The nba is one of the most popular sports in the world, and has many famous players. Unlike many other professional sports leagues, the NBA has an in-season tournament that runs alongside the regular season. The purpose of this tournament is to bring in more revenue for the league, and to draw attention to its star players. It also gives fans a break from the intense pressure of the regular season.
In the playoffs, teams play a best of seven series against another team in their conference. The first team to win four games advances, while the other is eliminated from the playoffs. The winners of the two conferences then face each other in a best of seven series to determine the overall champion. Currently, there are 30 NBA teams, with each playing in its own division.
During the game, the ball must be moved only by dribbling or passing. Using the hands to move the ball is illegal, as is pushing or shouldering an opponent. In addition, a player cannot stand with the ball in his hand, or pass it to a teammate while standing up. These rules prevent players from making illegal moves that would give their opponents advantages.
Since the founding of the NBA in 1949, the rules have changed substantially. For example, the number of fouls allowed has increased from three in high school and college to six in the NBA. The definition of a basket has been adjusted as well. It was originally a peach basket connected to a backboard; now there are metal baskets that can be repositioned and scored on.
In addition, the length of a game has increased. It started out as two fifteen-minute halves, but has now become four twelve-minute quarters with a five minute intermission between them. The clock stops for timeouts, as well as the three minute overtime period, which can add up to an additional two and a half hours to the game.
Lastly, the rules of the game have been altered several times over the years to make the game more exciting and to ensure its safety. For instance, the three-point line was added in 1979 to allow more players to score. The number of points per basket has also been altered, with two points awarded for a free throw and three for shots made outside the three-point line.
The information ecosystem that surrounds the NBA is dominated by micro-scoops about meaningless player transactions that are fed to celebrity reporters who mostly seem to exist on Twitter. This tame coverage lets the NBA avoid scrutiny by investigative journalists and elbows out anyone who might ask difficult questions. It is a system that works for the NBA, but it can not be sustained for much longer. The next step for the league will be to adopt a model from European soccer that includes an in-season tournament, allowing teams to compete in the playoffs while they continue to play their regular-season schedules.