209-648: The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami . The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference . The club plays its home games at Kaseya Center , and has won three NBA championships . The franchise began play in the 1988–89 season as an expansion team . After a period of mediocrity,
418-438: A rebound , that is, a missed shot that bounces from rim or backboard. It is a violation to lift or drag one's pivot foot without dribbling the ball , to carry it, or to hold the ball with both hands then resume dribbling . The five players on each side fall into five playing positions . The tallest player is usually the center , the second-tallest and strongest is the power forward , a slightly shorter but more agile player
627-561: A tuxedo , was used, followed by a similarly designed white uniform in the 2016–17 season. The 2015–16 season saw the unveiling of two special uniforms. One featured a blend of modern and classic styles (Heat Legacy), while the other is a military-inspired uniform (Home Strong). The Heat also participated in the Christmas Day games wearing special uniforms. In 2012, they wore monochrome red uniforms known as "Big Color." The following year, they wore their "Big Logo" sleeved uniforms, featuring
836-522: A 37-point and 12 rebounds performance from James and a 23-point and 10 rebound effort from Wade. Shane Battier also scored 18 points, making six three-pointers, after having a shooting slump during the postseason up to that point. The Heat captured the NBA title for a second year in a row, becoming the first team in the Eastern Conference to repeat as league champions since the late 1990s Chicago Bulls. James
1045-404: A backboard that measures 6 by 3.5 feet (1.8 by 1.1 meters) and one basket is at each end of the court. The white outlined box on the backboard is 18 inches (46 cm) high and 2 feet (61 cm) wide. At almost all levels of competition, the top of the rim is exactly 10 feet (3.05 meters) above the court and 4 feet (1.22 meters) inside the baseline. While variation is possible in the dimensions of
1254-495: A basket mounted on a wall. Naismith wrote the basic rules and nailed a peach basket onto an elevated track. Naismith initially set up the peach basket with its bottom intact, which meant that the ball had to be retrieved manually after each "basket" or point scored. This quickly proved tedious, so Naismith removed the bottom of the basket to allow the balls to be poked out with a long dowel after each scored basket. Shortly after, Senda Berenson , instructor of physical culture at
1463-496: A children's game called duck on a rock , as many had failed before it. Frank Mahan, one of the players from the original first game, approached Naismith after the Christmas break, in early 1892, asking him what he intended to call his new game. Naismith replied that he had not thought of it because he had been focused on just getting the game started. Mahan suggested that it be called "Naismith ball", at which he laughed, saying that
1672-508: A chrome-treated version of their "flaming ball" logo. In 2014, the Heat wore a variation of their home uniform, featuring their primary logo and centered numbers in front, and black nameplates with the player's first name below the number at the back. The Heat have also honored the ABA 's Miami Floridians by donning throwback uniforms; first the road jerseys in the 2005–06 season , then the home jerseys in
1881-518: A coaching change from Floyd to Bill Cartwright, finishing with only 21 wins. Optimism returned in 2002–03 with the addition of Jay Williams and a young, talented core, but inconsistency limited progress to 30-52. Krause retired in 2003, and John Paxson became GM. Williams' career was derailed by a motorcycle accident, and Pippen's return was marred by injuries. The 2003–04 season saw setbacks from Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler, leading to Cartwright's firing and Scott Skiles ' hiring. A major trade shifted
2090-611: A disappointing 11–10 start to the 2005–06 season, Riley relieved Van Gundy of his duties and took back the head coaching job. The Heat made it to the conference finals in 2006 and in a re-match, defeated the Pistons, winning the series 4–2. Making its first NBA Finals appearance, they played the Dallas Mavericks , who won the first two games in Dallas in routs. The Heat then won the next four games, capturing its first-ever championship. Wade won
2299-403: A dramatic turnaround in the 1996–97 season, improving to a 61–21 record – a franchise record at the time, and currently second-best in team history. That same year, Miami earned the moniker of "Road Warriors" for its remarkable 32–9 record on the road. On the backs of Hardaway and Mourning, the Heat achieved their first two series victories in the playoffs, making it to the conference finals against
SECTION 10
#17328444637972508-405: A dribble, the player cannot carry the ball by placing their hand on the bottom of the ball; doing so is known as carrying the ball . A team, once having established ball control in the front half of their court, may not return the ball to the backcourt and be the first to touch it. A violation of these rules results in loss of possession. The ball may not be kicked, nor be struck with the fist. For
