The NBA playoffs begin in April, after the regular season has ended. Teams competing for the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy are seeded in strict order based on regular season record. When necessary, a tiebreaker system is used to determine the final two teams. In a seven-game series, the top two seeds will play each other twice, with one game at home and one at the opponent’s. The winner of the series advances to the NBA Finals.
When the NBA began, the league was a mere footnote compared to other professional basketball leagues. However, the consistency and big-city locations helped it to become a success. The first NBA teams were based in cities that were also home to NHL teams. That’s how important it was for the league to find a way to be as competitive as possible. In addition, the NBA is the only professional league with a 24-second shot clock.
In the 1980s, the NBA was a force in American pop culture and society. It was a great time to be a basketball fan. The NBA was a major force in the 1980s, with a number of stars including Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dave Cowens, and Elvin Hayes. There were also many struggling teams in the league, and the Utah Jazz were one of the most in financial ruin.
The NBA expanded its geographic reach, with teams in Oklahoma City and New Orleans. In addition to New Orleans, the league expanded to Europe in 2011. The first European NBA games were held at the O2 Arena in London in 2011. The NBA has 30 teams, including eight in Europe and one in Canada. However, these teams were not in a position to compete against the NBA’s top teams. That is why they have to play in new markets and find other ways to attract fans.
The era of the NBA included the Golden State Warriors, the Boston Celtics, and the Chicago Bulls. Michael Jordan played in the NBA from 1984 to 1998. In 1998, the Chicago Bulls’ championship team broke apart. However, the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs won three consecutive titles. The Lakers later went on to win five championships, including a fourth straight against the Brooklyn Nets. The Los Angeles Lakers lost the 2004 Finals to the Detroit Pistons.
The regular season is interrupted by the NBA All-Star Game, a game featuring players from all conferences. The captains of each conference are chosen by popular vote, while the remaining 14 All-Stars are selected by the coaches. Then, each conference’s top vote-getters draft their own team from a player pool. The winner of each conference gets the first pick and the Game MVP award for their best performance. And if the season has ended well, there’s the playoffs!
The NBA is no stranger to scandals. Players have been known to get into trouble on the court for making controversial comments online. While some see these as a sign of a player’s dissatisfaction with the game, many view them as merely exercising their First Amendment rights. In many ways, the NBA has a higher ethical standard than the NCAA. One of the biggest scandals in the NBA involves point shaving, which has plagued the league in recent years.