baltimore Bullets, Cincinnati Royals, and the Cleveland Cavaliers, of which only the Cavaliers remain.
As the NBA continued to expand over the years, several teams were added to the division, including the Charlotte Hornets, Houston Rockets, New Orleans Pelicans, Utah Jazz, Orlando Magic, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors and the Washington Wizards.
Currently, the division is made up of the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks. Each of these teams has formed part of the division since at least 1980.
Of the teams that currently make up the division, the Chicago Bulls are the most successful, having won the NBA Championship on six occasions. The Detroit Pistons, however, hold the record for the most division wins. There is only one team in the division that has never won an NBA Championship title, and that is the Indiana Pacers.
Over the last few years, the NBA’s Central Division has seen a real turnaround. When Lebron James was still in Cleveland, the Cavaliers were the team to bet on to take not only the division but the Conference too. However, following his relocation, Giannis Antetokounmpo has really helped push the Milwaukee Bucks to the forefront of the division and the league as a whole. That’s not to say that there aren’t other competitive teams in the division, though, as the Indiana Pacers also look to be on track for some good seasons.