2717-564: A first-round pick, which the Bulls used to obtain center Will Perdue . In addition, the Bulls acquired three-point shooter Craig Hodges from Phoenix. The new starting lineup of Paxson, Jordan, Pippen, Grant, and Cartwright took some time to mesh, winning fewer games than the previous season, but made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they were defeated in six games by the NBA champion Pistons. In 1989–90 , Jordan led
2926-458: A flagrant foul for ringing his arm around Noah's neck. Taj Gibson and Noah were both ejected in the same game for yelling at the referees. The two teams met in the 2023 Play-In Tournament to determine the 8th seed for the East. The Heat won to earn the Eastern Conference's 8th seed. They both met again with the Heat once again defeating the Bulls, earning the 8th seed. Basketball Basketball
3135-600: A gold medalist with Argentina. Despite beginning the season with nine consecutive losses, the team recovered to finish 47–35, making their first playoff appearance since 1998. However, injuries to Deng and Eddy Curry contributed to a first-round exit against the Washington Wizards. Ben Gordon received the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award. During the 2005 offseason, Curry’s heart condition raised concerns, leading to his trade to
3344-459: A half-time break under FIBA, NBA, and NCAA rules and 10 minutes in United States high schools. Overtime periods are five minutes in length except for high school, which is four minutes in length. Teams exchange baskets for the second half. The time allowed is actual playing time; the clock is stopped while the play is not active. Therefore, games generally take much longer to complete than
3553-573: A member of the Detroit Pistons ' "Bad Boys" squad that served as the Bulls' chief nemesis in the late 1980s. With a lineup of Jordan, Pippen, Rodman, Harper and Longley, and perhaps the league's best bench in Steve Kerr , Kukoč, Wennington, Buechler, and guard Randy Brown , the Bulls were seen as the team to win again for the NBA Finals. The Bulls started their 1995–96 campaign with a 105–91 win over
3762-399: A modified 'flaming ball' logo on the right leg. The black away uniform numbers are now consistent with the lettering colors (white with red trim). The alternate red uniform was introduced during the 2001–02 season , and features the city name and numbers in white with black trim. With subtle changes like the "Miami" wordmark on the black uniforms and the addition of the "MH" alternate logo on
3971-504: A name like that would kill any game. Mahan then said, "Why not call it basketball?" Naismith replied, "We have a basket and a ball, and it seems to me that would be a good name for it." The first official game was played in the YMCA gymnasium in Albany , New York, on January 20, 1892, with nine players. The game ended at 1–0; the shot was made from 25 feet (7.6 m), on a court just half the size of
4180-441: A present-day Streetball or National Basketball Association (NBA) court. At the time, soccer was being played with 10 to a team (which was increased to 11). When winter weather got too icy to play soccer, teams were taken indoors, and it was convenient to have them split in half and play basketball with five on each side. By 1897–98, teams of five became standard. Basketball's early adherents were dispatched to YMCAs throughout
4389-551: A rookie in a playoff debut. After breaking the record for most overtimes played in an NBA Playoffs Series, the Boston Celtics managed to overcome the Bulls after 7 games and 7 overtime periods played. In the 2009 NBA Draft, the Bulls selected James Johnson and Taj Gibson . They also lost Ben Gordon to the Detroit Pistons in free agency. The following season, the team made further trades, including sending John Salmons to
SECTION 20
#17328444637974598-463: A season with several injuries, including to Chris Bosh and Josh McRoberts, the Heat finished with a 37–45 record, the NBA's 10th-worst. They failed to make the playoffs after being Eastern Conference champions four straight years. It was the second time in Wade's career they did not qualify for the postseason. The Heat were the first team since the 2004–05 Los Angeles Lakers to miss the playoffs after going to
4807-562: A season. By the end of the season, the Heat won 18 of its 19 road games, the best streak on the road to end a season in NBA history. The Heat went 17–1 in March, becoming the first team to win 17 games in a single calendar month. The Heat ended with a franchise-best and league-best 66–16 record to take the first seed in the 2013 NBA playoffs . They swept the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round and defeated Chicago in five games before winning against
5016-501: A series of venues, including Catholic University , Georgetown and George Mason . The National Interscholastic Basketball Tournament for Black High Schools was held from 1929 to 1942 at Hampton Institute . The National Invitational Interscholastic Basketball Tournament was held from 1941 to 1967 starting out at Tuskegee Institute . Following a pause during World War II it resumed at Tennessee State College in Nashville. The basis for
