NBA Central Division Futures Odds

The late 1980s and 1990s in the NBA were dominated by the Central Division. In the early '80s, the Bucks were the predominant team but were unable to take some great teams over the hump to win a championship. Then came the Detroit Pistons who won back-to-back championships from 1988-90. The Bulls took over the reigns from 1990-98, winning six championships over the course of eight seasons, composed of two 'three-peats'. After over a decade of winning NBA titles, the Central Division would experience a long drought, not winning its next championship until 2015-16 with LeBron James' Cavaliers. The Central is looking to get back to its regular title winning ways, though, as the Bucks took the 2020-21 crown, and has three competitive teams in 2022 with high playoff ambitions.

Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls franchise will always be tied to Michael Jordan and his teams of the 1990s. The Bulls completely dominated this decade of basketball by winning six titles in eight years. Many argue that they could have easily won more had Jordan not retired for two years. Outside of the Jordan Era, though, the Chicago Bulls have not had a great deal of success. The arrival of Derrick Rose in 2008 led to a few years high hopes in Chicago. Rose dazzled the NBA in his first few seasons and won Rookie of the Year and eventually league MVP. The Bulls made a run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2011, but were eliminated in five games by the Heat. Today, the Bulls find themselves in a four season playoff drought. The team spent big in the 2021 offseason in the hopes of rejuvenating this proud basketball franchise, pinning its future to the likes of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozen, and Lonzo Ball.

Chicago Bulls Facts:

Division Titles: 9

Conference Titles: 6

NBA Championships: 6

Cleveland Cavaliers

The city of Cleveland's title woes have been long documented. The Cavaliers ended the city's pain in 2016 with one of the most improbable playoff comebacks in history. LeBron James took the Cavaliers to the brink of greatness in both of his stints in Cleveland, but finally sealed the deal in his return home from Miami. The Cavs advanced to the NBA Finals four straight times under James' second tenure, marking the highest point in the franchise. The second departure of LeBron James naturally led to a decline of play in Cleveland. The team has missed the playoffs in three straight years and have not won more than 22 games in a season during that time. But the Cavaliers are way ahead of schedule in 2022 in their post-LeBron rebuild, and are legitimate Central Division contenders. Will their young roster have enough to propel the Cavaliers to an unlikely playoff berth?

Cleveland Cavaliers Facts:

Division Titles: 7

Conference Titles: 5

NBA Championships: 1

Detroit Pistons

The Detroit Pistons built their reputation on being the 'Bad Boys' of the league in the 1980s. From the late 1980s to the early 1990s, the Detroit Pistons were a team that played hard and physical every night. The Pistons found success with this style of play to the tune of back-to-back championships in 1989-90. The rest of the 1990s were relatively lean by Pistons standards, but the franchise found its footing once again in the early 2000s. The Pistons competed in six consecutive Eastern Conference Finals including two consecutive NBA Finals. The team was crowned champions again in 2004. Since that terrific stretch, the Pistons have struggled, missing the playoffs in 10 of the last 12 seasons. 2022 does not look to be much better for the Pistons as they are well back of the division race.  

Detroit Pistons Facts:

Division Titles: 9

Conference Titles: 5

NBA Championships: 3

Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers are the only team in the Central Division to not win a NBA Finals. The Pacers saw great success in the ABA, but have not reached the summit in the post-merger years. Pacers basketball has had two sustained periods of success. The first, unfortunately for the Pacers, coincided with the Bulls dynasty in the 1990s and then the Lakers dynasty in the early 2000s. Reggie Miller, the franchise's most prolific star, led the Pacers to the 2000 NBA Finals where they were beat by the Lakers. Nearly a decade later, the Pacers looked like a legitimate Eastern Conference contender behind Paul George, but they were eliminated in two straight Eastern Conference Finals by LeBron James and the Heat. The Pacers are currently entrenched in a roster rebuild that they hope will allow the team to be able to rise to the top of the Central Division once again.

Indiana Pacers Facts:

Division Titles: 6

Conference Titles: 1

NBA Championships: 0

Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks may not have the dynasty teams like the Bulls and Cavaliers in the Central, but they have a history of being consistent competitors and a regular playoff contender. Until the arrival of Giannis Antetokounmpo from Greece in 2013, the Bucks have arguably lacked the same level of star power that other teams in the division relied on. Despite that, the Bucks hold the most division titles in the Central, but have not always been able to translate regular season success into playoff victories with many first round playoff departures. The Bucks are changing the norm in Milwaukee though with several deep playoff runs over the past several seasons. Many even like the Bucks to repeat in 2022.

Milwaukee Bucks Facts:

Division Titles: 16

Conference Titles: 3

NBA Championships: 2