How to Follow the NBA: A Simple Guide
New to basketball? Learn how the NBA season works, what the playoffs are, and where to watch live, all in plain English.
NBA basics in two minutes
The NBA is the top basketball league in the world. Thirty teams play across the United States and Canada. Each game has four quarters of twelve minutes, and the team with more points at the end wins. If the score is tied, they play overtime until someone wins. Simple.
The season has two parts. First comes the regular season, where every team plays eighty two games from autumn into spring. Then come the playoffs: the best teams enter a knockout bracket of best of seven series. Win four games and you move on. Lose four and you go home. The two last teams meet in the NBA Finals for the championship.
To follow the NBA well, pick a team to support and learn the weekly rhythm. Games happen almost every night during the season, and start times vary because teams play across several time zones. The Fawa News agenda lists games with tip off times in your local zone, so you always know when your team plays.
How to watch NBA live on Fawa News
- Open the agenda. Go to /agenda/ to see today's NBA games and the coming days.
- Pick the game. Check the tip off time, shown in your local time zone.
- Open the event page. When our licensed stream feed carries that game, the live player loads right on the page.
- No player? The event page still shows the schedule, so you know exactly when to come back.
Tip: Playoff games mean more than regular season games. From April onward, every night can end a team's season.
Regular season, play-in and playoffs
The regular season decides who makes the playoffs. The top six teams in each conference go straight through. Teams ranked seventh to tenth enter the play-in, a short mini tournament for the last two playoff spots. It is a new idea, but simple: win and you are in.
The playoffs then run in rounds: first round, conference semifinals, conference finals, and the NBA Finals. Every series is best of seven, so a team needs four wins to advance. Home court advantage goes to the team with the better regular season record, which is why every regular season game still matters.
NBA FAQ
Where can I watch NBA games live?
Open the Fawa News agenda, find the NBA game you want, and open its event page. If our licensed stream feed carries that game, the live player appears there.
How many games are in an NBA season?
Each team plays eighty two games in the regular season, then the best teams enter the playoffs.
What are the NBA playoffs?
The playoffs are the knockout stage after the regular season. Teams play best of seven series, and the last team standing wins the championship.
When does the NBA season run?
The regular season runs from autumn to spring, and the playoffs run into early summer.
What is the play-in tournament?
A short mini tournament for teams ranked seventh to tenth, deciding the final playoff spots in each conference.