Ah, the NBA Finals are upon us. Sports fans around the country (and Canada) have been geared up for weeks watching the NBA Playoffs, but now the time has arrived to crown a new champion. Four wins stand between one team and a chance to go down in NBA history. So, who will it be? Who will hoist the coveted trophy? Who will be the last team standing?
While those questions cannot yet be answered--take a fast-break and stick with me as I answer other wh-questions regarding the NBA Finals.
Where: The site of the NBA Finals' games depends on who is playing in the championship game. They will each host home games during the seven-game series. (Note: the winner is who wins four out of the seven games...which means the NBA Finals could only last 4 games.) Example, let's say Team A is playing Team B. Team A will host the first two games at home, then travel to Team B's stadium for the next two match-ups. From there, they will return back to Team A's stadium, then Team B, then Team A. This year, the Denver Nuggets and the Miami Heat will be competing against each other for the championship, so the games will switch from Denver and Miami. Mountains vs. Oceans.
When: The NBA Finals begin every year in early June. This year the finals are from Thursday, June 1-Sunday, June 18 (should all seven games be played).
What: On top of bragging rights, what else does the championship team earn? The winning team also gets a few million dollars from the Player's Playoff Pool (funded by playoff gate receipts) to split among the players. In fact, every team who makes the playoffs gets a bonus from the pool, however, the amount of the bonus you get is increased the further you advance in the playoffs. Although the bonuses may not seem like much money for the superstars, for the people who are on the bench and don't make millions upon millions, their share could be nice extra income. The winners also receive the Larry O'Brien Trophy and championship rings. For an added bonus, the champions are usually honored with a championship parade in their team's city. (source)
Who: You may have noticed that the trophy is named after someone: Larry O'Brien. Although the trophy was originally named after Walter A. Brown; in 1984, the name was switched to the Larry O'Brien Trophy. But who is this Larry fella? Well, for starters, he was the campaign director for John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, a national chairman of the Democratic Party, as well as a postmaster general. While these statuses are all fine and dandy, you may be wondering why a basketball trophy is named after him. Well, in 1975, O'Brien became the third commissioner of the NBA. During his time as commissioner, he oversaw the merging of the American Basketball Association with the NBA, expansion of NBA teams from 18 to 23, addition of the 3-point line to the game, as well as the rise of more televised NBA games. Further, in 1991 (one year after his death), Larry O'Brien was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. (source)
Which NBA team has the most championships? The Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics are tied with 17 championships each, followed by the Golden State Warriors with seven and the Chicago Bulls with six. (source)
How: Making it to any championship game is hard, but how exactly does a team make it to the championship? Well, the NBA consists of two conferences: the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference. Both of these conferences are further divided into three additional divisions. For the Eastern Conference: the Atlantic, Central and Southeast divisions. While the Western Conference is divided into the Northwest, Southwest and Pacific divisions. Each of these divisions has five teams, for a total of 30 NBA teams. Before teams play in the official NBA Playoffs, there is a "play-in tournament." In the play-in tournament, the 7th-10th best teams in each conference duke-it-out for a chance to enter the eight-team NBA playoffs. Once determined, the top eight teams enter the official four-round NBA Playoffs. To specify, there are three rounds for each conference: the first round, the Conference Semifinals, and the Conference Finals. Once there is a Western and Eastern Conference Champion, these two champions will face each other in the NBA Finals. Each round match-up consists of seven games, in which the winning team must win four out of seven to advance to the next round or be crowned "Champion."
Why: So, why do teams play seven games? Even though the NBA Finals have operated with best-of-seven games since 1946, the other playoff rounds were best-of-three. In 1955, the Conference Finals moved to a best-of-five format and then in 1961 the Conference Semifinals followed this lead. In 1968, the entire NBA Playoffs switched to the best-of-seven format; and the modern NBA Playoff era was born. But why the change to seven-game format after an already eventful, game-packed season? The answer is easy: money. The more games...the more money to be made with TV contracts, ticket sales, and stadium purchases like food, premium seating, and merchandise. It's all about the moolah. (source)
Normally I would end these posts with a nice little wrap-up or something witty; but today I will keep it simple.
Who will you be rooting for?
The NBA Finals can be complicated, but remember to KISS (Keep It Simple, Sister).
"As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground. So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone..."-1 Samuel 17: 48-50
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