Six East No. 1 seeds in six seasons: why the top spot has not held

No team has finished first in the East twice in a row since Milwaukee did it in 2018-19 and 2019-20. NBA Communications points out that when Detroit finished 60-22 last season, the Pistons became the sixth different team in six seasons to finish atop the East. With the 2026-27 season tipping off on Tuesday, October 20, the top of the conference is open again.

Six different teams have earned the No. 1 playoff seed in the Eastern Conference in the last six seasons.

Who will finish atop the East this season? The 2026-27 NBA season begins Tuesday, Oct. 20.@AmericanExpress NBA Tip-Off pic.twitter.com/ENbLCDKXbm

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) October 13, 2026

The six top seeds

• 2020-21: Philadelphia 76ers, 49-23 in a 72-game season. Lost in the East semifinals to Atlanta in seven games.
• 2021-22: Miami Heat, 53-29. Lost in the Eastern Conference finals to Boston in seven games.
• 2022-23: Milwaukee Bucks, 58-24. Lost in the first round to No. 8 seed Miami, 4-1.
• 2023-24: Boston Celtics, 64-18. Won the championship, beating Dallas 4-1 in the Finals.
• 2024-25: Cleveland Cavaliers, 64-18. Lost in the East semifinals to Indiana, 4-1.
• 2025-26: Detroit Pistons, 60-22. Beat Orlando in seven games, then lost in the East semifinals to Cleveland in seven.

Being first has not meant finishing first

Only one of the six, the 2023-24 Celtics, reached the Finals. One more, the 2021-22 Heat, got as far as the conference finals. The other four went out in the first or second round. Last spring the Pistons became the latest top seed to go home early. Fourth-seeded Cleveland won Game 7 in Detroit, 125-94. ESPN Research called that 31-point margin the third-largest loss by a 60-win team in NBA postseason history.

The East title then went to the No. 3 seed. New York beat Cleveland in the conference finals and went on to win the championship.

What to watch in 2026-27

The East’s final 2025-26 table had Detroit four games clear of Boston (56-26), with New York third. The last six years suggest the race for the No. 1 seed will be more open than any preseason ranking makes it look. WhyNBA’s standings hub switches to live 2026-27 records after the first regular-season final on October 20.