NBA Tickets

NBA Tickets

National Basketball Association

The National Basketball Association (NBA) features 30 professional basketball teams split between the Eastern and Western Conferences. The league includes 29 American teams and the Toronto Raptors. Domestic and international players entertain fans with dunks, three-pointers, and amazing displays of athleticism.

NBA History

The NBA began life as the Basketball Association of America in 1946. The league’s name changed to the NBA in 1949 after a merger with the National Basketball League. In the NBA’s early years, big-city franchises like the New York Knicks were joined by smaller markets like the Fort Wayne Pistons. The NBA and the American Basketball Association (ABA) competed for basketball fans from 1967 until the NBA-ABA merger in 1976. League expansion following the merger brought markets like Memphis, Toronto, Orlando, and Oklahoma City into the league.

The NBA has adopted new rules since its founding to increase the flow of the game. A 24-second shot clock was added in 1954 to prevent teams from running out the clock late in games. The three-point line was introduced to the NBA in 1979, allowing teams to expand the court and increase scoring opportunities. The creation of the defensive three-second violation in 2001 prevents the use of zone defenses that can slow down the pace of play.

Notable NBA Players

In 1997, the NBA announced a list of the 50 greatest players in league history. This list shows the evolution of professional basketball in North America. Early stars like Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, and Bob Cousy pushed the boundaries of the game’s traditional rules. Following the NBA-ABA merger, talents like Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Julius Erving, and George Gervin added creativity to the game. The modern game has been lifted by the heroics of Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, LeBron James, and Steph Curry.

NBA Schedule Information

Each NBA team plays an 82-game schedule during the regular season. The regular season starts in October and ends in April. The Eastern and Western Conferences are each divided into three divisions of five teams. NBA teams play each of their divisional rivals four times in a season along with 36 games against non-divisional conference teams and 30 games against teams in the other conference.