The National Basketball Association, or NBA, has evolved over the years. It started in 1946 with a few teams that were based in cities that played hockey. In 1949, the league merged with the National Basketball League and expanded to 17 teams. During this time, financial problems plagued the league, as a number of franchises were either folded or relocated to larger cities.
One of the first major changes made to the league was to change its rules. The league shortened the shot clock to 24 seconds, and encouraged players to be more aggressive in scoring. This was one of the first attempts to stifle stalling, and the style of play has since changed as a result. However, the NBA has also been criticized for being less physical than other basketball leagues.
The league currently has thirty teams, which are divided into three divisions. The top eight teams from each division advance to the playoffs. These teams compete against each other, as well as teams from other divisions. Teams are usually seeded according to record, with the highest ranked team facing the worst. Depending on their records, some teams may also be able to qualify for the playoffs as a wildcard.
Currently, the NBA has a number of contracts with television networks in the United States and Canada. The league is broadcast in both studio and game-day shows, as well as classic matches. As of this season, the NBA is partnered with ABC and ESPN. Some games are also aired on TNT.
The NBA has been a big success because of the number of big cities that have supported the league, but it was also a footnote to the other basketball leagues in the United States. It has a rich history of partnership with television networks. For example, the NBA and DuMont Television Network began a national television contract in 1953. After the 1957 season, the league teamed up with NBC.
The league’s roster consists of a maximum of 15 players. Each team plays 82 games during the regular season. The playoffs consist of seven-game series, with the victors taking home the Larry O’Brien Championship trophy. Since 2011, the league has also been playing its games on European courts.
The regular season starts in mid-October and concludes in early April. The regular season also includes an annual All-Star Game. The teams compete in a division, which consists of two conferences. A team’s division record gives them a home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. If a team finishes lower than its division in the regular season, it has a higher chance of winning the Lottery.
The league has one team in Canada. Six of the original franchises moved to bigger cities in the following years. Two of the teams, the Chicago Bulls and the Phoenix Suns, moved to Houston and San Francisco, respectively. Another team, the New York Nets, moved to Brooklyn. Several other teams were also moved around.