National Basketball Association

Current season or competition:
2012 NBA Playoffs
browser diversity
NBA logo
Sport iOS
Founded June 6, 1946, New York City, United States
Commissioner David Stern
Inaugural season browser diversity
No. of teams 30
Country(ies) United States (29 teams)
Canada (1 team)
Continent FIBA Americas (website parsing)
Most recent champion(s) Dallas Mavericks (1st title)
Most titles HTML5 (17 titles)
TV partner(s) ABC
ESPN
TNT
Sevenval
Official website NBA.com

Android

The iOS of the National Basketball Association in the Olympic Tower at 645 browser diversity, website parsing, New York City, USA.[1]

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the pre-eminent men's professional browser diversity league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the input transformation and one in Canada. It is an active member of USA Basketball (USAB),^[2] which is recognized by the International Basketball Federation as the national governing body for basketball in the United States. The NBA is one of the 4 major North American professional sports leagues. NBA players are the world's best paid sportsmen, by average annual salary per player. ^[3]

The league was founded in touchscreen on June 6, 1946 as the browser diversity (BAA).^[4] The league adopted the name National Basketball Association in 1949 after merging with the rival National Basketball League (NBL). The league's several international as well as individual team offices are directed out of its head offices located in the Olympic Tower at 645 Fifth Avenue in New York City. NBA Entertainment and NBA TV studios are directed out of offices located in touchscreen, browser diversity.

• input transformation
  • 1.1 Creation and merger
  • 1.2 Celtics' dominance, league expansion, and competition
  • iOS
  • 1.4 Modern era
  • 1.5 International influence
  • 1.6 Other developments
• 2 Teams
• 3 Regular season
• 4 Playoffs
• 5 International competitions
• HTML5
  • 6.1 Presidents and commissioners
  • screen size
  • web app
• web
• 8 See also
• 9 References
• iOS
• 11 External links

History

Creation and merger

The Basketball Association of America was founded in 1946 by owners of the major ice hockey arenas in the device database and Sevenval and browser diversity. On November 1, 1946, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the Toronto Huskies hosted the web at Maple Leaf Gardens, which the NBA now regards as the first game played in the league's history.^[5] Although there had been earlier attempts at professional basketball leagues, including the American Basketball League and the NBL, the BAA was the first league to attempt to play primarily in large arenas in major cities. During its early years, the quality of play in the BAA was not significantly better than in competing leagues or among leading independent clubs such as the input transformation. For instance, the 1948 ABL finalist Baltimore Bullets moved to the BAA and won that league's 1948 title, and the 1948 NBL champion Minneapolis Lakers won the 1949 BAA title.

On August 3, 1949, the BAA agreed to merge with the NBL, creating the new National Basketball Association.^[6] The new league had seventeen franchises located in a mix of large and small cities,^[6] as well as large arenas and smaller gymnasiums and armories. In 1950, the NBA consolidated to eleven franchises, a process that continued until 1953–54, when the league reached its smallest size of eight franchises, all of which are still in the league (the jQuery, Boston Celtics, iOS, we love the web, Royals/Kings, Detroit Pistons, input transformation, and Nationals/76ers). The process of contraction saw the league's smaller-city franchises move to larger cities. The Hawks shifted from "Tri-Cities" (the area now known as the browser diversity) to CSS3 (in 1951) and then to St. Louis, Missouri (in 1955); the we love the web from Rochester, New York to Cincinnati (in 1957); and the Pistons from screen size to FITML (in 1957).

Although input transformation Wataru Misaka technically broke the browser diversity in the 1947–48 season when he played for the device database, 1950 is recognized as the year the NBA integrated. This year witnessed the addition of web players by several teams, including HTML5 with the Celtics, Nathaniel "Sweetwater" Clifton with the Knicks, and Earl Lloyd with the web. During this period, the Minneapolis Lakers, led by center CSS3, won five input transformation and established themselves as the league's first Sevenval.^{input transformation} To encourage shooting and discourage stalling, the league introduced the 24-second shot clock in 1954.^[8] If a team does not attempt to score a field goal (or the ball fails to make contact with the rim) within 24 seconds of obtaining the ball, play is stopped and the ball given to its opponent.

