The NBA is a professional basketball league with 30 teams. It is one of the four major American sports, along with the NFL, the NHL and Major League Baseball. Teams in the NBA are based in the United States, Canada and Japan.
Each year, the top teams in each conference compete for the championship. The winner claims the title of world champion. This is done in a best-of-seven series. At the end of the season, the champion is awarded a Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy. In addition, players who made the biggest impact on the team’s playoff run are awarded championship rings.
The NBA’s organizational structure is a curious one. Under state organization law, it could be viewed as a joint venture. As such, owners of member teams owe fiduciary duties to one another. Nevertheless, the league continues to face challenges.
The NBA was plagued by low television ratings and a number of money-losing franchises in the early 1980s. Fortunately, under the leadership of David Stern, the league reclaimed its place as a dominant force. While it remains a relatively small market, NBA owners are optimistic about revenue growth in the next few years.
There is no doubt the NBA has had its share of high-profile stars. These include Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Players such as Elvin Hayes, Moses Malone, Dave Cowens and Pete Maravich also made their mark on the game.
During the early 1990s, the Chicago Bulls won the NBA championship. They defeated the Los Angeles Clippers to capture the Northwest Division. After the 1990s, the league’s organizational structure shifted, bringing about the addition of the Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers. A few other teams joined the league.
The Most Valuable Player award goes to the player who is the most valuable to his team. Usually, the winner is selected by a combination of the top vote-getters in the league. Another interesting award is the Sixth Man of the Year. One of the most notable stars of the decade was Magic Johnson.
Unlike the NFL, the NBA is also an international league. As such, teams from abroad have had a chance to compete against NBA teams in exhibition matches. Moreover, the league has also been involved in a variety of collaborations with EuroLeague teams.
While the NBA does not have an annual trade deadline like the NFL, it has an active roster. General managers are allowed to sign players and release others, but they may not trade players after the trade deadline. Generally, the deadline falls on the 16th Thursday of the season.
The NBA has a reputation for being a violent organization. An incident in November 2004 resulted in the suspension of the Detroit Pistons for 146 games. But it has a history of partnerships with television networks across the country. Currently, NBA teams have contracts with ABC, ESPN and TNT. However, in the near future, these contracts are likely to expire.
The most important part of the NBA is its organizational structure. In fact, a recent study shows that the league’s organizational scheme is more complex than one might expect.