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Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games at Scotiabank Arena, which it shares with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). The team was founded in 1995 as part of the NBA's Expansion of the NBA, expansion into Canada, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies. Since the 2001–02 NBA season, 2001–02 season, the Raptors have been the only Canadian team in the league, as the Grizzlies Vancouver Grizzlies relocation to Memphis, relocated from Vancouver to Memphis Grizzlies, Memphis, Tennessee. As with most expansion teams, the Raptors struggled in their early years, but after the acquisition of Vince Carter through a 1998 NBA draft, draft-day trade in 1998, the franchise set league-attendance records and made the NBA p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eastern Conference (NBA)
The Eastern Conference is one of two conferences that make up the National Basketball Association (NBA), the other being the Western Conference. Both conferences consist of 15 teams organized into three divisions. The Eastern Conference comprises the Atlantic, Central, and Southeast Divisions. The current divisional alignment was adopted at the start of the 2004–05 season, when the now Charlotte Hornets began play as the NBA's 30th franchise. This necessitated the move of the New Orleans Pelicans from the Eastern Conference's Central Division to the newly created Southwest Division of the Western Conference. The NBA first started awarding an Eastern Conference championship trophy during the 2000–01 season, renaming it after Hall of Famer Bob Cousy in the 2021–22 season. Also in 2021–22, the league began awarding the Larry Bird Trophy to the Eastern Conference Finals Most Valuable Player, named after Hall of Famer Larry Bird. 2024–25 standings Notes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2017–18 NBA Season
The 2017–18 NBA season was the 72nd season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The regular season began on October 17, 2017, earlier than previous seasons to reduce the number of "back-to-back" games teams were scheduled to play, with the 2017 Eastern Conference champion (and Finals runner–up) Cleveland Cavaliers hosting a game against the Boston Celtics at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The 2018 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 18, 2018, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers was named the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player. The regular season ended on April 11, 2018. The playoffs began on April 14, 2018 and ended on June 8 with the Golden State Warriors defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2018 NBA Finals. Transactions Retirement * On July 17, 2017, Paul Pierce signed a ceremonial contract with the Boston Celtics and officially retired as a Celtic after playing 19 seasons and winning one ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
NBA Playoffs
The NBA playoffs is the annual Playoffs, postseason Tournament#Knockout tournaments, tournament of the National Basketball Association (NBA) held to determine the league champion. Since 1949, the four-round, best-of-seven tournament is held after the league's regular season and its preliminary postseason tournament, the NBA play-in tournament. Six teams from each of the two conferences automatically advance to the playoffs based on regular season winning percentage. As of 2021, those teams finishing seven through 10 from each conference compete in the play-in tournament to determine the final two playoff Seed (sports), seeds. The playoffs culminate with the NBA Finals, where both conference champions from the NBA conference finals play each other. Format The top six teams in both the Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference and Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference, ranked by winning percentage, directly advance to the playoffs. Teams ranked seventh through tenth comp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1998 NBA Draft
The 1998 NBA draft took place on June 24, 1998, at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This draft helped turn around four struggling franchises: the Dallas Mavericks, the Sacramento Kings, the Boston Celtics, and the Toronto Raptors. The Vancouver Grizzlies and the Toronto Raptors were not able to win the NBA draft lottery; as they were expansion teams, they were not allowed to select first in this draft. The Mavericks, despite having a talented nucleus of Jason Kidd, Jamal Mashburn and Jimmy Jackson in the mid-1990s, had not had a winning season since 1989-90, which was also the last time they made the playoffs. By the end of the 1997 season, all three players were traded and it was time to rebuild. With the sixth selection in 1998, they drafted Robert Traylor and quickly traded him to the Milwaukee Bucks for Dirk Nowitzki and Pat Garrity. They then traded Garrity in a package to the Phoenix Suns for Steve Nash. With Nash and Nowitzki, the Mave ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference. The Grizzlies play their home games at FedExForum. The Grizzlies are currently the only team in the major professional North American sports leagues based in the city of Memphis, one of 4 professional teams in the state of Tennessee, along with the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League, the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League, and Nashville SC of Major League Soccer all of which play in Nashville, and the only professional basketball team in the state. The team was originally established in Canada as the Vancouver Grizzlies in the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, an expansion team that joined the NBA for the . After the 2000–01 season concluded, the Grizzlies left Vancouver and move ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vancouver Grizzlies Relocation To Memphis