5225-457: A slim 1.7% chance of winning the rights to draft first overall, the Bulls won the 2008 NBA draft lottery and selected first overall. With this, the Bulls became the team with the lowest chance of winning to ever win the lottery since it was modified for the 1994 NBA draft , and second-lowest ever. On June 26, 2008, the Bulls drafted Chicago native Derrick Rose from the University of Memphis as
5434-423: A standard uniform consists of a pair of shorts and a jersey with a clearly visible number, unique within the team, printed on both the front and back. Players wear high-top sneakers that provide extra ankle support. Typically, team names, players' names and, outside of North America, sponsors are printed on the uniforms. A limited number of time-outs, clock stoppages requested by a coach (or sometimes mandated in
5643-490: A teammate's field goal attempt. Goaltending is a defender's touching of a ball that is on a downward flight toward the basket, while the related violation of basket interference is the touching of a ball that is on the rim or above the basket, or by a player reaching through the basket from below. Goaltending and basket interference committed by a defender result in awarding the basket to the offense, while basket interference committed by an offensive player results in cancelling
5852-657: A three-pointer, but missed, giving the Bulls their sixth championship in eight years. Jordan would be named the Finals MVP for the sixth time in his career. He retired for the second time on January 13, 1999. The summer of 1998 marked the end of the Bulls' championship era. GM Jerry Krause, citing the team's aging roster, opted to rebuild rather than face decline. He traded Scottie Pippen for minimal returns, let Dennis Rodman walk, and dealt other key players for draft picks. Krause also hired coach Tim Floyd to replace Phil Jackson. Michael Jordan announced his second retirement, leaving
6061-465: A three-year deal and extended Derrick Rose’s contract for five years at $ 94.8 million. Rose and Luol Deng earned All-Star selections during the 2011–12 season, marking the first Bulls duo in the All-Star game since Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Despite Rose missing much of the season due to injuries, the Bulls finished with the NBA's best record (50–16) and secured the Eastern Conference's top seed. In
6270-591: A total of three referees on the court. The table officials are responsible for keeping track of each team's scoring, timekeeping, individual and team fouls , player substitutions, team possession arrow , and the shot clock . The only essential equipment in a basketball game is the ball and the court: a flat, rectangular surface with baskets at opposite ends. Competitive levels require the use of more equipment such as clocks, score sheets, scoreboards, alternating possession arrows, and whistle-operated stop-clock systems. A regulation basketball court in international games
6479-557: A touring Canadian women's team based in Edmonton , Alberta, operated between 1915 and 1940. The Grads toured all over North America, and were exceptionally successful. They posted a record of 522 wins and only 20 losses over that span, as they met any team that wanted to challenge them, funding their tours from gate receipts. The Grads also shone on several exhibition trips to Europe, and won four consecutive exhibition Olympics tournaments, in 1924, 1928, 1932, and 1936; however, women's basketball
Miami Heat - Misplaced Pages Continue
6688-402: A trade for former NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Shaquille O'Neal , the Heat won their first NBA title in 2006 , after Riley named himself head coach for a second stint. After the departure of O'Neal two years later, the team struggled for the remainder of the 2000s. Riley remained team president, but was replaced as head coach by Erik Spoelstra . In 2010, the Heat formed a superteam through
6897-621: A winter season (April–September) and did so until the completion of the 20th season in 1998 . The 1998–99 season, which commenced only months later, was the first season after the shift to the current summer season format (October–April). This shift was an attempt to avoid competing directly against Australia's various football codes . It features 8 teams from around Australia and one in New Zealand. A few players including Luc Longley , Andrew Gaze , Shane Heal , Chris Anstey and Andrew Bogut made it big internationally, becoming poster figures for
7106-489: Is 28 meters (92 feet) long and 15 meters (49 feet) wide. In the NBA and NCAA the court is 94 by 50 feet (29 by 15 meters). Most courts have wood flooring , usually constructed from maple planks running in the same direction as the longer court dimension. The name and logo of the home team is usually painted on or around the center circle. The basket is a steel rim 18 inches (46 cm) diameter with an attached net affixed to
7315-408: Is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court , compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately 9.4 inches (24 cm) in diameter) through the defender's hoop (a basket 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter mounted 10 feet (3.048 m) high to a backboard at each end of the court), while preventing