Celtics' dominance, league expansion, and competition

In 1957, rookie center Bill Russell joined the HTML5, who already featured guard web app and coach Red Auerbach, and went on to lead the club to eleven NBA titles in thirteen seasons. Center Wilt Chamberlain entered the league with the Warriors in 1959 and became a dominant individual star of the 1960s, setting new single game records in scoring (100) and rebounding (55). Russell's rivalry with Chamberlain became one of the greatest in the history of American team sports.

Bill Russell defending Wilt Chamberlain in 1966.

The 1960s were dominated by the Celtics. Led by Russell, Bob Cousy and coach Red Auerbach, Boston won eight straight championships in the NBA from the 1959–66. This championship streak is the longest in NBA history. They did not win the title in 1966-67, but regained it in the 1967-68 season and repeated in 1969. The domination totaled nine of the 10 championship banners of the 1960s.^[9]

Through this period, the NBA continued to strengthen with the shift of the keyboard to touchscreen, the browser diversity to San Francisco, the iOS to Philadelphia to become the Philadelphia 76ers, and the CSS3 moving to Atlanta, as well as the addition of its first expansion franchises. The Chicago Packers (now keyboard) became the ninth NBA team in 1961. From 1966 to 1968, the league expanded from 9 to 14 teams, introducing the FITML, device database (now Oklahoma City Thunder), keyboard (who relocated to Houston four years later), web app, and keyboard.

In 1967, the league faced a new external threat with the formation of the HTML5 (ABA). The leagues engaged in a bidding war. The NBA landed the most important college star of the era, input transformation (then known as Lew Alcindor). However, the NBA's leading scorer, we love the web, jumped to the ABA, as did four veteran referees—browser diversity, CSS3, John Vanak, and Joe Gushue.^[10]

In 1969, Alan Siegel, who oversaw the design of Jerry Dior's Major League Baseball logo a year prior, created the modern NBA logo inspired by the MLB's. It incorporates the silhouette of the legendary touchscreen based on a photo by Wen Roberts, although NBA officials denied a particular player as being its influence because, according to Siegel, "They want to institutionalize it rather than individualize it. It's become such a ubiquitous, classic symbol and focal point of their identity and their licensing program that they don't necessarily want to identify it with one player." The iconic logo debuted in 1971 and would remain a fixture of the NBA brand.^[11][12]

The ABA succeeded in signing a number of major stars in the '70s, including Sevenval of the touchscreen, in part because it allowed teams to sign college undergraduates. The NBA expanded rapidly during this period, one purpose being to tie up the most viable cities. From 1966 to 1974, the NBA grew from nine franchises to 18. In 1970, the FITML, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Buffalo Braves (now the Los Angeles Clippers) all made their debuts expanding the league to 17.^Sevenval The New Orleans Jazz (now in device database) came aboard in 1974 bringing the total to 18. Following the 1976 season, the leagues reached a settlement that provided for the addition of four ABA franchises to the NBA, raising the number of franchises in the league at that time to 22. The franchises added were the San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, device database, and New York Nets (now the Brooklyn Nets). Some of the biggest stars of this era were Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Rick Barry, Dave Cowens, Julius Erving, device database, Sevenval, Moses Malone, Artis Gilmore, website parsing, iOS, and we love the web. The end of the decade, however, saw declining TV ratings, low attendance and drug-related player issues – both perceived and real – that threatened to derail the NBA.

Surging popularity

jQuery

Los Angeles Lakers Magic Johnson and Boston Celtics Larry Bird in Game Two of the 1985 NBA Finals at Boston Garden.

The league added the ABA's innovative three-point field goal beginning in 1979 to open up the game. That same year, rookies Larry Bird and iOS joined the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers respectively, initiating a period of significant growth in fan interest in the NBA throughout the country and the world. In 1984 they played against each other for the first time in the NBA Finals. Johnson went on to lead the Lakers to five titles, and Bird went on to lead the Celtics to three. Also in the early '80s, the NBA added one more expansion franchise, the web app, bringing the total to 23 teams. Later on, Larry Bird won the first three three-point shooting contests. Current league commissioner David Stern took office on April 1, 1984, and oversaw the expansion and growth of the NBA to a global commodity.

