The most unequal NBA in history: half full or half empty glass?

Diego Jiménez Rubio | Mon, 03/30/2026 - 15:07

Adam Silver, inequality in the NBA. Photo: gettyimages

All things can be perceived from different points of view, and the current state of the NBA is no exception. The current season presents scenarios rarely seen, such as numerous teams shamelessly tanking for weeks or a significant number of franchises achieving impressive winning records. How to interpret all of this?

Usually, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Those who criticize the level of competitiveness in the NBA and find it unacceptable that nearly a dozen teams have been aiming to lose games for weeks often overlook the fact that this might be related to the impressive density of franchises performing at a stellar level. Currently, 19 teams are above a 52% win rate, with ten of them in the Eastern Conference, a situation never seen before.

There has been too much talk this season about tanking and too little about something that is indeed remarkable

Right now, there are 19 NBA teams above a 52% win rate, 10 of them in the East

This has never happened before
— Sergio Rabinal (@S_Rabinal) March 30, 2026

It is also true that blatant tanking makes many games unwatchable as genuine competitions, leaving a significant void in the league and resulting in too many uninteresting and non-competitive matches. Evidence of this is the 81 games that have been decided by a margin of 30 points or more, setting a historical record in the NBA. This is the new reality we must get used to, or perhaps something Adam Silver and his team need to address for the future.

There have now been 81 games this season decided by 30 or more points.

A new NBA single-season record, topping the mark of 80 last season.
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) March 30, 2026