7524-404: Is called a shot. A successful shot is worth two points, or three points if it is taken from beyond the three-point arc 6.75 meters (22 ft 2 in) from the basket in international games and 23 feet 9 inches (7.24 m) in NBA games. A one-point shot can be earned when shooting from the foul line after a foul is made. After a team has scored from a field goal or free throw, play
7733-509: Is currently no tournament to determine a national high school champion. The most serious effort was the National Interscholastic Basketball Tournament at the University of Chicago from 1917 to 1930. The event was organized by Amos Alonzo Stagg and sent invitations to state champion teams. The tournament started out as a mostly Midwest affair but grew. In 1929 it had 29 state champions. Faced with opposition from
7942-430: Is out of bounds if it touches a boundary line, or touches any player or object that is out of bounds. There are limits placed on the steps a player may take without dribbling, which commonly results in an infraction known as traveling . Nor may a player stop their dribble and then resume dribbling. A dribble that touches both hands is considered stopping the dribble, giving this infraction the name double dribble . Within
8151-453: Is resumed with a throw-in awarded to the non-scoring team taken from a point beyond the endline of the court where the points were scored. Games are played in four quarters of 10 ( FIBA ) or 12 minutes (NBA). College men's games use two 20-minute halves, college women's games use 10-minute quarters, and most United States high school varsity games use 8-minute quarters; however, this varies from state to state. 15 minutes are allowed for
8360-576: Is the WNBA ( NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship is also popular), whereas the strongest European clubs participate in the EuroLeague Women . A game similar to basketball is mentioned in a 1591 book published in Frankfurt am Main that reports on the lifestyles and customs of coastal North American residents, Wahrhafftige Abconterfaytung der Wilden (German; translates as Truthful Depictions of
8569-470: Is the small forward , and the shortest players or the best ball handlers are the shooting guard and the point guard , who implement the coach's game plan by managing the execution of offensive and defensive plays (player positioning). Informally, players may play three-on-three, two-on-two, and one-on-one. Invented in 1891 by Canadian-American gym teacher James Naismith in Springfield, Massachusetts , in
Miami Heat - Misplaced Pages Continue
8778-639: The 1967–68 season had an official attendance of 891 while some Bulls games were being played in Kansas City . In 1969, Klein resigned as general manager and hired Pat Williams , who had gained prominence with the Philadelphia 76ers for his promotional efforts. Williams revitalized the franchise, making key roster changes and introducing the team's first mascot, Benny the Bull , which helped increase attendance and visibility. Under Williams and head coach Dick Motta ,
8987-469: The 2004 Athens Olympics , the United States suffered its first Olympic loss while using professional players, falling to Puerto Rico (in a 19-point loss) and Lithuania in group games, and being eliminated in the semifinals by Argentina . It eventually won the bronze medal defeating Lithuania, finishing behind Argentina and Italy . The Redeem Team , won gold at the 2008 Olympics , and the B-Team, won gold at
9196-503: The 2007–08 season , the Heat participated in the NBA's Noche Latina promotions, or Latin Nights. From 2008 to 2014, the Heat wore a modified version of their black uniforms, featuring the wordmark "El Heat"; a sleeved version was used in 2014. For the 2014–15 season , the Heat wore their white uniforms with the "El Heat" wordmark, followed by the Noche Latina version of their red alternates in
9405-509: The 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey despite featuring no players from the 2008 squad. The United States continued its dominance as they won gold at the 2012 Olympics , 2014 FIBA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics . Worldwide, basketball tournaments are held for boys and girls of all age levels. The global popularity of the sport is reflected in the nationalities represented in the NBA. Players from all six inhabited continents currently play in
9614-534: The 2011 Eastern Conference finals , with the Heat winning in five games. The Bulls ended the Heat's record-setting 27 game win streak on March 27, 2013, with a 101–97 victory at the United Center in Chicago. Despite playing without Derrick Rose , Joakim Noah , Richard "Rip" Hamilton , and Marco Belinelli , the Bulls managed to end the second longest win streak in basketball history. The rivalry would continue into
9823-447: The 2013 NBA playoffs when the Heat would play the Bulls in the second round. The Bulls ended another Miami Heat winning streak by beating the Heat 93–87 in Game 1. The Heat came back in Game 2 and set a record for the largest margin of victory in franchise playoff history with a 115–78 win. The Bulls also set a record for the worst playoff defeat in franchise history. The 51 personal fouls were