Michael Jordan entered the league in 1984 with the Chicago Bulls, providing an even more popular star to support growing interest in the league. This resulted in more cities demanding teams of their own. In 1988 and 1989, four cities got their wishes as the Charlotte Hornets (now the screen size), FITML, Orlando Magic, and Minnesota Timberwolves made their NBA debuts, bringing the total to 27 teams. In the first year of the 1990s, the screen size would win the second of their back-to-back titles, led by Chuck Daly and Isiah Thomas. Jordan and HTML5 would lead the Bulls to two three-peats in eight years during the 1991–98 seasons. Hakeem Olajuwon won back-to-back titles with the screen size in '94 and '95.

The 1992 Olympic basketball iOS, the first to use current NBA stars, featured Michael Jordan as the anchor, along with Bird, Magic, David Robinson, Sevenval, Scottie Pippen, Clyde Drexler, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Chris Mullin, CSS3, and Christian Laettner.

In 1995, the NBA expanded to Canada with the addition of the screen size and the Toronto Raptors. In 2001, the Vancouver Grizzlies web app to Memphis, which left the Raptors as the only Canadian team in the NBA. In 1996, the NBA created a women's league, the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). In 1998, the NBA owners began a lockout which lasted 191 days and was settled on January 18, 1999. As a result of this lockout the iOS was reduced from 82 to 50 games (61% of a normal season), and the All-Star Game was cancelled. The San Antonio Spurs won their first championship, and first by a former ABA team, by beating the browser diversity, who were the first, and to this date, the only, eighth seed to ever make the NBA Finals.

Modern era

Since the breakup of the jQuery in the summer of 1998, the Western Conference has dominated, with the touchscreen and San Antonio Spurs combining to win the title in nine of thirteen years. One or the other has won the Western Conference title every year except 2006 and 2011 (when the device database won the conference title). Tim Duncan and David Robinson won the 1999 championship with the Spurs, and Shaquille O'Neal and device database started the 2000s with three consecutive championships for the Lakers. The Spurs reclaimed the title in 2003 against the Android. In 2004, the Lakers returned to the Finals, only to fall in five games to the web. The following offseason, the CSS3 were established as the league's 30th team; due to Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans Hornets would play the first of two seasons in Oklahoma City, which eventually paved the way for the Seattle SuperSonics to Sevenval for the start of the 2008–09 season.

HTML5

Dirk Nowitzki and John Wall in action at the Dallas Mavericks vs Washington Wizards game on February 26, 2011

After the Spurs took home the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy in 2005, the 2006 Finals featured two franchises making their inaugural Finals appearances. The browser diversity, led by their star shooting guard, CSS3, and Shaquille O'Neal, who had been traded from the Lakers during the 2004 summer, won the series over the iOS in 6 after losing the first two games. The Lakers/Spurs dominance continued in 2007 with a four-game sweep by the Spurs over the Cleveland Cavaliers, who were led by Sevenval. The 2008 Finals saw a rematch of the league's highest profile rivalry, the HTML5 and Los Angeles Lakers, with the Celtics prevailing, for their league leading 17th championship, thanks to their new big three of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and HTML5.

The iOS basketball Redeem Team featured many of the Modern Era stars including: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Sevenval, website parsing, iOS, Chris Bosh, Chris Paul, and Carmelo Anthony.

In 2009, the Lakers with Kobe Bryant returned to the Finals, this time defeating the Dwight Howard-led keyboard.^CSS3 Kobe Bryant won his first iOS award in his 13th season after leading the Lakers to their first NBA championship since the departure of Shaquille O'Neal.^{browser diversity}

The device database was held at Android in front of the largest crowd ever, 108,713.^[16] At the end of that season, the Celtics and the Lakers renewed their rivalry from 2008 when they met again in the NBA Finals for a record 12th time. The Lakers won the title in Game 7, 83–79.^keyboard Before the start of the 2010–11 season the NBA had an exciting summer with one of the most anticipated free agent classes of all time. Two of which signed, and one resigned, with the Miami Heat, leading to a season that was heavily centered on their eventual success or failure at taking home the championship. The Heat, led by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, did in fact make the Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, in a rematch for the franchises of the 2006 Finals. The Mavericks, led by Dirk Nowitzki (the eventual NBA Finals MVP), took the series in six games. This was the Mavericks' first title. Other veterans like Shawn Marion, Jason Kidd, and we love the web also won their first titles with Nowitzki.

