The shape of a season
The NBA's 30 teams split into Eastern and Western Conferences, three divisions of five in each. The regular season runs 82 games per team, late October to mid-April — a marathon deliberately designed so the best teams separate from the pack, with the mid-season NBA Cup tournament (introduced 2023) adding a trophy inside the schedule. Every team plays every other team at least twice; there are no easy months.
How the playoffs work — including the play-in
Each conference sends eight teams to the playoffs, but the last two spots are contested: the play-in tournament pits seeds 7–10 against each other for seeds 7 and 8 (7 plays 8 for the 7-seed; 9 plays 10 for survival, then the losers/winners meet for the 8-seed). The playoffs proper are four rounds of best-of-seven series — first to four wins advances — seeded 1v8, 2v7, 3v6, 4v5, with the higher seed holding home-court advantage in a 2-2-1-1-1 format. The Eastern and Western champions meet in the NBA Finals in June. Unlike football, one bad night never ends a season — depth and adjustments across a series decide everything.
Terms a new fan needs
Triple-double — double digits in three stat categories (usually points, rebounds, assists). The paint — the colored rectangle near the basket. Load management — resting healthy stars, the league's ongoing argument. Max contract — the largest salary a player can sign, scaled by experience. Lottery — the weighted draw giving the worst teams the best odds (not a guarantee) of the top draft picks.
The divisions
| Division | Teams |
|---|---|
| Atlantic (East) | Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors |
| Central (East) | Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks |
| Southeast (East) | Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Washington Wizards |
| Northwest (West) | Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz |
| Pacific (West) | Golden State Warriors, LA Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings |
| Southwest (West) | Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, San Antonio Spurs |