The NBA is one of the largest sports leagues in the world. It has an 82-game regular season, as well as a playoff tournament that determines the champion of the NBA. There are 30 teams in the NBA today. They play against each other within their conference, as well as outside the division.
After the regular season, the winners of each division earn a spot in the playoffs. During the playoffs, the best-ranked teams compete in a best-of-seven elimination tournament to determine the championship. This year, the Western Conference has three divisions. Each team will play one home game, as well as a road game. All of these games are played on a 50-foot court, which has rims that sit about fifteen feet from the basket. In order to protect the court, there is a 24-second shot clock.
The NBA uses a three-point line. This helps increase the scoring opportunities for the players. The three-point line was first used in the league in 1979. At the time, the league had seventeen franchises. However, most of them folded in two seasons. A total of six teams relocated to larger cities, including the Milwaukee Hawks and St. Louis Rockets. Other additions to the NBA included the Denver Nuggets and the San Antonio Spurs.
Ticketing, merchandising and sponsorships help generate revenue for the NBA. The NBA also cares about youth and family development. Through their NBA Cares program, the league works to educate young people about their rights and support health and wellness initiatives. Additionally, they work to promote racial and social justice through their Social Justice Council.
The league has adopted new rules since its inception. Teams are now allowed to add three players to their roster. Two of these players are inactive, while the third is part of a reserve squad. If a player joins an expansion team, he can earn a bonus. These bonuses are classified as Likely and Unlikely.
The NBA has a number of awards given to the top performers throughout the season. The MVP award is awarded to the best performer in the league. There is also a Sixth Man of the Year award. Players can be rewarded with a Most Improved Player award if they show improvement from the previous season. Similarly, there is a Defensive Player of the Year award. Also, the coaches vote for 14 All-Stars. Those individuals are selected in reverse order of finish in the regular season.
The league also holds an annual All-Star Game. The players that were chosen by the coaches become captains of their respective conferences. Among the most recognizable stars in the game are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird, Karl Malone and Elvin Hayes.
Aside from the NBA’s competition in basketball, it also has a relationship with the National Football League. Many NFL players are also members of the NBA. Since the league’s inception, it has remained largely black-owned. In addition, the league avoided signing African American players.
Despite its recent history, the NBA remains a popular league in North America. It has a huge fan base, with 2.1 billion followers worldwide.