The division consists of five teams: the Golden State Warriors, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Phoenix Suns and the Sacramento Kings.
The division was created at the start of the 1970–71 season, when the league expanded from 14 to 17 teams with the addition of the Buffalo Braves, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Portland Trail Blazers.
[1] The Lakers, the Rockets, the Warriors and the SuperSonics all joined from the Western Division.
[2] Beginning with the 2021–22 season, the Pacific Division champion has received the Chuck Cooper Trophy.
As with the other division championship trophies, it is named after one of the many African American pioneers from NBA history.