American professional basketball is directed by the National Basketball Association (NBA; formed 1949). The NBA is divided into the Eastern and Western conferences (EC and WC), the top-ranking teams of which compete yearly for the championship. The NBA began the Women’s Professional Basketball Association (WNBA), which is also divided into an Eastern and a Western conference, in 1997.
Since the inclusion of basketball as an Olympic sport in 1936, the winners of the Olympic tournament have been considered the world champions. The Federation Internationale de Basketball (FIBA; founded 1932) instituted world championships in 1950 for men and in 1953 for women. (Women’s basketball was not admitted to the Olympics until 1976.) Amateur basketball in the United States is most closely followed at the collegiate level, where the most important event of the season is the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship. The NCAA tournament was first contested in 1939 (by men’s teams only). Women’s college basketball was first played on a national level in 1972, under the auspices of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW), which gave way in 1982 to the NCAA’s first tournament for women.
National Basketball Association Final Standings, 2007-08
Atlantic Division |
|
EASTERN CONFERENCE Central Division |
Southeast Division |
|||||||
|
\ |
|
GAMES |
|
|
|
GAMES |
|
|
GAMES |
TEAM |
WON |
LOST |
BACK |
TEAM |
WON |
LOST |
BACK |
TEAM |
WON |
LOST BACK |
Boston1 |
66 |
16 |
— |
Detroit1 |
59 |
23 |
— |
Orlando1 |
52 |
30 — |
Toronto1 |
41 |
41 |
25 |
Cleveland1 |
45 |
37 |
14 |
Washington1 |
43 |
39 9 |
Philadelphia1 |
40 |
42 |
26 |
Indiana |
36 |
46 |
23 |
Atlanta1 |
37 |
45 15 |
New Jersey |
34 |
48 |
32 |
Chicago |
33 |
49 |
26 |
Charlotte |
32 |
50 20 |
New York |
23 |
59 |
43 |
Milwaukee |
26 |
56 |
33 |
Miami |
15 |
67 37 |
Northwest Division |
|
WESTERN CONFERENCE Pacific Division |
Southwest Division |
||||||
|
|
|
GAMES |
|
|
GAMES |
|
|
GAMES |
TEAM |
WON |
LOST |
BACK |
TEAM WON |
LOST |
BACK |
TEAM |
WON |
LOST BACK |
Utah1 |
54 |
28 |
— |
L.A. Lakers1 57 |
25 |
— |
New Orleans1 |
56 |
26 — |
Denver1 |
50 |
32 |
4 |
Phoenix1 55 |
27 |
2 |
San Antonio1 |
56 |
26 — |
Portland |
41 |
41 |
13 |
Golden State 48 |
34 |
9 |
Houston1 |
55 |
27 1 |
Minnesota |
22 |
60 |
32 |
Sacramento 38 |
44 |
19 |
Dallas1 |
51 |
31 5 |
Seattle |
20 |
62 |
34 |
L.A. Clippers 23 |
59 |
34 |
Memphis |
22 |
60 34 |
National Basketball Association All-Time Records1
Individual career records |
PLAYERS/TEAMS |
NUMBER |
|
SEASON/DATE |
Games played |
Robert Parish |
1,611 |
1976 |
-77—1996-97 |
Points scored |
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar |
38,387 |
1969 |
-70—1988-89 |
Most games, 50 or more points |
Wilt Chamberlain |
118 |
1959 |
-60—1972-73 |
Most consecutive games, |
Michael Jordan |
866 |
|
25 Mar 1986- |
10 or more points |
|
|
|
26 Dec 2001 |
Field goals attempted |
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar |
28,307 |
1969 |
-70—1988-89 |
Field goals made |
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar |
15,837 |
1969 |
-70—1988-89 |
Field-goal percentage2 |
Artis Gilmore |
.599 |
1976 |
-77—1987-88 |
