History
The Basketball Association of America was founded in 1946 by owners of the major ice hockey arenas in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States and Canada. On November 1, 1946, in Canada, the Toronto Huskies hosted the New York Knickerbockers at Maple Leaf Gardens, in a game the NBA now regards as the first played in its history. The first basket was made by Ossie Schectman of the Knickerbockers. Although there had been earlier attempts at professional basketball leagues, including the American Basketball League and the NBL, the BAA was the first league to attempt to play primarily in large arenas in major cities. During its early years, the quality of play in the BAA was not significantly better than in competing leagues or among leading independent clubs such as the Harlem Globetrotters. For instance, the 1948 ABL finalist Baltimore Bullets moved to the BAA and won that league's 1948 title, and the 1948 NBL champion Minneapolis Lakers won the 1949 BAA title. Prior to the 1948-49 season, however, NBL teams from Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, and Rochester jumped to the BAA, which established the BAA as the league of choice for collegians looking to turn professional.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Basketball_Association
Getting popular
The league added the ABA's innovative three point line in 1979 to open up the game. That same year, rookies Larry Bird and Magic Johnson joined the Boston Celtics and Lakers respectively, initiating a period of significant growth in fan interest in the NBA throughout the country and the world. In 1984 they played against each other for the first time in the NBA Finals. Johnson went on to lead the Lakers to five titles, and Bird went on to lead the Celtics to three. Also in the early '80s, the NBA added one more expansion franchise, the Dallas Mavericks, bringing the total to 23 teams. Later on, Larry Bird won the first three three-point shooting contests. Former league commissioner David Stern who took office on February 1, 1984 before retiring February 1, 2014, oversaw the expansion and growth of the NBA to a global commodity In 1995, the NBA expanded to Canada with the addition of the Vancouver Grizzlies and the Toronto Raptors. In 2001, the Vancouver Grizzlies relocated to Memphis which left the Raptors as the only Canadian team in the NBA.The 1992 Olympic basketball Dream team, the first to use current NBA stars, featured Michael Jordan as the anchor, along with Bird, Johnson, Patrick Ewing, Scottie Pippen, , Karl Malone, John Stockon, Chris mullin, Charles Barkley and Christian Laettner. Eleven players on the Dream Team have been inducted individually into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
In 1996, the NBA created a women's league (WNBA).
In 1998, the NBA owners began a lockout which lasted 191 days and was settled on January 18, 1999. As a result of this lockout the 1998 - 1999 was reduced from 82 to 50 games (61% of a normal season), and the All-Star Game was cancelled. The spurs won their first championship, and first by a former ABA team, by beating the knicks who were the first, and to this date, the only, eighth seed to ever make it to the NBA Finals in NBA history.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Basketball_Association
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Basketball_Association
Modern Era
Since the breakup of the Chicago Bulls championship roster in the summer of 1998, the Western Conference has dominated, with the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs combining to win the title in nine of fourteen years. Tim Duncan and David Robinson won the 1999 championship with the Spurs, and Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant started the 2000s with three consecutive championships for the Lakers. The Spurs reclaimed the title in 2003 against the Nets. In 2004, the Lakers returned to the Finals, only to fall in five games to the Detroit Pistons.
In 2009, the Lakers with Kobe Bryant returned to the Finals, this time defeating the Dwight Howard-led Orlando Magic.[18] Kobe Bryant won his first Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award award in his 13th season after leading the Lakers to their first NBA championship since the departure of Shaquille O'Neal.[19]After the Spurs took home the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy in 2005, the 2006 Finals featured two franchises making their inaugural Finals appearances. The Miami Heat, led by their star shooting guard, Dwyane Wade, and Shaquille O'Neal, who had been traded from the Lakers during the 2004 summer, won the series over the Dallas Mavericks in six after losing the first two games. The Lakers/Spurs dominance continued in 2007 with a four-game sweep by the Spurs over the Cleveland Cavaliers, who were led by LeBron James. The2008 Finals saw a rematch of the league's highest profile rivalry, the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers, with the Celtics prevailing, for their league leading 17th championship, thanks to their new big three of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett.
The 2010 NBA All-Star Game was held at Cowboys Stadium in front of the largest crowd ever, 108,713.[20] At the end of that season, the Celtics and the Lakers renewed their rivalry from 2008 when they met again in the NBA Finals for a record 12th time. The Lakers won the title in Game 7, 83–79.[21] Before the start of the 2010–11 season the NBA had an exciting summer with one of the most anticipated free agent classes of all time. Two of which signed, and one resigned, with the Miami Heat, leading to a season that was heavily centered on their eventual success or failure at taking home the championship. The Heat, led by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, did in fact make the Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, in a rematch for the franchises of the 2006 Finals. The Mavericks, led by Dirk Nowitzki (the eventual NBA Finals MVP), took the series in six games. This was the Mavericks' first title. Other veterans like Shawn Marion, Jason Kidd, and Jason Terry also won their first titles with Nowitzki.
On July 1, 2011, at 12:01 am, the NBA announced another lockout.[22] After the first few weeks of the season were canceled, the players and owners ratified a new collective bargaining agreement on December 8, 2011, setting up a shortened 66-game season.[23] Following the shortened season, the Miami Heat made a return to the Finals with the trio of Dwyane Wade, Lebron James and Chris Bosh against Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden. The Heat went on to defeat the Thunder in five games, capturing their second NBA title in six years.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Basketball_Association
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Basketball_Association
How i feel about the NBA
I feel like the NBA is great to watch and all but its not as exciting as it was on the 90's. i feel like the game is more controlled then ever now. Back then in the 90's u could throw a punch every know and again, the game was way more physical then it was before, but know if you even think about punching someone u will be fined up to $20,000. now i am not saying go around punching people but a little physical contact can be good for the league.
Why basketball is important to me
Basketball is important to me because where I am from basketball plays a huge role in the culture. It allows a lot of family to have a connection about, and it was just a way of life. To learn the shot that suits you the best, the dribble moves, and the excellent pass. Never was just a sport to me growing up.
Ferguson
Life
I always felt when it came to life that people were more concerned in life with money then actually understanding the privilege they have with their life. like i know people that are going to college for a career that they do it just to please there parents and everyone in there life instead of taking the freedom they have to chase there own dreams.
The vikings, and the blue spot
In my household there is nothing like the Vikings. My whole family bleeds purple but not me.... I bleed blue for the Carolina Panthers and i always will. Its hard to watch a team that u have no emotions or pride for being every Sunday being cheered on, especially when u know that they are better then the team you like. But its okay cause one day we will live up to our expectations
Music
To me music is the ultimate cure to everything, sadness, nervousness, anger,pain, and even happiness. i don't know where i would be mentally without music but one thing i know is that it wouldn't be a good place.