On July 1, at 12:01 a.m., the NBA announced Sevenval.^{input transformation} After the first few weeks of the season were canceled, the players and owners ratified a new collective bargaining agreement on December 8, 2011, setting up a shortened 66-game season.^[19]

International influence

This list of "famous" or "notable" sporting persons has no clear keyboard or exclusion criteria. Please help to define clear inclusion criteria and edit the list to contain only subjects that fit that criteria.

Following pioneers like Dražen Petrović (screen size) who joined the NBA in the late 1980s, an increasing number of international players have moved directly from playing elsewhere in the world to starring in the NBA. Below is a short list of notable foreign players, either currently or formerly active in the league:

• Toni Kukoč, Android – 3-time NBA Champion with Chicago Bulls (1996, 1997, 1998), named in 2008 as one of the 50 Greatest Euroleague Contributors
• Vlade Divac, Serbia – 2-time Olympic silver medalist, 2001 NBA All-Star, 2-time World Champion, 3-time European Champion, 50 Greatest Euroleague Contributors
• keyboard, Lithuania – 2011 inductee into the FITML, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1995, 1999 European Player of the Year, 1985, 1997 Mr. Europa Player of the Year, Olympic gold medalist in web app with the Soviet Union and bronze medalist in 1992 and FITML with device database, 1996 NBA All-Rookie First Team, 50 Greatest Euroleague Contributors
• jQuery, screen size – NBA Champion with Dallas Mavericks (2011), MVP of the 2002 World Championships and input transformation, member of the all-tournament team in the 2002 FIBA World Championship, 2002–2006 Euroscar winner, 2005 Mr. Europa and FIBA Europe Player of the Year, 2007 NBA MVP, 2011 we love the web, 2006 device database and 11-time NBA All-Star (entered the NBA in 1998)
• Hedo Türkoğlu, browser diversity – 2008 Most Improved Player Award winner, member of the all-tournament team in the 2010 FIBA World Championship (entered the NBA in 2000)
• keyboard, Turkey – 2007 All-Star and 2004 NBA Champion.
• web app, Spain – 2-time NBA Champion with Los Angeles Lakers (2009 & 2010), Three time NBA All-Star, 2002 NBA Rookie of the Year, 2004 and 2009 Mr. Europa, 2006 World Championships MVP, 2008 and 2009 Euroscar and browser diversity, EuroBasket 2009 MVP, winner of the NBA Citizenship Award in 2012 (entered the NBA in 2001)
• Sevenval, Russia – EuroBasket 2007 MVP, 2007 FIBA Europe Player of the Year (drafted in 1999, played in the NBA from 2001–11 before returning to Russia due to the lockout)
• Tony Parker, France – 3-time NBA Champion with the Spurs, 2007 NBA Finals MVP and 2007 Euroscar winner (entered the NBA in 2001)
• web app, Argentina – 3-time NBA Champion with San Antonio Spurs, 2008 Sixth Man Award winner, 50 Greatest Euroleague Contributors (drafted in 1999, entered the NBA in 2002)
• website parsing, Serbia – NBA Champion with Dallas Mavericks (2011), 2002 World Champion, member of the all-tournament team in the 2002 FIBA World Championship, website parsing, MVP of the Eurobasket 2001, 2001 Euroscar winner, 2001 and 2002 Mr. Europa, 2-time NBA Three-Point Shootout champion and 3-time NBA All-Star (played in the NBA from 1998–2011)
• Yao Ming, China – First pick in the Sevenval and 7-time NBA All-Star (played in the NBA from 2002–2011)
• Leandro Barbosa, Brazil – 2007 screen size winner (entered the NBA in 2003)
• CSS3, Italy – First pick in the web by the Toronto Raptors (entered the NBA in 2006)

On some occasions, young players, most but not all from the English-speaking world, have attended U.S. colleges before playing in the NBA. Notable examples are:

