The National Basketball Association

In 1946, the Basketball Association of America started the first basketball season in America. However, in 1949 the BAA merged with the National Basketball League to form the National Basketball Association which is better known as NBA.

In the beginning, NBA had seventeen franchises. However, this was reduced to eleven in 1950 after the franchises were consolidated. 1950 also witnessed a major change in NBA with the acceptance of first African American players. Chuck Cooper joined the Boston Celtics, Nat Clifton joined the New York Knicks and Earl Lloyd joined the Washington Capitols. In 1950, Minneapolis Lakers won the first NBA Championship.

In 1954, NBA had the smallest number of franchises with only 8 teams. These were Knickerbockers, Celtics, Warriors, Lakers, Royals / Kings, Pistons, Hawks and Nationals / 76ers. These eight franchises are still there today.

Until 1967 NBA played with the six team format when it expanded by the addition of two teams. This expansion was in response to the American Basketball Association being formed. The two teams were added in 1975 and 1977. In 1976, NBA reached an agreement with American Basketball Association which added four of its franchises to the NBA raising the total number of franchises in NBA to 22.

The current sixteen team tournament started in 1984. The first round was then changed to a best of five playoff. In 2003, the format was changed again to best of seven which is still being used. There are now thirty franchises in NBA and the division structure has been realigned with three divisions and each having five teams. These changes too place from 2004 to 2005.

By Nigel Kerry

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Basketball Picks

There is not such thing as a sure bet. The beauty of sports competition is that no matter what team is the favorite and has probabilities on their side, one score of the other team can change the outcome of a game.

Basketball picks are popular today with all the games that have been going around on the NBA playoffs. Thousands of bettors search into basketball picks website trying to find light to their judgment and making sure they make the right bet.

Though, the basketball picks are useful to analyze different situations and reading a different and experienced perspective of the game, they shall not be taken totally. Since NBA picks are made by personal judgments you can take these to make up your own picks and opinion. Mixing various basketball picks that predict games results in different ways helps in considering or rejecting certain opinions or predictions.

You may find several basketball picks in the internet. Some of these websites are pay-to-see, so you have to pay an amount of money so you can receive picks from expert handicappers that have been long enough watching and betting the sport to make a good judgment. But they are not perfect and they may fail from time to time, there is not such thing as 100% games predicted. But these basketball picks are great and beneficial for your own picks.

There is also free basketball picks you may find in some websites. Though, they may not come from recognized handicappers, they still are a personal prediction of someone who is analyzing the sport. Do not discard free basketball picks because they still help you and they are free!
Remember basketball picks must be taken consideration but they are not what the outcome will be, sports games are so unexpected that the best handicapper that can give you the best advice is your own personal judgment.

By Anthony LeMaire

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Gifts For The Basketball Fan

Gift giving can be frustrating. It seems finding the right gift for some people is more difficult than it should be. Some people seem to have everything, so what do you buy them? You also may not want to just buy anything because you want something the person will enjoy and get some use from. You really have to put some thought into it and choose a gift wisely.

When you need to buy a gift for a basketball fan you are in luck. You have a range of great options in basketball gifts. You should find gift giving gets a lot more simple when you are dealing with a basketball fan.

Basketball Themed Gifts
You can seek out any gift that has something to do with basketball. Basketball is popular so you will have many options. You will find basketball shaped bowls and tables. You will find basketball themes on clothing, towels and anything else that can be printed. You will find basketball novelty items and fin things like basketball shaped crackpots.

You are not, limited at all when you seek out to find a basketball themed gift. Go crazy and see what you can find that best suits the recipient.

Actual Gaming Items
You can also think practical. Just buy them something they need for their game. Get them a new net, a new ball, some new shoes. If they are important to you then go the distance. Get their driveway paved or buy them a new basketball system.

Going with actual basketball items you can not go wrong. They will need them, so you are sure they will be happy.

Game Related Stuff
You can also be the big spender and offer up something amazing. You can buy tickets to their favorite team. You can buy memorabilia items. You can work to get a signature form their favorite player. Going all out is what this type of basketball gift is all about and you can be sure that it will be welcomed well.

You should not just focus on finding something basketball related. You also have to keep the basic ideas of gift giving in mind.

- Choose something they will like and find useful.
- Stay within your budget.
- Do not try to out do someone else.
- Give from the heart.

By following these basic gift giving guidelines you are sure to not go wrong. Do not let yourself get too caught up in the idea of giving a perfect gift.

You want to give your basketball fan friend something they will love and if they are a true fan and a true friend, then they will be happy with whatever you choose. Just stick with the basketball idea and you should give a gift they will be crazy about. So, go out there armed with these tips and ideas. Get shopping and buy that gift that is sure to put a smile on your basketball fan friends face.

By Bill Parsons

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Basketball Sportsbook

The days of placing bets on sporting events in a dingy back room or an alley are thankfully gone. So are the days of placing bets in the dark with no information about how the betting odds or lines were arrived at. Now if you want to bet on a sport like basketball you can do so with a good basketball sportsbook. A top basketball sportsbook will give you an opportunity to view the information that the experts use to arrive at the lines and odds.

A basketball sportsbook will base things on solid researched information. For example, if a team has a key player who has suffered an injury you’ll want to know more about it. How long will he be out or how will it affect his play if he stays in the line-up? What about the player, who’ll replace him, will he be able to take up the slack? You’ll also find out how teams match up against each other. This type of information can only be found at a top rated basketball sportsbook.

The basketball sportsbook will make recommendations that can assist you in placing the right bets that give you the best chance of winning. After all, while betting on basketball games is fun, it is much more exciting when you win; particularly when you win consistently. The expert help you get with a sportsbook can lead you in the right direction and help make you an expert. Why not give it a try? You won’t regret it.


By Anthony LeMaire

Check Out the Related Article : Online Basketball Betting