10032-463: The 2015–16 season . The Heat wore a variation of their current home uniforms on the opening night of the 2012–13 season , with gold accents and a patch of the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy on the right chest. They used another variation on opening night of the 2013–14 season , this time with gold lettering. During the 2013–14 season, the Heat wore a variation of their current home uniforms, but with
10241-569: The 2021–22 season , finishing at the top of the Eastern Conference for the first time since 2013. Miami defeated their first round opponents, the Atlanta Hawks , in five games, and then won against the Philadelphia 76ers 4–2 in the conference semifinals. The Heat faced off against the Boston Celtics in the conference finals, but fell short after Butler's three-point shot to take the lead missed with 11 seconds remaining in Game 7. The next season,
10450-506: The All American Red Heads Team , which competed against men's teams, using men's rules. By 1938, the women's national championship changed from a three-court game to two-court game with six players per team . The NBA-backed Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) began in 1997. Though it had shaky attendance figures, several marquee players ( Lisa Leslie , Diana Taurasi , and Candace Parker among others) have helped
10659-674: The Charlotte Hornets stealing game two from the Bulls at the United Center, and tying the series 1–1. But the Bulls easily defeated the Hornets in the next three games of the series. The Conference Finals was a challenge for the Bulls as they went up against the Reggie Miller -led Indiana Pacers . Experts were of the opinion that the Pacers had the best chance to defeat the Bulls. The Pacers gave
SECTION 50
#173284446379710868-466: The Chicago Blackhawks . Indifferent to NBA basketball, the new ownership group infamously implemented a shoestring budget, putting little time and investment into improving the team. Artis Gilmore , acquired in the ABA dispersal draft in 1976, led a Bulls squad which included guard Reggie Theus , forward David Greenwood and forward Orlando Woolridge . In 1979, the Bulls lost a coin flip for
11077-604: The Cleveland Cavaliers in six games in the third round, advancing to the Finals for the second year in a row where they defeated the Clyde Drexler -led Portland Trail Blazers in six games. In 1993 , the Bulls won their third consecutive championship by defeating the Atlanta Hawks , Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks in the first three rounds of the playoffs and then defeating regular season MVP Charles Barkley and
11286-619: The Eastern Conference . The team was founded on January 16, 1966, and played its first game during the 1966–67 NBA season . The Bulls play their home games at the United Center , an arena on Chicago's West Side. The Bulls saw their greatest success during the 1990s when they played a major part in popularizing the NBA worldwide. They are known for having one of the NBA's greatest dynasties, winning six NBA championships between 1991 and 1998 with two three-peats . All six of their championship teams were led by Hall of Famers Michael Jordan , Scottie Pippen , and coach Phil Jackson . The Bulls are
11495-705: The EuroLeague and the Basketball Champions League Americas . The FIBA Basketball World Cup and Men's Olympic Basketball Tournament are the major international events of the sport and attract top national teams from around the world. Each continent hosts regional competitions for national teams, like EuroBasket and FIBA AmeriCup . The FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup and Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament feature top national teams from continental championships. The main North American league
11704-589: The Finals MVP award. The Heat experienced four years of post-title struggles from 2007 through 2010, including a 4–0 sweep by the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the 2007 NBA playoffs . In the 2007–08 season, Wade was plagued by injuries and the Heat had a league-worst 15–67 record. O'Neal was traded to Phoenix midway through the season. Riley resigned as head coach following the season but retained his position as team president. Long-time assistant Erik Spoelstra
11913-532: The Indiana Pacers 4–2 in the second round. In the off-season, Riley engineered a summer blockbuster trade for Shaquille O'Neal from the Los Angeles Lakers . Alonzo Mourning returned to the Heat in the same season, serving as a backup to O'Neal. Returning as championship contenders, Miami finished with a 59–23 record, consequently garnering the first overall seed in the Eastern Conference. Sweeping through
12122-504: The Miami Heat . After winning the first game of the series, they lost the next four games, ending their season. The Chicago Bulls underwent significant roster changes and faced challenges between the 2011–2014 seasons, navigating injuries to star players while attempting to remain competitive. In the 2011 NBA Draft , the Bulls selected Jimmy Butler with the 30th overall pick. During the offseason, they signed veteran guard Rip Hamilton to
