How Do NBA Series Work?

How do NBA series work? Find out how the NBA playoff system works, from the regular season to the Finals.

NBA Finals Format

The National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals is the championship series of the NBA and the conclusion of the sport’s postseason. All Finals have been played in a best-of-seven format, and contested between the winners of the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference (formerly divisions before 1970), except in 1950 when the Eastern Division champion moved to the newly created Central Division to balance league membership at nine franchises.

NBA Finals Seeding

Perhaps the most important aspect to know about the NBA Finals is that they are a best-of-seven series. That is, the team that wins four games first is crowned champion. There are no other deciding factors, such as total points scored or margin of victory. The team with the best record in the NBA regular season earns home-court advantage in the Finals. This means that if the series is tied at two games apiece, the fifth and seventh (if necessary) games will be played at that team’s arena.

The seeding of teams in the NBA playoffs works a little bit differently than it does in other sports leagues. In most leagues, the playoff bracket is set before the season even begins. This is not so in the NBA, as the league uses a “seeding system” to determine which teams will make it to the playoffs and where they will be placed in the bracket.

The seeding system is as follows: The team with the best record in each conference (Eastern and Western) automatically gets seeded into the Conference Finals. The remaining teams are then seeded based on their regular season record. The three division winners (the team with the best record in each division) are given seeds #2 through #4, while the five non-division winners are given seeds #5 through #9.

NBA Finals Schedule

The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern and Western conference champions play a best-of-seven game series to determine the league champion. The winning team of the NBA Finals receives the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy, which replaced the Walter A. Brown Trophy in 1983.

The NBA Finals has been played annually since 1947, except for a three-year break from 1950 to 1953 due to a labor dispute. The first two games of the annual championship series were played in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, at Maple Leaf Gardens, due to scheduling conflicts with the Stanley Cup playoffs. The last time that the NBA Finals was played outside of the United States was in 1975, when Game 5 was played at Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

NBA Finals Tickets

The NBA Finals are the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern and Western conference champions play a best-of-seven game series to determine the league champion. The winning team of the series receives the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.

Tickets for the NBA Finals are typically very expensive and difficult to get. However, there are a few ways to try to get tickets.

One way is through ticket resellers such as StubHub or SeatGeek. These websites allow people to resell their tickets for a profit, and they often have a good selection of tickets available for the NBA Finals. However, be aware that you will likely pay more than face value for these tickets.

Another way to get tickets is through an online auction site such as eBay. You can often find good deals on NBA Finals tickets through these sites, but you will need to be aware of potential scams. Make sure you only buy from reputable sellers with positive feedback ratings.

Finally, you can try your luck with the NBA’s ticket lottery system. Unfortunately, this system is not very transparent, and it is very difficult to get selected for the lottery. However, it is worth trying if you really want to attend the NBA Finals.