Three-point field goals attempted |
Reggie Miller |
6,486 |
1987 |
-88—2004-05 |
|
PLAYERS/TEAMS |
NUMBER |
SEASON/DATE |
Individual career records |
|
|
|
Three-point field goals made |
Reggie Miller |
2,560 |
1987-88-2004-05 |
Three-point field-goal percentage3 |
Jason Kapono |
.464 |
2003-04-2007-08 |
Free throws attempted |
Karl Malone |
13,188 |
1985-86-2003-04 |
Free throws made |
Karl Malone |
9,787 |
1985-86-2003-04 |
Free-throw percentage4 |
Mark Price |
.904 |
1986-87-1997-98 |
Assists |
John Stockton |
15,806 |
1984-85-2002-03 |
Rebounds |
Wilt Chamberlain |
23,924 |
1959-60-1972-73 |
Steals5 |
John Stockton |
3,265 |
1984-85-2002-03 |
Blocked shots5 |
Hakeem Olajuwon |
3,830 |
1984-85-2001-02 |
Personal fouls |
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar |
4,657 |
1969-70-1988-89 |
Wins (coaching) |
Lenny Wilkens |
1,332 |
1969-70-2004-05, |
|
|
except 1972-1974 |
|
Individual season records |
|
|
|
Points scored |
Wilt Chamberlain |
4,029 |
1961-62 |
Field goals attempted |
Wilt Chamberlain |
3,159 |
1961-62 |
Field goals made |
Wilt Chamberlain |
1,597 |
1961-62 |
Field-goal percentage |
Wilt Chamberlain |
.727 |
1972-73 |
Three-point field goals attempted |
George McCloud |
678 |
1995-96 |
Three-point field goals made |
Ray Allen |
269 |
2005-06 |
Three-point field-goal percentage |
Steve Kerr |
.524 |
1994-95 |
Free throws attempted |
Wilt Chamberlain |
1,363 |
1961-62 |
Free throws made |
Jerry West |
840 |
1965-66 |
Free-throw percentage |
Calvin Murphy |
.958 |
1980-81 |
Assists |
John Stockton |
1,164 |
1990-91 |
Rebounds |
Wilt Chamberlain |
2,149 |
1960-61 |
Steals5 |
Alvin Robertson |
301 |
1985-86 |
Blocked shots5 |
Mark Eaton |
456 |
1984-85 |
Personal fouls Individual game records |
Darryl Dawkins |
386 |
1983-84 |
Points scored |
Wilt Chamberlain |
100 |
2 Mar 1962 |
Field goals attempted |
Wilt Chamberlain |
63 |
2 Mar 1962 |
Field goals made |
Wilt Chamberlain |
36 |
2 Mar 1962 |
Three-point field goals attempted |
Damon Stoudamire |
21 |
15 Apr 2005 |
Three-point field goals made |
Kobe Bryant; |
12 |
7 Jan 2003; |
Donyell Marshall |
|
13 Mar 2005 |
|
Free throws attempted |
Wilt Chamberlain |
34 |
22 Feb 1962 |
Free throws made |
Wilt Chamberlain; |
28 |
2 Mar 1962; |
Adrian Dantley |
|
4 Jan 1984 |
|
Assists |
Scott Skiles |
30 |
30 Dec 1990 |
Rebounds |
Wilt Chamberlain |
55 |
24 Nov 1960 |
Steals5 |
Larry Kenon; |
11 |
26 Dec 1976; |
Kendall Gill |
|
3 Apr 1999 |
|
Blocked shots5 |
Elmore Smith |
17 |
28 Oct 1973 |
Team records |
|
|
|
Highest winning percentage (season) |
Chicago Bulls |
.878 (72-10) |
1995-96 |
Consecutive games won |
Los Angeles Lakers |
33 |
5 Nov 1971- |
|
|
7 Jan 1972 |
|
Championships |
Boston Celtics |
17 |
|
Consecutive championships |
Boston Celtics |
8 |
1959-66 |
Game records |
|
|
|
Highest combined score |
Detroit Pistons versus |
370 |
13 Dec 1983 |
Denver Nuggets |
(186-184) |
|
|
Longest game (overtime periods) |
Indianapolis Olympians versus |
6 |
6 Jan 1951 |
Rochester Royals |
|
|
‘Through the end of the 2007-08 season. 2Minimum 2,000 made. 3Minimum 250 made. ‘Minimum 1,200 made. 5Since 1973-74; before that season steals and blocked shots were not officially recorded by the NBA.
