The NBA is one of America’s most popular sports. It has a rich history of game-changing plays and personal sagas. Its fans celebrate the excellence of its players, coaches, and dynasties. The league also seeks to foster commonality and connect people around the world through its games and content.
The league has 30 teams in two conferences, the Eastern and Western Conferences. Each team competes in a regular season of 82 games. The top teams at the end of the regular season enter the playoffs to determine a champion.
Teams begin the season in September with training camp. During this time, the coach observes his players and picks the best ones to make the final roster. The strongest players are offered contracts and the weaker ones get cut. Then the teams play preseason games which do not count toward their regular season record.
During the regular season, each team plays 41 home games and 41 road (away) games. The top eight teams in each conference make the playoffs where the 1st seed plays the 8th seed, 2nd seeds play 7th seeds and so on. The winners of each conference then enter a best-of-seven series to determine the league champion.
In 2022, the NBA will mark its 75th anniversary. It has grown from its beginnings to a global entertainment company with 30 teams across the United States and one in Canada. Its success has been fueled by the leadership of its commissioners, who have helped transform the NBA into an international entertainment brand.
The NBA has a long list of legends, including Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, and Kobe Bryant. These players have changed the game of basketball and influenced other athletes worldwide.
The NBA was founded in 1946. It was plagued by money-losing franchises and low attendance until the early 1980s when it began to rebound under the leadership of NBA Commissioner David Stern. Stern’s strategic vision for the NBA transformed it into a global entertainment company that features many iconic brands and has attracted some of the world’s top talent. The NBA continues to expand its presence internationally and is now one of the world’s most popular sports. It has more than a billion followers on social media and its television ratings have increased dramatically in recent years. Its popularity has helped it attract a younger audience, which has been critical to its long-term growth. It is now a leading global sports property with the most highly paid players and highest revenue among all major U.S. professional sports leagues.