Basketball has become an insatiable American passion. Whether in a back yard, a blacktop urban playground, or an indoor stadium, people love playing and watching this game. As one of the largest spectator sports, its obsession is unstoppable because of its high score, fast pace and employing of some of the worlds best athletes. Do not miss out on this exceptional show of athleticism. Purchase your NBA tickets from Vivid Seats. Vivid Seats has all the best basketball tickets for every regular season game, NBA playoff tickets, and NBA Finals tickets .
Basketball was born as the brainchild of Dr. James Naismith, a Canadian doctor. The game was originally played with a soccer ball and a closed bottom basket (requiring a broom handle to push the ball out each time a basket was made). During the early 1890’s, Dr. Naismith was looking for a sport that would provide a level of physical activity that would keep his students in shape during the winter months at the university where he taught in Massachusetts. Less than one year later, in 1892, women began playing basketball at Smith College, and that same year, the first official basketball game began on January 20th. Dr. Naismith worked for the YMCA and it was through their network or recreation centers that the game of basketball spread through the country. Soon enough of course, the game became much more physical and the crowd a bit more violent so that the YMCA soon denounced it.
But the rest of the country loved it. These days the National Basketball Association, or the NBA governs professional basketball in North America. The first official game was played in Toronto on November 1, 1946, with the Toronto Huskies playing against the New York Knickerbockers. Originally their were many different leagues governing basketball., most notably, the Basketball Association of America, (BAA) the American Basketball League, (ABL) and the National Basketball League (NBL) . But in 1949 the NBL and the BBL merged to form the NBA .
Originally, the teams were made up of all Caucasian men. But in 1950 the first African American player became part of the league. Now, African American players are 80% of the NBA. Although basketball is a team sport, the popularity of the game grew with the rise of its superstar players. Players such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Erving “Magic” Johnson, Larry Bird, and most recently, Michael Jordan, all were responsible for raising the games entertainment value to new heights. Between these 4 players, they lead their teams to twenty championship titles between 1967 and 1998.
Currently, there are 30 teams that make up the NBA. The regular season lasts from the beginning of November to the end of April. There are 82 games in the regular season and each team in the league will face each other team in the league at least twice throughout the season. Much like in baseball, midway through the season, the All-Star game is played. Players are chosen based on the fans. The players in each conference with the most votes get a starting spot on their team’s lineup while the teams coaches determine the remaining players. Half-time at the All-Star game is where the real excitement begins where fans can indulge in the Slam Dunk competition, the Three-Point Shootout, and the Rookie challenge game where rookies in the league take on second year players. Don’t miss the excitement of the game as Vivid Seats has all your NBA All-star Game tickets .
When the season is over in April, awards go out for the best bench player (Sixth Man of the Year award) , the Rookie of the Year award, the Most Improved Player of the Year Award, Coach of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and of course, the award for the Most Valuable Player of the Year. Once these awards are given, its playoff time!
If you are looking for any NBA playoff game tickets, Vivid Seats have them. No matter what NBA basketball tickets you are looking for, Vivid Seats is the place to get them. Deciding which teams are in the playoffs is based purely on performance during the regular season. Unlike in other professional sports, the NBA doesn’t offer any home court advantage to any team that won the championship the previous year. Instead, based on a complicated system of seeding, the best team with the best record in the regular season gets the home court advantage. Each round of the playoff tournament is a best of 7 game series. The winning team advances to play the winners of another series as single elimination gets rid of each team that loses.
The championship game is termed the NBA Finals, which is also a best of seven series. The NBA Finals are some of the most explosive games of the season. Each team knows how close it is to winning the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy and the competition is almost at a feverish pace. Being at an NBA Finals game is the experience of a lifetime. The excitement in the stadium is absolutely intoxicating. Vivid Seats has the best seats for the Finals so if you are looking for Finals tickets, let Vivid Seats help you.
Recent changes to the game include the introduction of a new type of basketball produced by Spalding in June of 2006. The players in the league have received this new ball with mixed reviews. The material it is made from is said to support better ball handling, but some players disagree. Which isn’t surprising, considering they honed their skills on the traditional basketball. Although the company who manufactures them claims to be working on improving them its unlikely that any changes will be made in the immediate future.
In the mean time, don’t miss out on the most exciting entertainment being played in cities across the country. The players keep getting better and as a result, so do the games. Indulge yourself and let Vivid Seats supply you with the best Basketball tickets to every game you want to see.