SEASON |
WINNER |
RUNNER-UP |
RESULTS |
1946-47 |
Philadelphia Warriors |
Chicago Stags |
4-1 |
1947-48 |
Baltimore Bullets |
Philadelphia Warriors |
4-2 |
1948-49 |
Minneapolis Lakers |
Washington Capitols |
4-2 |
1949-50 |
Minneapolis Lakers |
Syracuse Nationals |
4-2 |
1950-51 |
Rochester Royals |
New York Knickerbockers |
4-3 |
1951-52 |
Minneapolis Lakers |
New York Knickerbockers |
4-3 |
1952-53 |
Minneapolis Lakers |
New York Knickerbockers |
4-1 |
1953-54 |
Minneapolis Lakers |
Syracuse Nationals |
4-3 |
1954-55 |
Syracuse Nationals |
Fort Wayne Pistons |
4-3 |
1955-56 |
Philadelphia Warriors |
Fort Wayne Pistons |
4-1 |
1956-57 |
Boston Celtics |
St. Louis Hawks |
4-3 |
1957-58 |
St. Louis Hawks |
Boston Celtics |
4-2 |
1958-59 |
Boston Celtics |
Minneapolis Lakers |
4-0 |
1959-60 |
Boston Celtics |
St. Louis Hawks |
4-3 |
1960-61 |
Boston Celtics |
St. Louis Hawks |
4-1 |
1961-62 |
Boston Celtics |
Los Angeles Lakers |
4-3 |
1962-63 |
Boston Celtics |
Los Angeles Lakers |
4-2 |
1963-64 |
Boston Celtics |
San Francisco Warriors |
4-1 |
1964-65 |
Boston Celtics |
Los Angeles Lakers |
4-1 |
1965-66 |
Boston Celtics |
Los Angeles Lakers |
4-3 |
1966-67 |
Philadelphia 76ers |
San Francisco Warriors |
4-2 |
1967-68 |
Boston Celtics |
Los Angeles Lakers |
4-2 |
1968-69 |
Boston Celtics |
Los Angeles Lakers |
4-3 |
1969-70 |
New York Knickerbockers |
Los Angeles Lakers |
4-3 |
1970-71 |
Milwaukee Bucks |
Baltimore Bullets |
4-0 |
1971-72 |
Los Angeles Lakers |
New York Knickerbockers |
4-1 |
1972-73 |
New York Knickerbockers |
Los Angeles Lakers |
4-1 |
1973-74 |
Boston Celtics |
Milwaukee Bucks |
4-3 |
1974-75 |
Golden State Warriors |
Washington Bullets |
4-0 |
1975-76 |
Boston Celtics |
Phoenix Suns |
4-2 |
1976-77 |
Portland Trail Blazers |
Philadelphia 76ers |
4-2 |
1977-78 |
Washington Bullets |
Seattle SuperSonics |
4-3 |
1978-79 |
Seattle SuperSonics |
Washington Bullets |
4-1 |
1979-80 |
Los Angeles Lakers |
Philadelphia 76ers |
4-2 |
1980-81 |
Boston Celtics |
Houston Rockets |
4-2 |
1981-82 |
Los Angeles Lakers |
Philadelphia 76ers |
4-2 |
1982-83 |
Philadelphia 76ers |
Los Angeles Lakers |
4-0 |
1983-84 |
Boston Celtics |
Los Angeles Lakers |
4-3 |
1984-85 |
Los Angeles Lakers |
Boston Celtics |
4-2 |
1985-86 |
Boston Celtics |
Houston Rockets |
4-2 |
1986-87 |
Los Angeles Lakers |
Boston Celtics |
4-2 |
1987-88 |
Los Angeles Lakers |
Detroit Pistons |
4-3 |
1988-89 |
Detroit Pistons |
Los Angeles Lakers |
4-0 |
1989-90 |
Detroit Pistons |
Portland Trail Blazers |
4-1 |
1990-91 |
Chicago Bulls |
Los Angeles Lakers |
4-1 |
1991-92 |
Chicago Bulls |
Portland Trail Blazers |
4-2 |