12331-579: The Michael Jordan -led Chicago Bulls before losing in five games. Their biggest rivals of the time were the New York Knicks , Riley's former team, who would eliminate the Heat in the playoffs from 1998 through 2000. A period of mediocrity followed after, highlighted by missing the playoffs in 2002 and 2003. In the 2003 NBA draft , with the fifth overall pick, Miami selected shooting guard Dwyane Wade out of Marquette . Free-agent swing-man Lamar Odom
12540-480: The NBA Finals , losing in six games. After a historically short 72-day off-season, the Heat struggled to find consistency in the 2020–21 season , finishing as the sixth seed. They were swept in a first-round rematch with the eventual champion Milwaukee Bucks. The 2021 off-season saw the departures of Dragić and Iguodala, along with the acquisition of veteran Kyle Lowry and P.J. Tucker . The Heat bounced back during
12749-732: The NBA Most Valuable Player Award while playing for the Bulls, for a total of six MVP awards. The Bulls share rivalries with the Cleveland Cavaliers , Detroit Pistons , Miami Heat , and the New York Knicks . The Bulls' rivalry with the Pistons was highlighted heavily during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Outside of basketball, the Chicago Bulls are also known for their community work through their charity department, which provides youth and not-for-profit organizations with tickets to games and merchandise. The Chicago Bulls were granted an NBA franchise on January 16, 1966, making them
SECTION 60
#173284446379712958-673: The National Federation of State High School Associations and North Central Association of Colleges and Schools that bore a threat of the schools losing their accreditation the last tournament was in 1930. The organizations said they were concerned that the tournament was being used to recruit professional players from the prep ranks. The tournament did not invite minority schools or private/parochial schools. The National Catholic Interscholastic Basketball Tournament ran from 1924 to 1941 at Loyola University . The National Catholic Invitational Basketball Tournament from 1954 to 1978 played at
13167-794: The National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in New York, was organized in 1938; the NCAA national tournament began one year later. College basketball was rocked by gambling scandals from 1948 to 1951 , when dozens of players from top teams were implicated in game-fixing and point shaving . Partially spurred by an association with cheating, the NIT lost support to the NCAA tournament. Before widespread school district consolidation, most American high schools were far smaller than their present-day counterparts. During
13376-741: The Original Celtics and two all-African American teams, the New York Renaissance Five ("Rens") and the (still existing) Harlem Globetrotters played up to two hundred games a year on their national tours. In 1946, the Basketball Association of America (BAA) was formed. The first game was played in Toronto , Ontario, Canada between the Toronto Huskies and New York Knickerbockers on November 1, 1946. Three seasons later, in 1949,
13585-549: The Orlando Magic for J. J. Redick , they signed their third free agent from the Jazz in the off-season in shooting guard Ronnie Brewer , traded for former Warrior point guard C.J. Watson , and signed former Bucks power forward Kurt Thomas as well as former Spurs player Keith Bogans and former Celtic Brian Scalabrine . Rose earned the 2011 NBA MVP Award, thereby becoming the youngest player in NBA history to win it. He became
13794-674: The Orlando Magic , Charlotte Hornets , and the Minnesota Timberwolves ); the team, known as the Heat, began play in November 1988. The Miami Heat began their early years with much mediocrity, only making the playoffs twice in their first eight years and falling in the first round both times. Miami had previously been home to the Miami Floridians of the American Basketball Association (ABA) from 1968 to 1972. Upon
14003-813: The Phoenix Suns in the Finals, with Paxson's three-pointer with 3.9 seconds left giving them a 99–98 victory in Game 6 in Phoenix. On October 6, 1993, Michael Jordan shocked the basketball community by announcing his retirement, three months after his father's murder . The Bulls were then led by Scottie Pippen , who established himself as one of the top players in the league by winning the 1994 All-Star MVP. He received help from Horace Grant and B. J. Armstrong , who were named to their first all-star games. The three were assisted by Cartwright , Perdue , shooting guard Pete Myers , and Croatian rookie forward Toni Kukoč . Despite
14212-466: The Seattle SuperSonics for their fourth title . The 1995–96 Chicago Bulls are widely regarded as one of the greatest teams in the history of basketball . In the 1996–97 season , the Bulls missed out on a second consecutive 70-win season by losing their final two games to finish 69–13. They repeated their home dominance, going 39–2 at the United Center. The Bulls capped the season by defeating