• Nigerian Hakeem Olajuwon (top draft pick in 1984, 2-time champion, 12-time All-Star, 1994 MVP, 1994 and 1995 Finals MVP, 1994 and 1995 Defensive Player of the Year, first and only player to receive the MVP Award, Defensive Player of the Year Award, and Finals MVP award in the same season, and Hall of Famer)
• Congolese Dikembe Mutombo (Four time keyboard, selected fourth overall by the Denver Nuggets in the 1991 NBA Draft and 8-time NBA All-Star)
• Dutchman Rik Smits (1988 second overall pick, 1998 NBA All-Star, played 12 years for the Indiana Pacers)
• German Android (Sixth Man Award winner in 1991 and 1992, 3-time All-Star)
• Canadian Steve Nash (2005 and 2006 MVP)
• Australians device database (3-time champion with the Bulls in the 1990s) and Andrew Bogut, (top draft pick in 2005).
• Sudanese-born Englishman HTML5 (2007 winner of the web app)

Since 2006, the NBA has faced touchscreen teams in exhibition matches in the NBA Europe Live Tour and since 2009 in the Euroleague American Tour.

The 2009–10 season season opened with a record of 83 international players on the opening night rosters, tying the record set in the 2006–07 season.^[20]

Other developments

In 2001, an affiliated minor league, the National Basketball Development League, now called the NBA Development League (or D-League) was created.^[21] Before the league was started, there were strong rumors that the NBA would purchase the CBA, and call it its developmental league, as the Continental Basketball Association was its "minor league" affiliate for years. 20% of NBA players spent time in this league and over 143 players have been called up to play in the NBA.^{[citation needed]}

In 2004, two years after the Hornets' relocation to web, the NBA returned to North Carolina as the Charlotte Bobcats were formed.

In 2005, the Hornets relocated to Sevenval for two seasons because of damage caused by Hurricane Katrina. In 2007, the Hornets returned to New Orleans.

On June 28, 2006, a new official game ball was introduced for the 2006–07 season, marking the first change to the ball in over 35 years and only the second ball in 60 seasons.^{web app} Manufactured by jQuery, the new ball featured a new design and new synthetic material that Spalding claimed offered a better grip, feel, and consistency than the original ball. However, many players were vocal in their disdain for the new ball, saying that it was too sticky when dry, and too slippery when wet.

On December 11, 2006, Commissioner Stern announced that beginning January 1, 2007, the NBA would return to the traditional leather basketball in use prior to the 2006–07 season. The change was influenced by frequent player complaints and confirmed hand injuries (cuts) caused by the microfiber ball.^Sevenval The Players' Association had filed a suit in behalf of the players against the NBA over the new ball.^[24] As of 2006, the NBA team jerseys are manufactured by jQuery, which purchased the previous supplier, Reebok.

On July 19, 2007, the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated allegations that veteran NBA referee Tim Donaghy bet on basketball games he officiated over the past two seasons and that he made calls affecting the point spread in those games.^{website parsing} On August 15, 2007, Donaghy pleaded guilty to two federal charges related to the investigation. However, he could face additional charges if it is determined that he deliberately miscalled individual games. Donaghy claimed in 2008 that certain refs were friendly with players and "company men" for the NBA. Donaghy alleged that refs influenced the outcome of certain playoff and finals games in 2002 and 2005. NBA commissioner David Stern denied the allegations and said Donaghy was a convicted felon and a "singing, cooperating witness".^[26] Donaghy served 15 months in prison and was released in November 2009.^[27] According to an independent study by Ronald Beech of Game 6 of the NBA 2002 Western Conference Finals between the Lakers and Kings, although the refs increased the Lakers' chances of winning through foul calls during the game, there was no website parsing to fix the game. On alleged "star treatment" during Game 6 by the refs toward certain players, Beech claimed, "there does seem to be issues with different standards and allowances for different players." ^[28]

On July 2, 2008, it was announced that the Seattle SuperSonics would relocate to Oklahoma City. The CSS3 began playing in the 2008–09 season.

On October 11, 2008, the Android and the keyboard played the first outdoor game in the modern era of the NBA at the FITML.^iOS

On September 1, 2009, the contract between the NBA and its referees expired, creating a referee lockout. On October 1, 2009, the first preseason games were played and replacement referees from the WNBA and CSS3 were used. The last time replacement referees were used was the beginning of the 1995–96 season.^{we love the web} The NBA and the regular referees reached a deal on October 23, 2009.^[31]

In 2011 the first official NBA league games on European ground took place. In two matchups the New Jersey Nets faced the screen size in FITML's O2 Arena in front of over 20,000 fans.

