The National Basketball League is conservative and tries not to change the rules without the need. First of all, this concerns the system of the season. This regulation has not changed for a long time - since 1968. And this is despite the fact that the number of teams in the NBA periodically increases.

According to their geographical location, NBA clubs are divided into conferences - Western and Eastern. Each of them includes 3 divisions: Pacific, North-and South-West (belong to the West), Central, Southeast and Atlantic (belong to the East).

The season begins with a regular season. In it, all teams spend the same number of games. For 4 meetings, each team plays with the clubs of its conference (two home matches and two away). Other games are held with clubs representing another conference. Here the number of matches with each of the teams may be different. With some clubs, 2 matches are played, with others - 3. It all depends on how the calendar is compiled, which is automatically generated using a special program.

According to the results of the regular season, the clubs that scored the most points in their division receive the title of champions of the regular season and automatically enter the playoffs. The rest of the conference teams distribute places among themselves depending on the difference in the number of wins and losses in a season. The five best clubs also go to the second stage. As a result, 8 teams leave the conference for the playoffs.

At this stage, the clubs are paired up and play a series of games through the Olympic system up to 4 wins. Pairs are formed depending on the number of wins and losses in a season (the difference between them). At the same time, the team that took first place in this conference on this parameter meets with the last, 2nd with 7th, 3rd plays with 6th, and 4th with 5th. In the next round, the winners of the pairs meet in the same way, and only the finals are held between clubs from different conferences.

As a rule, the regular season begins at the very end of October, and ends in the second decade of April. But the playoffs can go until mid-June.