How Long Is the NBA Basketball Season?
Contents
The NBA regular season typically runs from October to April, with each team playing 82 games. The playoffs then follow, culminating in the NBA Finals.
The NBA regular season is 82 games long
The NBA regular season is 82 games long, which is twice as long as the NHL and MLB seasons, and four times as long as the NFL season. The Olympics are also twice as long as the NBA season. So, if you’re looking for a sport that will keep you busy for a while, basketball is a good choice.
The NBA playoffs are four rounds, each best-of-seven
The NBA playoffs are four rounds, each best-of-seven, in which the eight conference playoff teams each compete for the conference championship and the right to play in the NBA Finals, a best-of-seven series to determine the league champion.
The first round of the playoffs, known as the first round, or first seeds playoff series, or simply wild card games, comprises two matches between four teams that each qualify for the playoffs by winning at least half their regular season games.
The four winners from this opening stage advance to face off against the top four seeds in each conference in a best of seven series called the Conference Semifinals.
Winners from these clashes then battle it out in Conference Finals with a place in the NBA Finals on the line. The last two standing teams then go head to head in a best of seven series to decide who will be crowned NBA champions.
The NBA Finals are best-of-seven
The NBA Finals are a best-of-seven playoff series played between the Western and Eastern conference champions to determine the National Basketball Association (NBA) champion for the season. The series was named after the original division that separated the league into two conferences.
The first five games are played in a 2–2–1–1–1 format, meaning the team with home-court advantage hosts games one, two, five, and seven, while their opponents host games three, four, and six. On average, it takes six games to determine a winner in the NBA Finals. However, there have been several instances where it has taken seven games. In 2014, for example, the San Antonio Spurs won game seven against the Miami Heat 96–87.
The NBA season starts in October and ends in June
The NBA season starts in October and ends in June. Each team plays 82 regular season games, 41 at home and 41 away. After the regular season, the top eight teams in each conference (Eastern and Western) make the playoffs. The playoffs are a best-of-seven series. The first team to win four games advances to the next round. The Conference Finals and NBA Finals are also best-of-seven series.
