NBA

The National Basketball Association is the professional basketball league for North America and is comprised of 30 teams, including one in Canada.

The NBA was founded in New York City on June 6, 1946, and was then known as the Basketball Association of America. The name changed to the NBA in 1949 when the BAA merged with the National Basketball League. The NBA is the third wealthiest major sports league in the U.S.A behind the NFL and the MLB.

As of 2020, NBA players are the world's highest-paid athletes by average annual salary per player.

When was the first NBA game?

On Nov. 1, 1946, the New York Knickerbockers played the Toronto Huskies in the first BAA game, and the Knicks won the game with a score of 68-66.

NBA teams:

Atlantic:

• Boston Celtics
• Brooklyn Nets
• New York Knicks
• Philadelphia 76ers
• Toronto Raptors

Central:

• Chicago Bulls
• Cleveland Cavaliers
• Detroit Pistons
• Indiana Pacers
• Milwaukee Bucks

Southeast:

• Atlanta Hawks
• Charlotte Hornets
• Miami Heat
• Orlando Magic
• Washington Wizards

Northwest:

• Denver Nuggets
• Minnesota Timberwolves
• Oklahoma City Thunder
• Portland Trail Blazers
• Utah Jazz

Pacific:

• Golden State Warriors
• Los Angeles Clippers
• Los Angeles Lakers
• Phoenix Suns
• Sacramento Kings

Southwest:

• Dallas Mavericks
• Houston Rockets
• Memphis Grizzlies
• San Antonio Spurs
• New Orleans Pelicans

Who has the most NBA Championships?

As a team, the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers have the most NBA championships with 17 each, followed by the Chicago Bulls with six. Individually, Celtics players Bill Russell and Sam Jones have the most championship rings with 11 and 10 respectively. Coach-wise, Phil Jackson has 11 NBA championships under his belt, six with the Chicago Bulls and five with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Is the NBA rigged?

Some players have called out the league for extending the championship series.

"[NBA Commissioner David] Stern told a fan that the NBA needed a seven-game series, that the league needed the money. When the commissioner makes a statement like that to a fan, you know it’s going to be tough," Larry Bird reportedly told The Boston Globe in 1984.

Ex-referee Tim Donaghy also claimed in 2008 that the NBA encourages referees to call bogus fouls to manipulate games. However, there is no evidence that the NBA is rigged.