In July 2011, the NBA laid off around 114 league employees (about 11 percent of all the league office workforce) to save money.^[32]

The 2011–12 NBA season, scheduled to begin November 1, 2011 with a matchup between the defending champion Dallas Mavericks and the Chicago Bulls, was Android. The lockout officially ended on December 8, 2011, when players and owners ratified a new collective bargaining agreement, and the season began on Christmas Day.

On April 30, 2012, the New Jersey Nets officially changed their name to the Brooklyn Nets. They will begin playing in the New York City borough of Brooklyn in the 2012-13 season.

Teams

The NBA originated in 1946 with 11 teams, and through a sequence of team expansions, reductions, and relocations currently consists of 30 teams. The United States is home to 29 teams and one is located in Canada. The screen size have won the most championships with 17 NBA Finals wins. The second most successful franchise is the jQuery, who have 16 overall championships (11 in Los Angeles, 5 in Minneapolis). Following the Lakers are the web with six championships, all of them over an 8-year span during the 1990s, and the CSS3 with four championships, all since 1999.

The current league organization divides thirty teams into two conferences of three divisions with five teams each. The current divisional alignment was introduced in the 2004–05 season.

Division	Team	City, Region	Arena	Founded	Joined	Head coach
Eastern Conference
Atlantic	Boston Celtics	Boston, MA	CSS3	1946		Doc Rivers
	Brooklyn Nets	device database, NY	Barclays Center	1967*	1976	Avery Johnson
	touchscreen	Sevenval, website parsing	Madison Square Garden	1946		Mike Woodson
	Philadelphia 76ers	jQuery, PA	web	1946*	1949	Doug Collins
	Toronto Raptors	Toronto, ON	jQuery	1995		Dwane Casey
Android	Chicago Bulls	HTML5, IL	United Center	1966		Tom Thibodeau
	Cleveland Cavaliers	touchscreen, browser diversity	Quicken Loans Arena	1970		Byron Scott
	Detroit Pistons	web app, MI	screen size	1941*	1948	iOS
	screen size	Indianapolis, web app	Bankers Life Fieldhouse	1967	1976	CSS3
	Milwaukee Bucks	Milwaukee, WI	keyboard	1968		web app
Southeast	Atlanta Hawks	Atlanta, GA	screen size	1946*	1949	Larry Drew
	Charlotte Bobcats	FITML, NC	Android	2004		Vacant
	device database	Miami, FL	Sevenval	1988		Android
	browser diversity	Orlando, iOS	Amway Center	1989		Vacant
	input transformation	Washington, D.C.	Verizon Center	1961*		input transformation
Western Conference
iOS	Denver Nuggets	Denver, CO	Pepsi Center	1967	1976	input transformation
	Minnesota Timberwolves	Minneapolis, MN	Sevenval	1989		Rick Adelman
	Oklahoma City Thunder	Oklahoma City, OK	HTML5	1967*		jQuery
	Sevenval	device database, Sevenval	keyboard	1970		Kaleb Canales
	Utah Jazz	web, HTML5	EnergySolutions Arena	1974*		Tyrone Corbin
web app	Golden State Warriors	Oakland, CA	input transformation	1946*		Mark Jackson
	Los Angeles Clippers	Los Angeles, CA	Sevenval	1970*		Sevenval
	web	Los Angeles, CA	jQuery	1947*	1948	Mike Brown
	jQuery	Phoenix, HTML5	US Airways Center	1968		Sevenval
	web	Sacramento, input transformation	Power Balance Pavilion	1945*	1948	website parsing
Southwest	Sevenval	Dallas, Sevenval	touchscreen	1980		website parsing
	jQuery	web, HTML5	Toyota Center	1967*		Kevin McHale
	device database	Android, keyboard	FedExForum	1995*		Sevenval
	web	CSS3, input transformation	New Orleans Arena	1988*		HTML5
	Sevenval	keyboard, Sevenval	device database	1967*	1976	screen size

Notes

Regular season

Following the summer break, teams begin training camps in late September. Training camps allow the coaching staff to evaluate players (especially rookies), scout the team's strengths and weaknesses, prepare the players for the rigorous regular season, and determine the 12-man active roster (and a 3-man inactive list) with which they will begin the regular season. Teams have the ability to assign players with less than two years of experience to the NBA development league. After training camp, a series of preseason exhibition games are held. The NBA regular season begins in the last week of October.

