Basketball is a played on rectangular court with two teams consisting of five members each. The players have to pass the ball through the basket which is of 10 feet high and has a diameter of 18 inches. The teams get points on the basis of the correct through of the ball through the basket. There are certain techniques used in handling ball. Some of them are: Passing, Shooting, Rebounding, and Dribbling
The players are allotted position according to their strength and height. The strongest and tallest is given the center position whereas the smallest and bit agile players play as small forward. The shooting guard or point guard is the man best in handling ball implementing the plan directed by the team’s coach.
NBA i.e., National Basketball Association is the ultimate level of basketball tournaments held for only men and the players are the paid off the best. It is played in North America consisting of 30 teams which is recognized by FBIA. Initially NBA had 11 teams but it got increased to 30 teams due to its expansion. This expansion has fueled the growth of the league’s popularity significantly, and also increased wagering on the sport as there are now more betting odds to be played each night.
League and Team Structure
The division of teams is as follows:-
Western Conference:-
Northwest Division– consisting of five teams which are Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nugget and Utah Jazz.
Pacific Division– consisting of five teams which are, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings.
Southwest Division– consisting of five teams which are New Orleans Pelicans, San Antonio Spurs, Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets.
Eastern Conference:-
Atlantic Division– consisting of five teams which are New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Toronto, Raptors, Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers.
Central Division– consisting of five teams which are Indiana Pacers, Chicago bulls, Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Southeast Division– consisting of five teams which are Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Washington Wizards, Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets.
The training session starts after the summer halt i.e., in September. The coach starts training the team after evaluating the strength and weakness of every player. Players with less than two years of experience can join the team for the development league. The teams play regular sessions with the rival teams. The game can also be conducted on 25th December. The best player gets rewarded with Game MVP awards for his performance throughout the season. The NBA session ends during mid April.
Few awards given to the player given after NBA season are:-
The Sixth Man of the Year Award- given to the best player off the bench.
Rookie of the Year Award- given to the outstanding first-year player.
Defensive Player of the Year Award- given to the best defender.
Coach of the Year Award- given to the best coach making the most positive difference to the team.
Most Valuable Player Award- given to the valuable player.
Executive of the Year Award- given to the manager for the best performance of its franchise.
