| W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| y-Milwaukee Bucks | 57 | 25 | .695 | – | 33–8 | 24–17 | 21–9 |
| x-Atlanta Hawks | 50 | 32 | .610 | 7 | 34–7 | 16–25 | 21–9 |
| x-Detroit Pistons | 46 | 36 | .561 | 11 | 31–10 | 15–26 | 18–12 |
| x-Chicago Bulls | 30 | 52 | .366 | 27 | 22–19 | 8–33 | 10–20 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 29 | 53 | .354 | 28 | 16–25 | 13–28 | 10–19 |
| Indiana Pacers | 26 | 56 | .317 | 31 | 19–22 | 7–34 | 9–20 |
To use the update on any article, insert:
{{1985-86 NBA Central standings}}To highlight the Milwaukee Bucks, insert:
{{1985-86 NBA Central standings|team=MIL}}For the other teams, use:
- Chicago Bulls – CHI
- Indiana Pacers – IND
- Atlanta Hawks – ATL
- Cleveland Cavaliers – CLE
- Detroit Pistons – DET