Basketball is one of the most beloved sports in the United States and globally, with professional leagues played all around the world. Founded in 1946 in New York City, the National Basketball Association (NBA) is the world’s biggest basketball league, having grown into a global sports and entertainment juggernaut over the past 75+ years.
The NBA is composed of 30 teams that are divided in two conferences — the Eastern and the Western Conference. It features many of the world's best basketball players, who captivate fans with their incredible athleticism, dazzling skills and competitive drive.
With games broadcast in over 200 countries and in more than 40 languages, the NBA has an international reach that few other sports leagues can match. The season and playoffs culminate in the championship Finals matchup between the winners of the Eastern and Western Conferences. Let's explore some key details around the start and end dates and other aspects related to the annual NBA season.
NBA Regular Season Duration
The National Basketball Association (NBA) regular season lasts around six months, beginning in late October and ending in mid-April. According to the official schedule on NBA.com, the 2023/24 season began on October 24, 2023 and will end on April 14, 2024.
Each team plays 82 regular season games and throughout these six months, there is non-stop exciting NBA action almost every night, besides from the All-Star break in mid-February.
With 82 action-packed games per team, the long NBA regular season allows plenty of time for teams to find their groove and for storylines to emerge prior to the playoffs. The six month journey culminates with the top teams competing for the NBA championship title.
2024 NBA Playoffs
The 2024 NBA playoffs are scheduled to begin on April 20, 2024. The playoffs start with the top eight teams from both the Eastern and Western Conferences participating in best-of-seven eliminations series. The Conference Semifinals will be held from May 6, 2024 onwards. With just four teams remaining in each conference, the competition gets even more fierce as they battle for a berth in the Conference Finals.
Finally, the 2024 NBA Finals start on June 6, 2024. The Finals use a best-of-seven format to determine the NBA Champion. It all culminates with one team hoisting the iconic Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy in June.
FAQs
A. The NBA season is around nine months long. It starts around October each year and lasts until June.
A. The NBA season including playoffs can last between 8-10 months.
A. The NBA regular season lasts for six months, whereas the whole season lasts for 8 to 10 months depending on the duration of the playoffs.
A. The NBA regular-season is six months long, which includes 82 games for each team.
