How Many Teams Are In The NBA? Playoffs And Regular Season

In 1946, the National Basketball Association (NBA) was founded and quickly became one of the largest sports organizations worldwide to date.

The history of the NBA has gone through many ups and downs with sublime tournaments. NBA teams are an indispensable part, bringing excitement to fans when watching them.

So, how many basketball teams are in the NBA? Today, there are 30 NBA teams in total.

Each team plays 72 games in the regular season to find the best representatives. But, how many teams are in the nba playoffs? The 16 strongest teams will advance to the playoffs. Only the two strongest teams will face each other in the NBA Finals.

For your convenience, Scott Fujita has compiled a complete list of the current teams.

Now, let’s get right into the details!

NBA teams map

How Many Teams Are In The NBA?

Currently, the NBA has a total of 30 teams. There are two conferences in the Union, the Western Conference, and the Eastern Conference. The current divisional alignment first appeared during the 2004-05 season

Each division consists of 5 NBA teams. Before enjoying March Madness, it is better to know the basketball team you are betting on. Our list below will list all the NBA teams currently in the league and their arena.

View more: Which NBA team has the most championships

NBA Western Conference Teams

We’ll start with the Western Conference and its three divisions

The NBA Western Conference. 

Northwest Division

This division is geographically, and by area, the most spread out of the six divisions, so moving between clubs can be a severe hindrance. Competitors facing this group of five will have to adjust their altitude in two locations, Colorado and Utah.

The three teams, Jazz, Thunder, and Trail Blazers, are the only three teams that receive professional and robust support from locals.

Denver Nuggets (Pepsi Center – Denver, Colorado)

Their previous ABA roster was called the Rockets. Upon joining the NBA in 1976, the team changed its name to the Denver Nuggets. Their head coach is Michael Malone.

View more:

• How many teams make the NBA playoffs
• What college basketball team’s stars were nicknamed the fab five

Minnesota Timberwolves (Target Center – Minneapolis, Minnesota)

Their first NBA championship was in 1989. Currently, Ryan Saunders is the team’s head coach.

Oklahoma City Thunder (Chesapeake Energy Arena – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)

After the Seattle Supersonics moved to Oklahoma City in 2008, they changed their name. The team kept its old name for 41 years before changing it. The current head coach of the group is Billy Donovan.

Portland Trail Blazers (Moda Center – Portland, Oregon)

The Blazers first set foot on the NBA court in 1970. They are under the guidance of head coach Terry Stotts.

Utah Jazz (Vivint Smart Home Arena – Salt Lake City, Utah)

Before changing its name to Utah Jazz in 1979, this team was called New Orleans Jazz. They started in the NBA in 1974. Quin Snyder was their coach.

Southwest Division

Texas is the heart of this division, with three prominent city representatives for the Lone Star State. The other two teams are from New Orleans and Memphis. Both of these franchises have nascent histories, joining in 2004 and 1995 through relocating from another city.

Dallas Mavericks (American Airlines Center – Dallas, Texas)

The Dallas Mavericks joined the NBA in 1980. They have won an NBA championship to date. The team’s current coach is Rick Carlisle.

Houston Rockets (Toyota Center – Houston, Texas)

In 1967, the Sand Diego Rockets entered the NBA for the first time. This NBA team changed its name to the Houston Rockets when it moved to Houston in 1971. The head coach was Mike D’Antoni.

Memphis Grizzlies (FedEx Forum – Memphis, Tennessee)

When they first appeared in the arena in 1995, their original name was the Vancouver Grizzlies. They changed their name to a new one in 2001. The team’s current coach is Taylor Jenkins.

New Orleans Pelicans (Smoothie King Center – New Orleans, Louisiana)

The New Orleans Hornets joined the NBA for the first time in 2002. They changed their name to the New Orleans Pelicans after being acquired by new owner Tom Benson in 2012. Their coach is Alvin Gentry.

San Antonio Spurs (AT&T Center – San Antonio, Texas)

The San Antonio Spurs joined the NBA in 1976. They are under head coach Gregg Popovich.

Pacific Division

Another name for this division is the California division. The main reason is that the four NBA teams reside in the state, and Phoenix is ​​also very close by. The Lakers and Clippers both represent Los Angeles. They are also the only two NBA teams to share a basketball court, the Staples.

Golden State Warriors (Chase Center – San Francisco, California)

They used to play as the Philadelphia Warriors in 1946-47. In 1961-62, the team moved to San Francisco. The group changed its name to the Golden State Warriors in 1971. Currently, Steve Kerr is their head coach.

Los Angeles Clippers (Staples Center – Los Angeles, California)

After moving to San Diego in 1978, the Buffalo Braves decided to adopt Clippers’s new name. The team went on to undergo a name change following the acquisition of Donald Sterling in 1984. He named the team after his hometown, Los Angeles. Their coach is Doc Rivers.

Los Angeles Lakers (Staples Center – Los Angeles, California)

The Los Angeles Lakers were once known as the Minneapolis Lakers before the change in 1960. Frank Vogel was the head coach.

