Changes

*Finally each team will play the 15 teams in the other conference twice (once at home and once away) for a total of 30 games.

*Finally each team will play the 15 teams in the other conference twice (once at home and once away) for a total of 30 games.

The playoff rounds consist of eight teams from each conference.  The top six teams from each conference automatically make the playoffs regardless of divisional success, while the next four teams from each conference enter a "play-in tournament" with the 7-8 seeds and 9-10 seeds playing each other in single games; the 7-8 winner gets the 7 seed, the 9-10 loser is eliminated, and the 7-8 loser plays the 9-10 winner for the 8 seed with the loser of that game being eliminated. (The play-in tournament was introduced for the COVID-affected 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 seasons due to players being unable to play during the season due to COVID infection or exposure, but the NBA chose to maintain it to allow a team who may have lost a key player due to injury a chance to make the playoffs, as well as to increase teams attempting to make the playoffs instead of "tanking" for a better draft choice.) The higher-seeded team, whether in the play-in tournament or the playoffs, has home-court advantage, with the overall #1 seed keeping advantage through the NBA Finals should it make it that far.

The playoff rounds consist of eight teams from each conference.  The top six teams from each conference automatically make the playoffs regardless of divisional success, while the next four teams from each conference enter a "play-in tournament" with the 7-8 seeds and 9-10 seeds playing each other in single games; the 7-8 winner gets the 7 seed, the 9-10 loser is eliminated, and the 7-8 loser plays the 9-10 winner for the 8 seed with the loser of that game being eliminated.<ref>The play-in tournament was introduced for the COVID-affected 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 seasons due to players being unable to play during the season due to COVID infection or exposure, but the NBA chose to maintain it to allow a team who may have lost a key player due to injury a chance to make the playoffs, as well as to increase teams attempting to make the playoffs instead of "tanking" -- losing games on purposes for a better draft choice.</ref> The higher-seeded team, whether in the play-in tournament or the playoffs, has home-court advantage, with the overall #1 seed keeping advantage through the NBA Finals should it make it that far.

After the play-in tournament, the playoff consists of four rounds, each series best-of-seven.  The first round is 1-8, 2-7, 3-6, and 4-5, the second round consists of the 1-8 winner playing the 4-5 winner and the 2-7 winner playing the 3-6 winner (there is not re-seeding as in the NFL or NHL playoffs), the third round is the conference finals, and the fourth round is the NBA Finals consisting of the conference champions.

After the play-in tournament, the playoff consists of four rounds, each series best-of-seven.  The first round is 1-8, 2-7, 3-6, and 4-5, the second round consists of the 1-8 winner playing the 4-5 winner and the 2-7 winner playing the 3-6 winner (there is not re-seeding as in the NFL or NHL playoffs), the third round is the conference finals, and the fourth round is the NBA Finals consisting of the conference champions.

The 14 teams which do not make the playoffs (including the losers of the play-in rounds) qualify for the NBA Draft Lottery.  The Lottery was introduced to discourage teams from "tanking" (losing games on purpose) in order to gain a better draft selection.  However the league has frequently modified the system, at times to discourage poor play, while at other times giving poor-performing teams a better chance at a high selection.  Since 2019 the first four picks are determined by lottery using ping-pong balls with the number of balls per team generally weighted in order of finish (interestingly, if the lottery chooses the four best-finishing non-playoff teams, that pick is ignored and the lottery restarted) with the remaining ten picks determined by order of regular season finish; thus any of the 14 teams can receive either the first, second, third, fourth, or the pick they would have had absent a lottery; no team can drop more than four positions from where it would have been otherwise.  The lottery itself, as is the case with the major entertainment awards shows, is overseen by a major public accounting firm (as accountants generally have a high trust rating among professionals).  The 16 playoff teams have their position determined by playoff success (with the Finals winner receiving the last pick). There are only two rounds in the NBA Draft, the fewest of any of the major sports leagues.

The 14 teams which do not make the playoffs (including the losers of the play-in rounds) qualify for the NBA Draft Lottery.  The Lottery was introduced to discourage teams from tanking.  However the league has frequently modified the system, at times to discourage tanking, while at other times giving poor-performing teams a better chance at a high selection.  Since 2019 the first four picks are determined by lottery using ping pong balls with the number of balls per team generally weighted in order of finish (interestingly, if the lottery chooses the four best-finishing non-playoff teams, that pick is ignored and the lottery restarted) with the remaining ten picks determined by order of regular season finish; thus any of the 14 teams can receive either the first, second, third, fourth, or the pick they would have had absent a lottery; no team can drop more than four positions from where it would have been otherwise.  The lottery itself, as is the case with the major entertainment awards shows, is overseen by a major public accounting firm (as accountants generally have a high trust rating among professionals).  The 16 playoff teams have their draft position determined by playoff success (with the Finals winner receiving the last pick).

 

There are only two rounds in the NBA Draft, the fewest of any of the major sports leagues.  Unlike other leagues which offer compensatory picks for free agents lost, the NBA does not have any such choices; there are only 60 total selections (30 per round).

 

The league has strict rules on when draft choices, especially first round ones, can be traded.

==Liberalism in the NBA==

==Liberalism in the NBA==