In 2001, the owners of the National Basketball Association (NBA) team Vancouver Grizzlies successfully relocation of professional sports teams, relocated the team from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, to Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. The team began play as the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2001–02 Memphis Grizzlies season, 2001–02 season. It was the first of three NBA franchise moves between 2001 and 2008, and the third of four major league teams to relocate from Canada to the United States between 1995 and 2005. The Grizzlies had been created as an expansion team along with the Toronto Raptors in 1995. For the six seasons in Vancouver, the Grizzlies performed unsuccessfully; they only once finished better than last in the Midwest Division (NBA), Midwest Division and never reached the NBA Playoffs, playoffs. The Grizzlies were owned by Orca Bay Sports and Entertainment, who also owned the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). In 1999, Bill Laurie, owner of the NHL's ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2001–02 NBA Season
The 2001–02 NBA season was the 56th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The season ended with the Los Angeles Lakers winning their third straight championship, beating the New Jersey Nets 4–0 in the 2002 NBA Finals. Notable occurrences * Kwame Brown became the first high school player to be drafted first overall when the Washington Wizards drafted him in the 2001 NBA draft. * The Grizzlies relocated from Vancouver, British Columbia to Memphis, Tennessee. They played their first three seasons at The Pyramid in Memphis. * The 2002 NBA All-Star Game was held at First Union Center in Philadelphia. Kobe Bryant of the Lakers took MVP honors amidst boos from the Philadelphia fans following a 135–120 victory by the West. Philadelphia was originally slated to host the 1999 All-Star Game but was awarded the 2002 game instead due to the 1999 lockout. * Prior to the start of the season, NBA and Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan, then part-owner of the Wash ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vancouver Grizzlies
The Vancouver Grizzlies were a Canadian professional basketball team based in Vancouver. The Grizzlies competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Midwest Division (NBA), Midwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference. The team was established in 1995, along with the Toronto Raptors, as part of the NBA's expansion team, expansion into Canada. Following the 2000–01 Vancouver Grizzlies season, 2000–01 season, the team Vancouver Grizzlies relocation to Memphis, relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, United States and was renamed the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies played their home games at General Motors Place (now Rogers Arena) for all of their six seasons in Vancouver. Like most expansion teams, the Grizzlies struggled in their early years. The team finished last in their division in all but one season (1997-98 Denver Nuggets), and never won more than 30% of its games in any of the team's seasons in Vancouver. In total, the team ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Expansion Of The NBA
Since beginning with 11 teams in 1946, the National Basketball Association expanded several times before reaching its current 30 teams. The most recent additions were the Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat (1988), the Minnesota Timberwolves and Orlando Magic (1989), the Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies (1995; the latter relocated to Memphis in 2001), and the Charlotte Bobcats (2004). Commissioner Adam Silver stated in a February 2024 interview on '' The Pat McAfee Show'' that Las Vegas was an expansion team candidate. Seattle is also considered a top expansion candidate should an expansion occur, with Mexico City, Montreal, and Vancouver also being less likely expansion options. In September 2024, Silver stated that the NBA would have discussions about a potential expansion of the league sometime during the 2024–25 season, with an ESPN article stating that the potential expansion teams may begin play in the 2027–28 season should one occur. In April 2025, Silver stated t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada and is considered the premier professional ice hockey league in the world. The Stanley Cup, the oldest professional sports trophy in North America, is awarded annually to the Stanley Cup playoffs, league playoff champion at the end of each season. The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) views the Stanley Cup as one of the "most important championships available to the sport". The NHL is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan. The National Hockey League was organized at the Windsor Hotel (Montreal), Windsor Hotel in Montreal on November 26, 1917, after the suspension of operations of its predecessor organization, the National Hockey Association (NHA), which had been founded in 1909 at Renfrew, Ontario. The NHL immediately took the NHA ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The club is owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, a company that owns several professional sports teams in the city, while the team's broadcasting rights are split between BCE Inc. and Rogers Communications. The club was founded as the Toronto Arenas for the inaugural 1917–18 NHL season and rebranded to the Toronto St. Patricks after two years. Conn Smythe renamed the franchise to the Maple Leafs after buying it in 1927. The team played home games at the Mutual Street Arena for its first 14 seasons before moving to Maple Leaf Gardens in 1931. Since February 1999, the Maple Leafs play at Scotiabank Arena, which was formerly known as ''Air Canada Centre.'' Toronto has won more S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada and is considered the premier professional basketball league in the world. The league is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan. The NBA was created on August 3, 1949, with the merger of the Basketball Association of America (BAA) and the National Basketball League (United States), National Basketball League (NBL). The league later adopted the BAA's history and considers its founding on June 6, 1946, as its own. In 1976, the NBA and the American Basketball Association (ABA) ABA–NBA merger, merged, adding four franchises to the NBA. The NBA's regular season runs from October to April, with each team playing 82 games. The NBA playoffs, league's playoff tournament extends into June, culminating with the NBA Finals championship series. The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