Phoenix Suns (Talking Stick Resort Arena – Phoenix, Arizona)

In 1968, general manager Jerry Colangelo decided on the name Phoenix Suns. Monty Williams is the team’s head coach.

Sacramento Kings (Golden 1 Center – Sacramento, California)

The team has been known as the Sacramento Kings since 1985. They have had a lot of name changes, with former nicknames being Rochester Royal, Cincinnati Royals, Kansas City-Omaha Kings, Kansas City Kings. The team is under the leadership of Luke Walton.

NBA Eastern Conference Teams

Let’s take a look at 15 NBA teams in three divisions of this conference.

The NBA Eastern Conference.

Central Division

The central area is quite large. While three teams play in the Eastern time zone, the other two play in the Central time zone. Those two franchises are the Chicago Bulls and the Milwaukee Bucks.

Chicago Bulls (United Center – Chicago, Illinois)

Owner Richard Klein wanted a name that would portray Chicago’s mighty status as the meat capital of the world. Their first year in the NBA was 1966. The team’s head coach was Jim Boylen.

Cleveland Cavaliers (Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse – Cleveland, Ohio)

The Cleveland Cavaliers got their name through a fan vote in 1970. They joined the National Basketball Association at the end of the year. 

The head coach is John Beilein.

Detroit Pistons (Little Caesars Arena – Detroit, Michigan)

When they entered the stage in 1948, they were called the Fort Wayne Pistons. In 1957, the team moved to Detroit and soon changed its name to its present name. The head coach is Dwayne Casey.

Indiana Pacers (Bankers Life Fieldhouse – Indianapolis, Indiana)

Indiana’s rich auto racing and mining history inspired the name. They joined the NBA in 1976. Currently, the team’s head coach is Nate Mcmillan.

Milwaukee Bucks (Fiserv Forum – Milwaukee, Wisconsin)

In 1968, the Bucks officially entered the game. Their head coach is Mike Budenholzer.

Southeast Division

Florida, as known as the Sunshine State, has two representatives in this group. Two other clubs represent the South, and one team plays for the national capital.

Atlanta Hawks (State Farm Arena – Atlanta, Georgia)

They joined the NBA in 1949 as the Tri-Cities Blackhawks, then later became Milwaukee Hawks. They won an NBA title in 1958 as the St. Louis Hawks. They finally got Atlanta’s nickname in 1968. Lloyd Daniel Pierce is their head coach.

Charlotte Hornets (Spectrum Center – Charlotte, North Carolina)

Charlotte Hornets joined the National Basketball Association in 1988. In 2004 they changed their name to Charlotte Bobcats but returned to Charlotte Hornet again in 2004. James Borrego is their head coach.

Miami Heat (American Airlines Arena – Miami, Florida)

In 1988, the 3-time NBA champion Miami Heat joined NBA. Their head coach is Erik Spoelstra.

Orlando Magic (Amway Center – Orlando, Florida)

The credit for this nickname belongs to the main attraction of the tourist-rich city, the Disney world. In 1989, they took part in the NBA. Their head coach is Steve Clifford.

Washington Wizards (Capital One Arena – Washington, D.C.)

The Chicago Packers joined the NBA in 1961. 

They then had numerous nicknames for the team before finally settling into the Washington Wizards in 1998. The Chicago Packers, Chicago Zephyrs, Baltimore Bullets, Capital Bullets, and Washington Bullets were among their previous monikers. Their coach is Scott William Brooks.

Atlantic Division

All five of these teams are in East Coast cities. This advantage makes it easier to move back and forth between teams. The division also includes the Toronto Raptors, the sole Canadian representative.

Boston Celtics (TD Garden – Boston, Massachusetts)

In 1946, Walter Brown chose the Celtics over whirlwind, unicorns, and Olympic athletes as the name for the Boston Basketball Association of the American team. They joined the NBA the same year. The current head coach is Bradley Kent Stevens.

Brooklyn Nets (Barclays Center – Brooklyn, New York)

They joined the American Basketball Association in 1967. 

The New York Nets and the New Jersey Nets were their previous nicknames. They eventually settled on the Brooklyn Nets in 2012. Their head coach is Kenny Atkinson.

New York Knicks (Madison Square Garden – New York City, New York)

In 1946, they were licensed by the ABA. Mike Miller is their current head coach.

Philadelphia 76ers (Wells Fargo Center – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

In 1949, they joined the NBA as the Syracuse Nationals. The team was renamed the 76ers as a sign of Philadelphia’s independence in 1776. Brett Brown is their coach.

Toronto Raptors (Scotiabank Arena – Toronto, Ontario)

Toronto Raptors, a Canadian professional basketball team, came in 1995. Nick Nurse is their coach.

Final Thoughts

How many teams are there in the NBA? Hopefully, our list has helped you better understand the number of NBA teams and the names of each group. Which franchise is your favorite team? Please share with us.

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