1992-93 |
Chicago Bulls |
Phoenix Suns |
4-2 |
1993-94 |
Houston Rockets |
New York Knickerbockers |
4-3 |
1994-95 |
Houston Rockets |
Orlando Magic |
4-0 |
1995-96 |
Chicago Bulls |
Seattle SuperSonics |
4-2 |
1996-97 |
Chicago Bulls |
Utah Jazz |
4-2 |
1997-98 |
Chicago Bulls |
Utah Jazz |
4-2 |
1998-99 |
San Antonio Spurs |
New York Knickerbockers |
4-1 |
1999-2000 |
Los Angeles Lakers |
Indiana Pacers |
4-2 |
2000-01 |
Los Angeles Lakers |
Philadelphia 76ers |
4-1 |
2001-02 |
Los Angeles Lakers |
New Jersey Nets |
4-0 |
2002-03 |
San Antonio Spurs |
New Jersey Nets |
4-2 |
2003-04 |
Detroit Pistons |
Los Angeles Lakers |
4-1 |
2004-05 |
San Antonio Spurs |
Detroit Pistons |
4-3 |
2005-06 |
Miami Heat |
Dallas Mavericks |
4-2 |
2006-07 |
San Antonio Spurs |
Cleveland Cavaliers |
4-0 |
2007-08 |
Boston Celtics |
Los Angeles Lakers |
4-2 |
SEASON |
WINNER |
RUNNER-UP |
RESULTS |
1997 |
Houston Comets (EC) |
New York Liberty (EC) |
1-0 |
1998 |
Houston Comets (WC) |
Phoenix Mercury (WC) |
2-1 |
1999 |
Houston Comets (Wc) |
New York Liberty (EC) |
2-1 |
2000 |
Houston Comets (wc) |
New York Liberty (ec) |
2-0 |
2001 |
Los Angeles Sparks (WC) |
Charlotte Sting (EC) |
2-0 |
2002 |
Los Angeles Sparks (wc) |
New York Liberty (EC) |
2-0 |
2003 |
Detroit Shock (EC) |
Los Angeles Sparks (WC) |
2-1 |
2004 |
Seattle Storm (WC) |
Connecticut Sun (EC) |
2-1 |
2005 |
Sacramento Monarchs (WC) |
Connecticut Sun (EC) |
3-1 |
2006 |
Detroit Shock (EC) |
Sacramento Monarchs (WC) |
3-2 |
2007 |
Phoenix Mercury (WC) |
Detroit Shock (EC) |
3-2 |
Division I National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship—Men
YEAR |
WINNER |
RUNNER-UP |
SCORE |
YEAR |
WINNER |
RUNNER-UP |
SCORE |
1939 |
Oregon |
Ohio State |
46-43 |
1974 |
North Carolina |
Marquette |
76-64 |
1940 |
Indiana |
Kansas |
60-42 |
|
State |
|
|
1941 |
Wisconsin |
Washington State |
39-34 |
1975 |
UCLA |
Kentucky |
92-85 |
1942 |
Stanford |
Dartmouth |
53-38 |
1976 |
Indiana |
Michigan |
86-68 |
1943 |
Wyoming |
Georgetown |
46-34 |
1977 |
Marquette |
North Carolina |
67-59 |
1944 |
Utah |
Dartmouth |
42-40 |
1978 |
Kentucky |
Duke |
94-88 |
1945 |
Oklahoma A&M |
New York |
49-45 |
1979 |
Michigan State |
Indiana State |
75-64 |
1946 |
Oklahoma A&M |
North Carolina |
43-40 |
1980 |
Louisville |
UCLA |
59-54 |
1947 |
Holy Cross (MA) |
Oklahoma |
58-47 |
1981 |
Indiana |
North Carolina |
63-50 |
1948 |
Kentucky |
Baylor |
58-42 |
1982 |
North Carolina |
Georgetown |
63-62 |
1949 |
Kentucky |
Oklahoma State |
46-36 |
1983 |
North Carolina |
Houston |
54-52 |
1950 |
City College of |
Bradley |
71-68 |
|
State |
|
|
|
New York |
|
|
1984 |
Georgetown |
