I still remember sitting on my couch last season, watching the final buzzer sound on what would become one of the most memorable NBA seasons in recent history. The 2020-2021 campaign was unlike any other - starting months later than usual, playing in mostly empty arenas, and featuring a condensed 72-game schedule that tested every team's depth and resilience. As someone who's followed basketball for over two decades, I've never seen a season where the standings shifted so dramatically from week to week, where underdogs consistently challenged established powers, and where the final rankings told such compelling stories of perseverance.
Thinking about that unpredictable season reminds me of that emotional moment from the reference material - how Eroa felt after her final match, bursting with pride at how Galeries Tower's dream run mirrored her own journey. That's exactly what I saw with several NBA teams last season. Take the Phoenix Suns, for instance. Before the season began, if you'd told me they'd finish with the second-best record in the entire league at 51-21, I would have laughed. They hadn't made the playoffs in a decade! But watching Chris Paul transform that young team, seeing Devin Booker mature into a true leader, witnessing their incredible run to the Finals - it gave me chills. Their journey from mediocrity to excellence embodied that same emotional payoff Eroa experienced.
The Western Conference standings told a story of changing dynasties. The Utah Jazz surprised everyone by finishing first with a 52-20 record, proving that team chemistry and systematic basketball could still triumph in an era dominated by superstar alliances. Meanwhile, the Lakers, who many (including myself) predicted would dominate, struggled with injuries and inconsistency, barely making the play-in tournament before their early exit. I'll admit I had my doubts about the Denver Nuggets after Jamal Murray's devastating injury, but Nikola Jokic literally carried that team on his back to a solid third-place finish, earning his well-deserved MVP award in the process. The Clippers, despite Kawhi Leonard's late-season absence, managed to secure the fourth spot through what I can only describe as sheer determination and coaching brilliance from Tyronn Lue.
Over in the Eastern Conference, the story was equally dramatic. The Philadelphia 76ers claimed the top seed with a 49-23 record, which honestly surprised me given their playoff history. Joel Embiid played like a man possessed, and Ben Simmons - despite his postseason struggles - was phenomenal defensively throughout the regular season. The Brooklyn Nets' "Big Three" of Durant, Harden, and Irving finished second, though injuries prevented them from building the chemistry needed to dominate the standings as many expected. What really captured my imagination was Milwaukee's steady climb to third place - Giannis and company just kept grinding, even when critics (myself included) questioned whether their style could succeed in the modern NBA.
The middle of both conferences featured teams whose journeys perfectly mirrored that emotional reference about dream runs coming to fruition. The Atlanta Hawks, finishing fifth in the East at 41-31, transformed from afterthoughts to contenders behind Trae Young's brilliance. The Memphis Grizzlies, eighth in the West, continued their rebuild ahead of schedule thanks to Ja Morant's fearless leadership. These teams reminded me that standings aren't just numbers - they represent dreams, late-night practices, players pushing through pain, and organizations believing when nobody else does.
What struck me most about last season's standings was how they reflected the unique challenges of playing through a pandemic. Teams that adapted best to the protocols, travel restrictions, and empty arenas often outperformed expectations. The New York Knicks finishing fourth in the East? Nobody saw that coming! Tom Thibodeau deserves Coach of the Year just for that achievement alone. Meanwhile, traditional powers like Miami and Boston found themselves in the play-in tournament, proving that in this strange season, nothing was guaranteed.
The bottom of the standings told their own important stories too. Houston's dramatic fall from contention to the league's worst record at 17-55 showed how quickly fortunes can change in the NBA. Detroit and Orlando embracing rebuilds, Oklahoma City accumulating future draft assets - these weren't failures but strategic decisions that will shape the league for years to come. As painful as losing seasons are for fans, they're often necessary steps toward future success, much like how individual struggles prepare athletes for their breakthrough moments.
Looking back at the complete 2020-2021 standings now, I see more than just win-loss records. I see the Phoenix Suns' redemption arc, the Jazz's validation season, the Hawks' surprise emergence, and the Lakers' disappointing title defense. Each team's position tells a story about resilience, adaptation, and the unpredictable nature of basketball. The standings ultimately capture moments in time - snapshots of where teams were during one of the most challenging seasons in NBA history. They don't tell the whole story, but they provide the framework for understanding how dreams, both realized and deferred, shaped an unforgettable year of basketball.