National Basketball Association

==Playoffs==
[[File:2016 Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Finals Trophy (48884707998).jpg|thumb|The [[Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy]] is awarded annually to the winning team of the [[NBA Finals]], the league's championship series that concludes the playoffs.]]
{{Main|NBA playoffs}}
The NBA playoffs begin in April after the conclusion of the regular season and [[NBA play-in tournament|play-in tournament]] with the top eight teams in each conference, regardless of divisional alignment, competing for the league's championship title, the [[Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy]]. Seeds are awarded in strict order of regular season record (with a tiebreaker system used as needed).

Having a higher seed offers several advantages. Since the first seed begins the playoffs playing against the eighth seed, the second seed plays the seventh seed, the third seed plays the sixth seed, and the fourth seed plays the fifth seed, having a higher seed typically means a team faces a weaker opponent in the first round. The team in each series with the better record has home-court advantage, including the First Round. 

The league began using its current format, with the top eight teams in each conference advancing regardless of divisional alignment, in the 2015–16 season. Previously, the top three seeds went to the division winners.<ref>{{cite news|title=NBA to seed playoff teams in each conference by record|url=http://www.nba.com/2015/news/09/08/nba-playoff-seeding-change-ap.ap/|agency=Associated Press|publisher=National Basketball Association|date=September 8, 2015|access-date=July 16, 2017}}</ref>

The playoffs follow a tournament format. Each team plays an opponent in a best-of-seven series, with the first team to win four games advancing into the next round, while the other team is eliminated from the playoffs. In the next round, the successful team plays against another advancing team of the same conference. All but one team in each conference are eliminated from the playoffs. Since the NBA does not re-seed teams, the playoff bracket in each conference uses a traditional design, with the winner of the series matching the first- and eighth-seeded teams playing the winner of the series matching the fourth- and fifth-seeded teams, and the winner of the series matching the second- and seventh-seeded teams playing the winner of the series matching the third- and sixth-seeded teams. In every round, the best-of-7 series follows a 2–2–1–1–1 home-court pattern, meaning that one team will have home court in games 1, 2, 5, and 7, while the other plays at home in games 3, 4, and 6. From 1985 to 2013, the [[NBA Finals]] followed a 2–3–2 pattern, meaning that one team had home court in games 1, 2, 6, and 7, while the other played at home in games 3, 4, and 5.<ref>{{cite news|title=NBA owners change Finals format to 2–2–1–1–1|url=http://www.nba.com/2013/news/10/23/nba-board-of-governors-format-change.ap|agency=Associated Press|publisher=National Basketball Association|date=October 23, 2013|access-date=April 19, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140515022449/http://www.nba.com/2013/news/10/23/nba-board-of-governors-format-change.ap/|archive-date=May 15, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The final playoff round, a best-of-seven series between the victors of both conferences, is known as the [[NBA Finals]] and is held annually in June (sometimes, the series will start in late May). The winner of the NBA Finals receives the [[Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy]]. Each player and major contributor—including coaches and the general manager—on the winning team receive a championship ring. In addition, the league awards the [[Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award]] to the best performing player of the series.
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