Houston |
84-75 |
1951 |
Kentucky |
Kansas State |
68-58 |
1985 |
Villanova |
Georgetown |
66-64 |
1952 |
Kansas |
St. John’s (NY) |
80-63 |
1986 |
Louisville |
Duke |
72-69 |
1953 |
Indiana |
Kansas |
69-68 |
1987 |
Indiana |
Syracuse |
74-73 |
1954 |
La Salle |
Bradley |
92-76 |
1988 |
Kansas |
Oklahoma |
83-79 |
1955 |
San Francisco |
La Salle |
77-63 |
1989 |
Michigan |
Seton Hall |
80-79 |
1956 |
San Francisco |
Iowa |
83-71 |
1990 |
UNLV |
Duke |
103-73 |
1957 |
North Carolina |
Kansas |
54-53 |
1991 |
Duke |
Kansas |
72-65 |
1958 |
Kentucky |
Seattle |
84-72 |
1992 |
Duke |
Michigan |
71-51 |
1959 |
California |
West Virginia |
71-70 |
1993 |
North Carolina |
Michigan |
77-71 |
|
(Berkeley) |
|
|
1994 |
Arkansas |
Duke |
76-72 |
1960 |
Ohio State |
California |
75-55 |
1995 |
UCLA |
Arkansas |
89-78 |
|
|
(Berkeley) |
|
1996 |
Kentucky |
Syracuse |
76-67 |
1961 |
Cincinnati |
Ohio State |
70-65 |
1997 |
Arizona |
Kentucky |
84-79 |
1962 |
Cincinnati |
Ohio State |
71-59 |
1998 |
Kentucky |
Utah |
78-69 |
1963 |
Loyola (IL) |
Cincinnati |
60-58 |
1999 |
Connecticut |
Duke |
77-74 |
1964 |
UCLA |
Duke |
98-83 |
2000 |
Michigan State |
Florida |
89-76 |
1965 |
UCLA |
Michigan |
91-80 |
2001 |
Duke |
Arizona |
82-72 |
1966 |
Texas Western |
Kentucky |
72-65 |
2002 |
Maryland |
Indiana |
64-52 |
1967 |
UCLA |
Dayton |
79-64 |
2003 |
Syracuse |
Kansas |
81-78 |
1968 |
UCLA |
North Carolina |
78-55 |
2004 |
Connecticut |
Georgia Tech |
82-73 |
1969 |
UCLA |
Purdue |
92-72 |
2005 |
North Carolina |
Illinois |
75-70 |
1970 |
UCLA |
Jacksonville |
80-69 |
2006 |
Florida |
UCLA |
73-57 |
1971 |
UCLA |
Villanova |
68-62 |
2007 |
Florida |
Ohio State |
84-75 |
1972 |
UCLA |
Florida State |
81-76 |
2008 |
Kansas |
Memphis |
75-68 |
1973 |
UCLA |
Memphis State |
87-66 |
|
|
|
|
Division I National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship—Women
YEAR |
WINNER |
RUNNER-UP |
SCORE |
YEAR |
WINNER |
RUNNER-UP |
SCORE |
1982 |
Louisiana Tech |
Cheyney |
76-62 |
1991 |
Tennessee |
Virginia |
70-67 |
1983 |
USC |
Louisiana Tech |
69-67 |
1992 |
Stanford |
Western Kentucky 78-62 |
|
1984 |
USC |
Tennessee |
72-61 |
1993 |
Texas Tech |
Ohio State |
84-82 |
1985 |
Old Dominion |
Georgia |
70-65 |
1994 |
North Carolina |
Louisiana Tech |
60-59 |
1986 |
Texas |
USC |
97-81 |
1995 |
Connecticut |
Tennessee |
70-64 |
1987 |
Tennessee |
Louisiana Tech |
67-44 |
1996 |
Tennessee |
Georgia |
83-65 |
1988 |
Louisiana Tech |
Auburn |
56-54 |
1997 |
Tennessee |
Old Dominion |
68-59 |
1989 |
Tennessee |
Auburn |
76-60 |
1998 |
Tennessee |
Louisiana Tech |
93-75 |
1990 |
Stanford |
Auburn |
88-81 |
1999 |
