The NBA is the premier professional basketball league in the United States. Its popularity stems from its athleticism and the excitement of watching high-scoring games. The league has successfully negotiated multi-billion dollar contracts with network and cable television outlets, as well as other broadcasters.
The league is led by a commissioner and the commissioner is responsible for governing the league. The commissioner is a full-time employee of the NBA and is in charge of all league activities. The NBA employs more than 30,000 people and the league is the most profitable professional sports league in the world.
Some of the greatest players in history play in the NBA. The most famous basketball stars include Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain and Magic Johnson. Other notable players who have won NBA championships include Kobe Bryant, Scottie Pippen and LeBron James.
There are 17 teams in the NBA. They are divided into four conferences (the Atlantic, Central, West and East). Each conference has eight teams that go to the playoffs. These teams are seeded according to their record and whether they won their division.
They play a best-of-seven series to determine the winners of each conference. The top team in each conference plays the second-best team in their conference, and so on.
The league has an extensive medical system to monitor its athletes. The National Basketball Athletic Trainers Association maintains a database of all injuries that players sustain during NBA competition. This database includes the date of injury, the time and place of onset, activity involved in the injury and clinical follow-up.
Some of the most common injuries involve knees, ankles and feet. These injuries can be prevented or treated with physical therapy and medicine.
Injuries to the hands and fingers are also common. The NBA has strict rules regarding the use of gloves and other protective gear. The League also requires that teams have a certified physician on staff who specializes in orthopedics.
Other injuries that players can suffer during a game include neck and back strains, sprains, and tears. These can be treated with ice, physiotherapy and massage.
Another type of injury that can occur is a fracture. This can be caused by a fall, a hard hit or a collision. In this case, a doctor should be consulted to determine if a splint is necessary to prevent further injury.
A fracture is a severe break of a bone that breaks away from the body. A broken bone can cause severe pain and other complications, including loss of function or movement in the affected area.
During the 1993-1994 season, the league instituted new rules to deal with player fights and altercations. These rules included harsher financial penalties and player ejections.
These changes were meant to curb the problems that had been caused by the violence in the games. The league had seen the number of fights between players rise in the previous decade, and it wanted to curb them. The changes were successful. In fact, fewer fights were reported by the referees during the 1994-1995 season.