The Basics of the NBA

NBA fans enjoy world-class competition, storied rivalries and personal sagas, and team dynasties. They also share the excitement of watching legendary players, coaches and teams relive key moments and achievements from the past.

The NBA is a professional sports league that has 30 teams. Each year, the teams play 82 games to determine their standing in the league. The top eight teams in each conference make the Playoffs, where they compete to win a championship. There is also a mid-February All-Star game that pits the best players from each conference against one another.

During each game, there are four 12minute quarters. If there is no clear winner by the end of the fourth period, the game goes into overtime, which lasts five minutes. Teams have five players on the court at a time, typically consisting of two guards and three forwards or center. They can substitute players in and out during stoppages in the game, which allows them to use fresh legs and implement a coach’s strategy.

Players advance the ball by bouncing it while walking or running (dribbling); passing to a teammate; or shooting a basket, which requires considerable skill. There are restrictions on how long a player may hold the ball before shooting, as well as limits on how close a defender can be to a shooter. Teams must also keep the ball within the restricted area known as the free-throw lane, which is located near the basket.

A limited number of time-outs, clock stoppages requested by a coach for a short meeting with the players, are allowed during the course of a game. The NBA has rules governing the length of these meetings, and they generally last no longer than one minute, except during a commercial break in a televised game.

At the end of the regular season, the NBA holds a draft in which teams take turns choosing draftees according to a designated order. This ensures that the best teams will pick first, and the worst performing teams last. Teams with a poor record will be punished by being forced to trade their picks or lose their rights to certain players in the future.

The NBA also monitors player and team stats throughout the year to determine which teams will be eligible for the playoffs. This ranking is determined by comparing each team’s win-loss record against all other teams in the league. The teams are also divided into groups called conferences and divisions, reflecting geographic regions of North America. Historically, there have been two major conferences and six minor ones.