14421-556: The Soviet Union , Brazil and Australia rivaling the American squads. In 1989, FIBA allowed professional NBA players to participate in the Olympics for the first time. Prior to the 1992 Summer Olympics , only European and South American teams were allowed to field professionals in the Olympics. The United States' dominance continued with the introduction of the original Dream Team . In
14630-512: The Toronto Raptors . The 2016 free agency was marked with relationship issues and disagreements between Dwyane Wade and Heat president Pat Riley , mostly focusing on how much Wade would get paid. On July 6, 2016, Wade announced that he was leaving the Heat to go join his hometown Chicago Bulls . In September 2016, Bosh failed his physical exam with the Heat and was not cleared by the team to participate in training camp. On September 26, 2016, Heat president Riley said he viewed Bosh's career with
14839-503: The United Center . In 1994, the Bulls lost Grant, Cartwright and Scott Williams to free agency, and John Paxson to retirement, but picked up shooting guard Ron Harper , the seeming heir apparent to Jordan in assistant coach Tex Winter 's triple-post offense, and small-forward Jud Buechler . The Bulls started Armstrong and Harper in the backcourt, Pippen and Kukoč at the forward spots, and Perdue at center. They also had sharpshooter Steve Kerr , whom they acquired via free agency before
15048-400: The University of Chicago , Columbia University , Cornell University , Dartmouth College , the University of Minnesota , the U.S. Naval Academy , the University of Colorado and Yale University began sponsoring men's games. In 1905, frequent injuries on the football field prompted President Theodore Roosevelt to suggest that colleges form a governing body, resulting in the creation of
15257-474: The University of Chicago , while Adolph Rupp , a student of Naismith's at Kansas, enjoyed great success as coach at the University of Kentucky . On February 9, 1895, the first intercollegiate 5-on-5 game was played at Hamline University between Hamline and the School of Agriculture, which was affiliated with the University of Minnesota . The School of Agriculture won in a 9–3 game. In 1901, colleges, including
15466-530: The playoffs . They entered the playoffs as the Eastern Conference second seed with a record of 54–28 team, and with the "Big 3" healthy. They went 12–3 in the first 3 rounds. They swept the Charlotte Bobcats . They then beat the Brooklyn Nets 4–1. They went on to play the first-seeded 56–26 Pacers in the conference finals, in a rematch of the previous year's Conference finals. The Pacers were eliminated from
15675-562: The suspension of the 2019–20 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic , the Heat were one of 22 teams invited to participate in the NBA Bubble , completing the season behind closed doors in Orlando from July to October 2020. The fifth-seeded Heat went 12–3 in the bubble playoffs to win the franchise's sixth conference championship in 15 seasons. They would meet LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in
15884-413: The " Big 3 " era. However, the Heat got off to a 9–8 start. After a "players only" meeting, the team improved. The Heat finished with a 58–24 record and the second seed. In the much anticipated 2011 NBA playoffs , Miami defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round, Boston Celtics in the conference semifinals, and Bulls in the conference finals, all in 5 games. The Heat reached the 2011 NBA Finals for
16093-421: The "HEAT Culture" uniform served as its 2024–25 "City" uniform. Miami's 2021 "Earned" uniform (rewarded after making the 2020 NBA playoffs ) marked the first time the team used yellow as a base color; previously it was only utilized as an accent color on the logo and uniforms. Letters were rendered in black with white trim, but red was not used at all in the uniform. The rivalry between the New York Knicks and
16302-537: The 1993–94 season, Myers, and centers Luc Longley (acquired via trade in 1994 from the Minnesota Timberwolves) and Bill Wennington . However, the Bulls struggled during the season, and on March 18, 1995, they received the news that Michael Jordan was coming out of retirement. He scored 55 points against the Knicks in only his fifth game back, and led the Bulls to the fifth seed in the playoffs , where they defeated
16511-469: The 2011–12 season. In the 2017–18 season, the Heat wore special "City" uniforms (named as such by Nike to commemorate local cultures and team traditions) that paid homage to the hit 1980s TV series Miami Vice . The uniforms were white with pink, light blue and black trim and featured the "Miami" wordmark inspired from the logo of the Miami Arena . For the 2018–19 season, the Heat released black versions of
16720-506: The 2015–16 Warriors. Since 1998, the Bulls have failed to regain their former success. The franchise struggled throughout the 2000s, but showed promise in the early 2010s led by Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah , culminating in back-to-back seasons above .732 in 2010–11 and 2011–12 . An ACL tear suffered by Rose and subsequent trades of key players triggered a rebuild, culminating in the lineup built around All-Stars Zach LaVine , DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vučević . Jordan and Rose won
