Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world. It is a team sport played by two teams of five players each. Each game is split into four quarters that last 12 minutes each. The game is won by the team that scores the most points. There are a number of ways to score points, but the most common is to make a basket with the ball. Each basket is worth two or three points depending on where it is made. The game also includes a variety of rules that are meant to keep the game fair and safe for players and fans alike.
The NBA is a professional league with 30 teams across the United States and Canada. It is famous for its star players, many of whom have gone on to achieve worldwide fame and fortune. It is also a leader among professional sports leagues in social impact, with many of its teams and players taking part in initiatives to promote racial equality and other causes.
During the regular season, the top six teams in each conference automatically qualify for the playoffs. Teams 7-10 compete in a play-in tournament to earn the final two spots. The best team in each conference is given the first seed and plays the lowest ranked team in its division in the first round. The second-best team in each conference is then paired against the seventh-place finisher in its division, and so on. The first team to win four games in the series is crowned the NBA champion.
Since the early days of the NBA, the rules of the game have evolved to become what we know today. There have been many changes, including the introduction of a shot clock of 24 seconds in 1954 and the three point shot in 1979. These changes have helped to speed up the game and make it more exciting for spectators.
There are a number of different awards handed out to players and teams throughout the season. These include Most Valuable Player, which is given to the player deemed most important to their team that season. There is also the Coach of the Year award, which is given to the coach who has led their team to the most success during the season. Finally, there is the Executive of the Year award, which is given to a team’s general manager who has done the best job managing his or her squad.
In addition to the standard season awards, there are several other events that take place during the playoffs. These include the nba finals, which see the winners of each conference play against each other. During the nba playoffs, higher seeds are given home court advantage in each round. This means that the first seed will play against the eighth seed, and so on. This gives the higher-seeded team an opportunity to advance with a shorter series. Having the higher seed also makes it more likely that a team will reach the championships, although some lower-seeded teams have upsetted top seeds in the past.