What is the NBA?
The first regular-season NBA game was played on November 1, 1946. Eleven teams played in first season (1946-47). The Warriors, then based in Philadelphia, won the first NBA Finals in 1947. Three teams—Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and Golden State Warriors—have played every NBA season since 1946!
There are 30 teams today: 15 in each conference and five in each division. The Eastern Conference has three divisions: Atlantic, Central, and Southeast. The Western Conference also has three divisions: Northwest, Pacific, and Southwest. Each team plays 82 regular-season games, beginning in October. Sixteen teams (eight in each conference) qualify for the NBA Playoffs, which begin in April. Conference champions meet in the NBA Finals, played every June.
