The NBA is the most popular sports league in the world. The regular season runs from mid-October to early April and each team plays 82 games. Each team plays within its conference and outside it in the playoffs. Eight teams advance to the postseason and the champion is crowned after four rounds. Each division has a number of playoff seeds and the division winner earns the right to play in the postseason, but other teams can qualify for a spot as a wildcard. The stakes are higher in the postseason.
The league is currently divided into two conferences and three divisions. The eastern conference has the most teams, which play each other in the finals. These teams keep half the gate receipts to cover expenses, but they share 50 percent of their profits with the other teams. This system is monitored closely by the NBA and doesn’t affect the salary cap. The league is committed to making sure all teams are happy. Moreover, allowing western teams to compete in the playoffs would increase the competitiveness of the games and generate more 7-game series.
The NBA began in 1946 with 11 teams, including the Brooklyn Nets. Its first game was held in Europe, when the New Jersey Nets played the Toronto Raptors at the O2 Arena in London. Today, the league comprises 30 teams: twenty-nine from the United States and one from Canada. Its fans and followers are growing steadily. There are now more than one billion fans on social media, which is an incredible number for an NBA team.
The NBA’s postseason also features some memorable moments. The fifth game of the 1976 playoffs is often referred to as the greatest game in NBA history. The Boston Celtics had tied the Phoenix Suns in the third game before taking the lead at the Boston Garden. The game ended in three overtimes. In Game 6, the Celtics beat the Phoenix Suns with a score of 128-126. The game also ended in Game 7.
Each year, the NBA holds its All-Star Game, in which players from all 30 NBA teams are honored with honorary titles. The top vote-getters in each conference are captains and determine the rest of the starters for the game. The remaining fourteen players are selected by coaches. As in any draft, the top vote-getter in each conference also gets the first pick in drafting their own team. The Game MVP award is given to the player who displays the greatest performance during the game.
As salary increases and teams look to maximize the effectiveness of their players, coaches and trainers are taking measures to minimize the impact of the longer hours of play. The NBA coaches are also evaluating fatigue and minutes played to prevent injury. Back in the ’80s, players like Moses Malone and LeBron James did not undergo any testing or body analysis. Today, coaches and trainers have masseuses, chiropractors, and team doctors who help players recover from injuries. It is the only professional sport that offers such comprehensive care to its players.