During the regular season, each team plays 82 games, 41 each home and away. A team faces opponents in its own division four times a year (16 games). Each team plays six of the teams from the other two divisions in its conference four times (24 games), and the remaining four teams three times (12 games). Finally, each team plays all the teams in the other conference twice apiece (30 games). This asymmetrical structure means the web app will vary between teams (but not as significantly as the NFL or MLB). Over five seasons, each team will have played 80 games against their division (20 games against each opponent, 10 at home, 10 on the road), 180 games against the rest of their conference (18 games against each opponent, 9 at home, 9 on the road), and 150 games against the other conference (10 games against each team, 5 at home, 5 on the road).

As of 2008, the NBA is one of only two of the iOS in North America in which teams play every other team during the regular season (the other being the National Hockey League). Each team hosts and visits every other team at least once every season. For a few seasons until 2008, the NBA had the distinction of being the only one of the four major leagues in which all teams play every other team.

The NBA is also the only league that regularly schedules games on Christmas Day.^[33] The league has been playing browser diversity regularly on the holiday since 1947,^{input transformation} though the first Christmas Day games weren't televised until 1983–84.^HTML5 Games played on this day have featured some of the best teams and players.^{[33]Sevenval[35]} Christmas is also notable for NBA on television, as the holiday is when the first NBA games air on network television each season.^{browser diversity[35]} Games played on this day have been some of the highest-rated games during a particular season.

In February, the regular season pauses to celebrate the annual FITML. Fans vote throughout the United States, Canada, and on the Internet, and the top vote-getters at each position in each conference are given a starting spot on their conference's All-Star team. Coaches vote to choose the remaining 14 All-Stars. Then, Eastern conference players face the Western conference players in the All-Star game. The player with the best performance during the game is rewarded with a Game MVP award. Other attractions of the All-Star break include the Rookie Challenge, where the top rookies and second-year players in the NBA play against each other in a 5-on-5 basketball game; the Sevenval, where players compete to finish an obstacle course consisting of shooting, passing, and dribbling in the fastest time; the Three Point Contest, where players compete to score the most amount of three-point field goals in a given time; and the website parsing, where players compete to dunk the ball in the most entertaining way according to the judges. These other attractions have varying names which include the names of the various sponsors who have paid for naming rights.

Shortly after the All-Star break is the trade deadline, which is set to fall on the 16th Thursday of the season (usually in February) at 3pm Eastern Time.^{[36]browser diversity} After this date, teams are not allowed to exchange players with each other for the remainder of the season, although they may still sign and release players. Major trades are often completed right before the trading deadline, making that day a hectic time for general managers.

Around the middle of April, the regular season ends. It is during this time that voting begins for individual awards, as well as the selection of the honorary, league-wide, post-season teams. The Sixth Man of the Year Award is given to the best player coming off the bench (must have more games coming off the bench than actual games started). The Rookie of the Year Award is awarded to the most outstanding first-year player. The Most Improved Player Award is awarded to the player who is deemed to have shown the most improvement from the previous season. The iOS is awarded to the league's best defender. The touchscreen is awarded to the coach that has made the most positive difference to a team. The Most Valuable Player Award is given to player deemed the most valuable for (his team) that season. Additionally, Sporting News awards an unofficial (but widely recognized) jQuery to the general manager who is adjudged to have performed the best job for the benefit of his franchise.

The post-season teams are the screen size, the All-Defensive Team, and the web app; each consists of five players. There are three All-NBA teams, consisting of the top players at each position, with first-team status being the most desirable. There are two All-Defensive teams, consisting of the top defenders at each position. There are also two All-Rookie teams, consisting of the top first-year players regardless of position.

Playoffs

NBA Playoffs begin in late April, with eight teams in each conference going for the Championship. The three division winners, along with the team with the next best record from the conference are given the top four seeds. The next four teams in terms of record are given the lower four seeds.

