The arrangement of teams in professional basketball, specifically for a particular year, based on their win-loss record and other statistical criteria is a measure of their performance throughout the regular season. For instance, a team with 60 wins and 22 losses would typically be positioned higher than a team with 40 wins and 42 losses.
The final placement of teams significantly impacts playoff seeding, influencing the difficulty of their path to the championship. Higher-ranked teams secure home-court advantage in playoff series, a substantial benefit. Furthermore, analysis of these end-of-season records provides valuable historical context for understanding team trajectories and player performance over time. It helps to identify dominant teams, surprising successes, and areas for improvement for organizations league-wide.