Basketball is a sport in which two teams of five players try to score points on the other team by dribbling and passing the ball. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.
The NBA consists of 22 teams, which play each other throughout the season for a championship. The top-seeded team from each conference is awarded home court advantage in the playoffs, where the winners of best-of-seven series compete for the league title.
Each team plays three or four games against each other in their conference during the regular season (56 total games). They then play teams from the opposing conference twice at home and twice on the road for a total of 30 games.
The winner of each conference qualifies for the NBA Finals, a best-of-seven series that is played in June. The winner of the series earns the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy and each player, coach, and major contributor on that team receives a championship ring.
Until 1950, the BAA had a two-division format; each division won four games and the team with the best record qualified for the playoffs. After that year, the NBA became a three-division system.
A team’s regular-season record is determined by its winning percentage in the season’s regular season. A team’s winning percentage is calculated by subtracting its percentage of losses from its percentage of victories. In addition, a team’s winning percentage is also calculated by adding its percentage of victories against teams with a better record.
Since the mid-1980s, there have been a number of rule changes made by the NBA to speed up the game. These rules were designed to increase scoring, cut down on physical play and bring the game more into the open floor.
For example, players are not allowed to stay in the middle of the lane for more than 3 seconds and they must be out of that area when passing the ball or when shooting. In addition, the shot clock is limited to 24 seconds and there are no timeouts during the first half of a game.
In addition, the new rules have been designed to decrease the amount of isolation play and to encourage teams to emphasize transition offense. This allows the teams to be more efficient in a shorter period of time and has increased the amount of 2-point field goals, 2FG% and 3FGA made during most recent playoff games compared to those before the rule changes were introduced.
This has been a big benefit for the younger teams who have the potential to become future NBA champions. However, it has created some confusion and controversy for fans.
Another rule change was the introduction of the “take foul” in which a team can receive a single free throw after a defensive foul. This was designed to allow more athletic teams to use their speed and agility in the transition zone.
The change was praised by the players who were part of the league’s rule-making committee as being effective in enhancing the game and reducing the disruption caused by touch fouls. It also helped to reduce injuries because teams could get more defenders on the floor.