National BasketBall Association

CONTENTS:

INTRODUCTION

1. HISTORY

2. TEAMS

3. PLAYERS

4. REGULAR SEASON

5. PLAYOFFS

6. NBA FINALS

7. DRAFT

8. SALARY CAP

9. WNBA

10. INDEX

11. WEBOGRAPHY

CONCLUSION

INTRODUCTION

I will speak about a major discipline in the United States: Basketball, and more particularly, about the National Basketball Association or NBA. This sport was invented in 1891 by a Canadian preacher who was living in Springfield and whose name was James Naismith. Since then, basketball has become one of the most practiced sports throughout the world. And when we talk about basketball, NBA will come to memory. But what is in reality the NBA? How is it organized? How are the competitions held? Here are some questions which deserve adequate answers.

1. HISTORY

The National Basketball Association commonly called NBA is the principal league of northern American basketball. It was created in 1946 under the name of BAA (Basketball Association of America), the in 1949, on account of its fusion with the NBL (National League Basketball), it was re-baptized NBA. Nowadays, it counts 30 teams located in various cities, some playing in rooms and others in gymnasia. The NBA is one of the greatest sporting leagues in the world; the matches are broadcasted in 212 countries and in 42 languages.

2. TEAMS

The NBA is divided into two Western conferences: the western ones and the eastern ones. Each conference is composed of 15 teams divided as follows:

National Basket-ball Association

Western Conference Eastern Conference

Northwest Pacific Southwest Atlantic Central Southeast

Denver Nuggets Golden State Warriors Dallas Maverick Boston Celtics Chicago Bulls Atlanta Hawks

Minnesota Timberwolves Los Angeles Clippers Houston Rockets Brooklin Nets Cleveland Cavaliers Charlotte Bobcats

Oklahoma City Thunder Los Angeles Lakers Memphis Grizzlies New York Knicks Detroit Pistons Miami Heat

Portland Trall Blazers Phoenix Suns New Orleans Hornets Philadelphia 76ers Indiana Pacers Orlando Magic

Utah Jazz Sacramento Kings San Antonio Spurs Toronto Raptors Milwaukee Bucks Washington Wizards

3. PLAYERS

During the regular season, each team has under contract 12 players at least and 15 players at most. This figure can be exceeded during the winter season, but must be brought back to 15 at the beginning of the regular season. Only a maximum of 12 players can be listed on the sheet of match, the others being placed on the inactive list. The inactive list did not exist before the 2005-2006season. All the players who were not on the sheet of match were registered on the list of the casualties whatever the matter they are really wounded or not. They could not be listed on a sheet of match for a minimum duration of five meetings.

4. REGULAR SEASON

The teams gather in trainings camps during October. These camps make it possible the coaches to evaluate the players specially those called the rookies. It’s also an opportunity for them to prepare the season and to supervise the teams in order to detect the forces and the weaknesses. Matches of pre-season are also organized very quickly for the setting of a strategy of play. The kick-off of the season is given at the end of October during the ceremony of the handing-over of the rings of champions to the team who won the title the former season. The season really begins then at the beginning of November and finishes towards the end of April. After having decreed the individual distinctions, the playoffs start and end with the NBA finals at mid-June. Each team plays 82 matches in regular season. On the whole, 4 meetings against the teams from its own division (16 matches), 3 or 4 meetings against the teams of its conference (36 matches) and 2 against each team of the other Conference (30 matches). In February, the season stops for one weekend marking an event grouping together the best players of the season in progress. It’s an opportunity to single out the spectacle: that is the NBA All-star Weekend with the All-Star Range, the headlight moment during which the best players of the NBA compete. The five major one is chosen by vote of the fans throughout the world (people can vote on Internet), while the seven reservists are selected by the trainers of the league. These teams are directed by the trainers of the teams who have the best percentage of victories in each conference few days before the All-Star Weekend. The same trainer cannot exert this function two consecutive years.

5. PLAYOFFS

At the end of the regular season, in June and May, the 16 best teams, 8 per Conference, clash in playoffs. In each Conference, the first four places are allotted to the three winners of

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