NBA standings at the end of December 16, 1972
| Atlantic Division | |||||||||||||||||||
| W | L | PCT | PF | PA | MOV | SOS | SRS | HOME | ROAD | LAST 10 | STRK | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Boston Celtics |
25 | 3 | .893 | 3138 | 2858 | 280 | -1.32 | 8.68 | 13-2 | 12-1 | 9-1 | Won 8 | |||||||
 New York Knicks |
25 | 8 | .758 | 3525 | 3163 | 362 | -1.56 | 9.41 | 18-1 | 7-7 | 6-4 | Won 1 | |||||||
 Buffalo Braves |
9 | 22 | .290 | 3072 | 3373 | -301 | 0.13 | -9.58 | 6-11 | 3-11 | 5-5 | Won 1 | |||||||
 Philadelphia 76ers |
3 | 30 | .091 | 3402 | 3847 | -445 | 0.88 | -12.61 | 1-15 | 2-15 | 1-9 | Lost 6 | |||||||
| Central Division | |||||||||||||||||||
| W | L | PCT | PF | PA | MOV | SOS | SRS | HOME | ROAD | LAST 10 | STRK | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Baltimore Bullets |
18 | 13 | .581 | 3231 | 3122 | 109 | -0.18 | 3.33 | 12-4 | 6-9 | 8-2 | Won 4 | |||||||
 Atlanta Hawks |
17 | 15 | .531 | 3501 | 3530 | -29 | 0.75 | -0.16 | 10-4 | 7-11 | 7-3 | Won 2 | |||||||
 Houston Rockets |
12 | 17 | .414 | 3140 | 3186 | -46 | 0.01 | -1.58 | 7-6 | 5-11 | 4-6 | Won 1 | |||||||
 Cleveland Cavaliers |
9 | 24 | .273 | 3270 | 3459 | -189 | 0.56 | -5.17 | 6-11 | 3-13 | 1-9 | Lost 7 | |||||||
| Midwest Division | |||||||||||||||||||
| W | L | PCT | PF | PA | MOV | SOS | SRS | HOME | ROAD | LAST 10 | STRK | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Milwaukee Bucks |
22 | 9 | .710 | 3254 | 2970 | 284 | -0.63 | 8.54 | 11-4 | 11-5 | 7-3 | Won 3 | |||||||
 Chicago Bulls |
20 | 10 | .667 | 3050 | 2905 | 145 | -0.42 | 4.41 | 11-4 | 9-6 | 6-4 | Lost 1 | |||||||
 Kansas City-Omaha Kings |
18 | 15 | .545 | 3547 | 3607 | -60 | -0.50 | -2.31 | 12-7 | 6-8 | 5-5 | Won 3 | |||||||
 Detroit Pistons |
13 | 17 | .433 | 3330 | 3398 | -68 | 1.13 | -1.14 | 9-5 | 4-12 | 6-4 | Lost 3 | |||||||
| Pacific Division | |||||||||||||||||||
| W | L | PCT | PF | PA | MOV | SOS | SRS | HOME | ROAD | LAST 10 | STRK | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Los Angeles Lakers |
25 | 5 | .833 | 3458 | 3133 | 325 | -0.99 | 9.84 | 13-3 | 12-2 | 8-2 | Lost 1 | |||||||
 Golden State Warriors |
19 | 11 | .633 | 3236 | 3127 | 109 | -0.10 | 3.54 | 9-3 | 10-8 | 6-4 | Lost 1 | |||||||
 Phoenix Suns |
13 | 18 | .419 | 3385 | 3432 | -47 | 0.76 | -0.75 | 9-5 | 4-13 | 4-6 | Lost 2 | |||||||
 Seattle Supersonics |
10 | 24 | .294 | 3413 | 3587 | -174 | -0.14 | -5.26 | 7-10 | 3-14 | 3-7 | Lost 2 | |||||||
 Portland Trail Blazers |
7 | 24 | .226 | 3242 | 3497 | -255 | 1.51 | -6.72 | 4-12 | 3-12 | 1-9 | Lost 1 | |||||||