Anyone who’s been to an NBA basketball game will know how loved the league is, but do you know exactly how popular it is? Statistics have shown that the viewing figures for the 2021/2022 NBA season final were an impressive 12.4 million!
With the NBA being the most popular basketball league in the world, it’s hardly surprising. And what’s also not surprising is the number of new followers the NBA gets each year.
So, whether you’re a diehard fan or a newbie on your way to being diehard, we’re here for you. One of the most exciting parts of any sport is the analysis, the game plans, and the predictions, so strap in as we’ve got a lot to cover.
Read on for all the details you need to know ahead of this year’s NBA season.
The History of the NBA
As with most sports, basketball has a long and exciting history. But, did you know that way back when there were two big leagues in North America? They would compete against each other for fans and players and were all-round rivals.
The two leagues were the Basketball Association of America (BAA) and the National Basketball League (NBL). They existed independently, but after a rough few years between 1946 and 1949, the rivals called it quits and surprised America when they merged.
What was born became the National Basketball Association, or the NBA as we know it today. Where before BAA had control of most of the big city games and NBL took on the smaller towns, the merged league now had truly nationwide coverage.
While there were 17 teams to begin with, general teething problems in the new league meant this diminished to only eight by the 1954/1955 season. The NBA’s luck was about to turn though. The implementation of the 24-second clock was just what was needed to bring fans back.
The rest – as they say – is history.
Why Is Basketball Played Through Winter?
When so many sports exclusively play in the summer, it’s a common question that is asked. Why exactly is basketball played in the winter? After all, they play in shorts and there’s no ice to be seen. The answer will please many sports lovers out there.
It’s done this way to give lovers of team sports such as soccer and baseball a game to watch in the winter. If not, it’d be a long time without a similar non-snow/ice game, and we can’t be having that.
Of course, that’s not to stop people from playing in the summer. From schools to amateur leagues, it’s a game that can be played all year round, it’s just the professional league that is limited to the winter months.
In fact, it’s been a debate among many professionals about which Olympics basketball should appear in – the summer or winter editions. Currently, basketball is and has always been in the summer Olympics. That’s because the general rule is that the winter Olympics is reserved for those games that are predominantly practiced on snow or ice.
But given that the league is always in winter, maybe it’s time for some rejigging.
Who Are the Best Teams to Look Out For?
The question to end all questions, are we right? Some of the greatest things about team sports are the surprises along the way. We can check out last year’s performances, analyze them until the cows come home, and keep a close eye on how each player is working, but we can never truly know.
That being said, the predictions and betting are half the fun of being a sports fan! When the league starts you just know that your top Google search will be NBA predictions today. And we’ll be right there with you, completely engrossed in every game.
Anyway, while we won’t truly know which teams are on their top form until the league starts, we can use data to make some predictions. At this stage, the data we can use is how each team has played up until this point.
That being the case, for the Eastern Conference, the top three teams right now are the Boston Celtics, the Brooklyn Nets, and the Milwaukee Bucks. As for the Western Conference, it’s all about the Denver Nuggets, the Memphis Grizzlies, and the New Orleans Pelicans.
If any of those are your teams, prepare for a great season ahead!
When Does the NBA Season Begin?
At the end of the day, knowing which teams to look out for is only part of the excitement. It doesn’t mean anything without the season starting. So when exactly will the NBA start for the 2023/2024 season?
We have it on good authority that the dates have been confirmed. It’s now official that the NBA basketball league will start on October 24th, 2023, and conclude on April 14th, 2024.
It looks like there might even be an in-season tournament to contend with, which is sure to get hearts racing with excitement. Now that dates are confirmed, be sure to get them in your calendar and book those shifts off to ensure you don’t miss a thing!
We can’t wait to see you there!
Don’t Miss the 2023/2024 NBA Season
So, there you have it. October 24th is the day to put in your calendars as the start of the NBA season. It’s sure to be a big one and with the predictions we currently have for the teams, it’s set to be the most exciting one yet.
For more information on all things sports and lifestyle, check out our other articles!
Step by step hacking tutorials about wireless cracking, kali linux, metasploit, ethical hacking, seo tips and tricks, malware analysis and scanning.