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games above .500 · final standings
1996-97 NBA Atlantic standings
The Miami Heat won the 1996-97 NBA Atlantic division race at 61-21, 4 games ahead of the New York Knicks.
🏆How the 1996-97 playoffs went
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Atlantic standings, 1996-97
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | L10 | Streak |
|---|
| Miami Heat (MIA) | 61 | 21 | .744 | - | 7-3 | W1 |
| New York Knicks (NYK) | 57 | 25 | .695 | 4 | 6-4 | W3 |
| Orlando Magic (ORL) | 45 | 37 | .549 | 16 | 5-5 | L3 |
| Washington Bullets (WAS) | 44 | 38 | .537 | 17 | 7-3 | W4 |
| New Jersey Nets (NJN) | 26 | 56 | .317 | 35 | 3-7 | W2 |
| Philadelphia 76ers (PHI) | 22 | 60 | .268 | 39 | 1-9 | L2 |
| Boston Celtics (BOS) | 15 | 67 | .183 | 46 | 2-8 | L1 |
Final standings.
Turning points
- The lead changed hands 11 times.
- The Miami Heat trailed by as many as 2 games on November 19, 1996.
- The Miami Heat took first place for good on March 16, 1997.
- The Miami Heat won 11 games in a row from January 27, 1997 to February 20, 1997, the longest run of the race.
- The New York Knicks led by 2 games as late as November 19, 1996.
- The Miami Heat went 14-1 from March 10, 1997 to April 10, 1997, turning a deficit of 1.5 games into a lead of 6 games.
- The top two ended the day within one game of each other on 69 of the 153 days played.
- Four teams held first place.
- The Miami Heat spent 143 of the season's 171 charted days in first place.