BASKETBALL is one of the most enjoyable sports to watch at this time of year, with the NBA Playoffs starting, but many do not understand how it works.
The NBA is split into two divisions, the Eastern and the Western conferences. After the regular season, where teams play 82 games in their respective divisions, the top 8 of each conference take part in the playoffs.
Similar to the EFL Championship playoffs, the teams are ‘seeded’ to give the teams who finished higher an advantage. The teams with the best record will be placed against the lowest-ranked qualifier.
Once the matchups have taken place, a bracket is made to show each team’s path to the finals and potential opponents.
Hereafter, it is a knock-out format, where teams will play a best-of-seven game series, meaning the first team to win four games advances to the next round.
Importantly, the teams with a higher seeding get what is called a home court advantage, where they play more of their matches at their own arenas, benefiting the players and fans.
The winners of the Eastern and Western conferences then face off in the NBA Finals, where the final team standing lifts the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy and is crowned NBA Champions.
