NBA teams play 82 games each season, playing against each other and the rest of the league. The regular season ends in mid-February, and is followed by the All-Star Game, which features the top players from each conference. In addition, the NBA has a number of awards for both individual and team performances.
The league also benefits from a lucrative licensing and marketing revenue stream, which is driven largely by its global popularity. The NBA has made a series of recent changes to its marketing rules that have increased this revenue stream, including the allowance of international corporate logos on team jerseys and other promotional materials. As a result, NBA team values have been increasing dramatically.
Each spring, the NBA holds a draft lottery in which ping-pong balls are drawn to determine each team’s selection order in the upcoming draft. The three highest lottery winning teams receive the first, second and third overall picks, while the remaining 14 teams choose sequentially in order of their finish in the regular season standings. Teams may move up or down in the draft order with trades during the season.
The NBA has been subject to a number of major rule changes over the years, which have had both positive and negative effects on the league’s competitive balance and fan interest. In particular, the elimination of jump shooting from the game in 1984 was a significant change that increased the frequency with which teams could score off turnovers and the effectiveness of the game’s defensive tactics. The expansion of the playoffs to a best-of-seven series in 2003 was also a major change that reduced the likelihood of lower-seeded teams pulling upsets against higher-seeded teams and increased the length of postseason series.
Injuries are a common part of life for professional athletes, and the NBA is no exception. However, players are usually able to return to competition relatively quickly after suffering an injury. The most common injuries include sprains and fractures of the ankles, knees, hips and backs. Often, these injuries are caused by contact with other players, the ground or the basket, and can occur while a player is attempting to make a play.
Injuries in the NBA are most likely to occur during games, but there is some evidence that they may also be caused by repetitive activities and certain types of exercises. In addition, there are some risks associated with participating in athletics in general, such as the risk of car accidents and brain trauma. In spite of these risks, the incidence of injury in the NBA is low relative to other major sports. This is primarily due to the fact that players are not exposed to as much physical contact as in other sports, and the use of protective gear (e.g., helmets) has been shown to reduce the risk of concussion and other head injuries. In addition, the padded surfaces of modern basketball courts cushion the impact of most falls and collisions.