Basketball (Sport)

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.

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