What Are All The Nba Basketball Teams?

A comprehensive list of all the NBA basketball teams, past and present.

Eastern Conference

The Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association (NBA) is made up of 15 teams, organized in three divisions. The conference has both older, original teams like the Boston Celtics as well as expansion teams like the Charlotte Hornets.

Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics are an American professional basketball team based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of the league’s original eight teams, the franchise played home games at the Boston Garden for 57 years before moving to its current position in 1995. The Celtics have a storied history, with 17 championships, 21 conference titles, and 13 division titles totaling 31 trips to the NBA Finals — of which they have won nine — as of 2019. Eighteen Hall of Famers have played for the Celtics, while 13 have coached the team. According to Forbes, the Celtics are ranked fourth most valuable basketball franchise in the United States and seventh in the world, with an estimated value of $3.7 billion.

Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets are a professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games at Barclays Center. They are one of two NBA teams located in New York City; the other is the New York Knicks. The team was established in 1967 as a charter franchise of the NBA’s rival league, the American Basketball Association (ABA). They played in New Jersey as the New Jersey Americans during their first season, before moving to Long Island in 1968 and changing their name to the New York Nets. During this time, the Nets won two ABA championships (in 1974 and 1976).

New York Knicks

The New York Knicks are a professional basketball team based in New York City. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games at Madison Square Garden, an arena they share with the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). They are one of two NBA teams located in New York City; the other is the Brooklyn Nets.

Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers (also commonly known as the Sixers) are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Eastern Conference Atlantic Division and play at Wells Fargo Center. Founded in 1946 and originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA, and one of only eight (out of 23) to survive the league’s first decade.

Toronto Raptors

The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league’s Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. They play their home games at the Scotiabank Arena, which they share with the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs. The team was founded in 1995 as part of the NBA’s expansion into Canada, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies. Since winning their only NBA championship in 2019, the Raptors have been consistent playoff contenders, winning five division titles. However, they have failed to advance beyond the conference semifinals since 2016. As of 2020, the Raptors are ranked third among Canadian franchises by Forbes magazine, behind only the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens and Calgary Flames; and fourth among domestic NBA teams by attendance volume after leading all teams from 2016 to 2018.

Western Conference

There are 15 teams in the Western Conference. These teams are the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trail Blazers, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, and Sacramento Kings.

Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league’s Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 1946 in Philadelphia, the Warriors relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1962 and took the city’s name, before changing its geographic moniker to Golden State in 1971. They play their home games at the Chase Center.

The Warriors won the 1947 BAA Finals, which marked the franchise’s first championship victory. The franchise won its second championship in 1956, led by Hall of Fame center Wilt Chamberlain. The team’s all-time worst season came in 1985–86 when it won only 19 games.Golden State has made 22 playoff appearances since 1947 as of 2019, qualifying seventeen times since 1978.

Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets are a professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league’s Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its home games at the Toyota Center, located in downtown Houston. The Rockets have won two NBA championships and four Western Conference titles. The team was established as the San Diego Rockets, an expansion team originally based in San Diego, in 1967. In 1971, the Rockets moved to Houston.

Los Angeles Clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers, often shortened to the LA Clippers, are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Western Conference Pacific Division. The Clippers play their home games at Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, an arena they share with fellow NBA team the Los Angeles Lakers, as well as the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Los Angeles Lakers

One of the most successful teams in NBA history, the Los Angeles Lakers have won 16 championships. The Lakers have been home to some of the greatest players ever to play basketball, including Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kobe Bryant. The team has also had iconic coaches such as Pat Riley and Phil Jackson.

Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Western Conference Southwest Division. The Grizzlies play their home games at FedExForum. The team is owned by Robert Pera. The Grizzlies are currently the only team in the major professional North American sports leagues based in the city of Memphis.

Founded in 1995 as the Vancouver Grizzlies, based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the team relocated to Memphis in 2001 and plays its home games at FedExForum. The team began play as an expansion team during the 1995–96 NBA season. In their inaugural season, playing under head coach Brian Hill (who led them to a 23–59 win-loss record), the team finished last in both the Conference and Division standings. In May of that same year,pera agree upon terms to buy controlling interest inthe franchise from Michael Heisley, who purchased it three years earlier from Disney for $160 million (equivalent to $254 million today). After Heisley’s death in October 2012, pera became controlling owner ofthe franchise

The Grizzlies competed for playoff position for much of their early existence; however they failed to posting winning seasons until 2003–04 when they rose to 50 wins and secured the 6th seed. Marc Gasol would win Rookie ofthe Year that season and lead them to their first Playoff berth where they faced off against Dirk Nowitzki’s Dallas Mavericks. Unfortunately they were swept but it was a sign of better things top come where they would return toposting winning seasons on a more consistent basis and make six more playoff appearances including trips tot he Western Conference Semifinals in 2006 and 2013