The Central Division is a division in the Eastern Conference of the NBA. The current divisions have been active since the start of the 04-05 season. The Detroit Pistons won the Central Division consecutively in the 04-05 season and the 05-06 season. Before the divisions changed for the 04-05 season the Central division consisted of the teams listed below and the Raptors, Hawks, and Hornets. It is considered to be the strongest division top to bottom in the NBA, with the possible exception of the Southwest Division, in which the San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks have been perennial contenders and the Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, and New Orleans Hornets regularly contend for the Western Conference playoffs. All five teams made the playoffs in the 05-06 season. Three teams that are considered to be title contenders, Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls, and Detroit Pistons, are in this division; all three of them made the this season's playoffs and advanced past the first round, after which Chicago and Detroit will play each other for the right to face the winner between Cleveland and New Jersey.

In addition a "Central Division" existed in the 1949-50 NBA season with Minneapolis Lakers, Rochester Royals, Chicago Stags, Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons and St. Louis Bombers as participating teams, with eventual champions Minneapolis topping the group . The Central Division of the 1949-50 season is not related to the present Central Division that started on 1970.