Purdue |
Duke |
62-45 |
Division I National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship—Women
YEAR |
WINNER |
RUNNER-UP |
SCORE |
YEAR |
WINNER |
RUNNER-UP |
SCORE |
2000 |
Connecticut |
Tennessee |
71-52 |
2005 |
Baylor |
Michigan State |
84-62 |
2001 |
Notre Dame |
Purdue |
68-66 |
2006 |
Maryland |
Duke |
78-75 |
2002 |
Connecticut |
Oklahoma |
82-70 |
2007 |
Tennessee |
Rutgers |
59-46 |
2003 |
Connecticut |
Tennessee |
73-68 |
2008 |
Tennessee |
Stanford |
64-48 |
2004 |
Connecticut |
Tennessee |
70-61 |
|
|
|
|
FIBA World Championship—Men
YEAR |
WINNER |
RUNNER-UP |
YEAR |
WINNER |
RUNNER-UP |
19361 |
United States |
Canada |
1978 |
Yugoslavia |
USSR |
19481 |
United States |
France |
19801 |
Yugoslavia |
Italy |
1950 |
Argentina |
United States |
1982 |
USSR |
United States |
19521 |
United States |
USSR |
19841 |
United States |
Spain |
1954 |
United States |
Brazil |
1986 |
United States |
USSR |
19561 |
United States |
USSR |
19881 |
USSR |
Yugoslavia |
1959 |
Brazil2 |
United States |
1990 |
Yugoslavia |
USSR |
19601 |
United States |
USSR |
19921 |
United States |
Croatia |
1963 |
Brazil |
Yugoslavia |
1994 |
United States |
Russia |
19641 |
United States |
USSR |
19961 |
United States |
Yugoslavia |
1967 |
USSR |
Yugoslavia |
1998 |
Yugoslavia |
Russia |
19681 |
United States |
Yugoslavia |
20001 |
United States |
France |
1970 |
Yugoslavia |
Brazil |
2002 |
Yugoslavia |
Argentina |
19721 |
USSR |
United States |
20041 |
Argentina |
Italy |
1974 |
USSR |
Yugoslavia |
2006 |
Spain |
Greece |
19761 |
United States |
Yugoslavia |
20081 |
United States |
Spain |
1Olympic championships, recognized as world championships. 2By default.
FIBA World Championship—Women
YEAR |
WINNER |
RUNNER-UP |
YEAR |
WINNER |
RUNNER-UP |
1953 |
United States |
Chile |
1986 |
United States |
USSR |
1957 |
United States |
USSR |
19881 |
United States |
Yugoslavia |
1959 |
USSR |
Bulgaria |
1990 |
United States |
Yugoslavia |
1964 |
USSR |
Czechoslovakia |
19921 |
Unified Team2 |
China |
1967 |
USSR |
South Korea |
1994 |
Brazil |
China |
1971 |
USSR |
Czechoslovakia |
19961 |
United States |
Brazil |
1975 |
USSR |
Japan |
1998 |
United States |
Russia |
19761 |
USSR |
United States |
20001 |
United States |
Australia |
1979 |
United States |
South Korea |
2002 |
United States |
Russia |
19801 |
USSR |
Bulgaria |
20041 |
United States |
Australia |
1983 |
USSR |
United States |
2006 |
Australia |
Russia |
19841 |
United States |
South Korea |
20081 |
United States |
Australia |
1Olympic championships, recognized as world championships. 2Athletes from the Commonwealth of Independent States plus Georgia.