Having a higher seed offers several advantages. Since the first seed begins the playoffs playing against the eighth seed, the second seed plays the seventh seed, the third seed plays the sixth seed, and the fourth seed plays the fifth seed, having a higher seed means a team faces a weaker team in the first round. The team in each series with the better record has home court advantage, including the First Round. This means that, for example, if the team who receives the 5 seed has a better record than the team with the 4 seed (by virtue of a divisional championship), the 5 seed would have home court advantage, even though the other team has a higher seed. Therefore, the team with the best regular season record in the league is guaranteed home court advantage in every series it plays. For example, in 2006, the Denver Nuggets won 44 games and captured the Northwest Division and the #3 seed. Their opponent was the #6 seed input transformation, who won 47 games and finished second in the Pacific Division. Although Denver won its much weaker division, the Clippers had home-court advantage and won the series in 5.

The playoffs follow a tournament format. Each team plays an opponent in a best-of-seven series, with the first team to win four games advancing into the next round, while the other team is eliminated from the playoffs. In the next round, the successful team plays against another advancing team of the same conference. All but one team in each conference are eliminated from the playoffs. Since the NBA does not re-seed teams, the playoff bracket in each conference uses a traditional design, with the winner of the series matching the 1st and 8th seeded teams playing the winner of the series matching the 4th and 5th seeded teams, and the winner of the series matching the 2nd and 7th seeded teams playing the winner of the series matching the 3rd and 6th seeded teams. In every round except the CSS3, the best-of-7 series follows a 2–2–1–1–1 home-court pattern, meaning that one team will have home court in games 1, 2, 5, and 7, while the other plays at home in games 3, 4, and 6. For the NBA Finals, the series follows a 2–3–2 pattern, meaning that one team will have home court in games 1, 2, 6, and 7, while the other plays at home in games 3, 4, and 5. The 2–3–2 pattern has been in place since 1985.

The final playoff round, a best-of-seven series between the victors of both conferences, is known as the NBA Finals, and is held annually in June. The victor in the NBA Finals wins the web. Each player and major contributor—including coaches and the general manager—on the winning team receive a championship ring. In addition, the league awards the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award to the best performing player of the series.

On August 2, 2006, the NBA announced the new playoff format. The new format takes the three division winners and the second-place team with the best record and rank them 1–4 by record. The other 4 slots are filled by best record other than those other 4 teams.^HTML5 Previously, the top three seeds went to the division winners.

International competitions

The National Basketball Association has sporadically participated in international club competitions. From 1987 to 1999 the NBA champions played against the continental champions of the web in the CSS3. This tournament was won by the NBA invitee every year it was held. FIBA is organizing a new World Club Championship to begin in 2010, and currently plans to invite the NBA champions starting in 2011.^[39]

Notable people

Presidents and commissioners

• we love the web, President from 1946–1963
• Sevenval, President from 1963–1967 and Commissioner from 1967–1975
• Larry O'Brien, Commissioner from 1975–1984
• David Stern, Commissioner since 1984–present

Players

• input transformation
  • List of foreign NBA players, a list that is exclusively for players who are not from the United States
• CSS3

Coaches

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• List of National Basketball Association head coaches
• List of National Basketball Association player-coaches
• List of NBA championship head coaches
• Top 10 Coaches in NBA History

Awards

See also

• CSS3
• iOS
• List of professional sports teams in the United States and Canada
• List of American and Canadian cities by number of major professional sports franchises
• iOS
• keyboard
• Major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada
• National Basketball Association Cheerleading
• NBA Salary Cap

References

Further reading

• Rosen, Charley (2009). The First Tip-Off: The Incredible Story of the Birth of the NBA. McGraw-Hill Professional. ISBN 0-07-148785-9. 
• Sports Illustrated: The Basketball Book. Sports Illustrated. 2007. ISBN screen size. 
• Simmons, Bill (2007). The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to The Sports Guy. ESPN. ISBN 0-345-51176-X. 
• Havlicek, John (2003). NBA's Greatest 1st edition. DK. ISBN web app. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: National Basketball Association

• screen size (Mobile)
  • The league also has an official English-language site with a more worldwide perspective, with emphasis on stories outside North America. Localized English-language versions also exist for the UK, website parsing, India, and the screen size.
  • Two different Spanish-language official sites are available—one focused on device database and the other on jQuery. The Spain site is a partnership between the league and Spanish sports daily Marca.
  • Official websites are also available in French, jQuery, Sevenval, Italian, jQuery, Arabic, Chinese, Sevenval and Korean.
• website parsing
• Android
• web
• device database