16929-541: The 2016–17 season, 980,673 boys and girls represented their schools in interscholastic basketball competition, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations . The states of Illinois , Indiana and Kentucky are particularly well known for their residents' devotion to high school basketball, commonly called Hoosier Hysteria in Indiana; the critically acclaimed film Hoosiers shows high school basketball's depth of meaning to these communities. There
17138-405: The 50 greatest players of all time with the NBA celebrating its 50th season. Parish, whose single season with the Bulls would be his last year in the league, was nominated for his stellar career with the Boston Celtics . The 1997–98 season was one of turmoil for the NBA champion Bulls. Many speculated this would be Michael Jordan's final season with the team. Phil Jackson's future with the team
17347-578: The BAA merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) to form the National Basketball Association (NBA). By the 1950s, basketball had become a major college sport, thus paving the way for a growth of interest in professional basketball. In 1959, a basketball hall of fame was founded in Springfield , Massachusetts, site of the first game. Its rosters include the names of great players, coaches, referees and people who have contributed significantly to
17556-523: The Bullets, Hawks and Heat in the first three rounds of the playoffs en route to winning their fifth NBA championship over John Stockton , Karl Malone and the Utah Jazz . Jordan earned his second straight and ninth career scoring title, while Rodman earned his sixth straight rebounding title. Jordan and Pippen, along with Robert Parish , who was a member of the Bulls at the time, were also honored as members of
17765-482: The Bulls (coached by Chicagoan and former NBA All-Star Johnny "Red" Kerr ) were allowed to acquire players from established teams. In their inaugural 1966–67 season, the Bulls played their first game on October 15, securing an upset victory over the St. Louis Hawks . They finished the season with a 33–48 record, the best by any expansion team in NBA history at the time, and became the first (and only) expansion team to qualify for
17974-483: The Bulls made the playoffs for four consecutive seasons, including setting a franchise record of 57 wins in 1972. During this period, the team relied on key players like Sloan, Bob Love , Chet Walker , and Norm Van Lier . The Bulls made their first appearance in the conference finals in 1975 but lost to the eventual NBA champions, the Golden State Warriors , in a 4-3 series. Despite continued success through
18183-401: The Bulls no road wins, winning games 3, 4, and 6, sending the series to a deciding game seven at the United Center. The Bulls prevailed and beat the Pacers 88–83, winning their sixth Eastern Conference title. In a much-anticipated Finals, The Bulls faced the team they beat the previous year, the Utah Jazz . Led by Karl Malone and John Stockton , the Jazz felt confident that they could defeat
18392-471: The Bulls traded for Tyrus Thomas and Thabo Sefolosha and signed veteran defensive player Ben Wallace to a four-year deal. Tyson Chandler, the last player from the Krause era, was traded to the Hornets. Chicago recovered from a poor start to finish the season with a 49–33 record. In the playoffs, they swept the defending champion Miami Heat, marking their first series victory since 1998. Their postseason ended in
18601-469: The Bulls were swept, Jordan recorded a playoff single-game record 63 points in Game 2 (which still stands to this day), prompting Bird to call him 'God disguised as Michael Jordan.' In the 1986–87 season , Jordan continued his assault on the record books, leading the league in scoring with 37.1 points per game and becoming the first Bull named to the All-NBA First Team. The Bulls finished 40–42, which
18810-501: The Bulls winning 55 games during the 1993–94 season , they were beaten in seven games by the Knicks in the second round of the playoffs , after a controversial foul call by referee Hue Hollins in game 5 of that series. The Knicks eventually reached the NBA Finals that year, but lost to the Houston Rockets . The Bulls opened the 1994–95 season by leaving their home of 27 years, Chicago Stadium , and moving into their current home,
19019-402: The Bulls with a new starting lineup featuring Toni Kukoč, who led the team but couldn't prevent a 13-37 record in the lockout-shortened 1998–99 season, which included a record-low 49 points in a game against Miami. Winning the draft lottery provided a highlight, allowing the Bulls to draft Elton Brand . Despite his stellar rookie season and co-Rookie of the Year honors, injuries and trades left
19228-401: The Bulls' offense for the next two years. After suffering a broken foot early in the 1985–86 season , Jordan finished second on the team to Woolridge in scoring. Jordan returned for the playoffs , and led the eighth-place Bulls against the 67–15 Boston Celtics , led by Larry Bird . At the time, the Bulls had the fifth-worst record of any team to qualify for the playoffs in NBA history. Though
19437-491: The Bulls, winning game one at Utah's Delta Center . Facing a potential two to nothing deficit, the Bulls won Game 2 at the Delta Center and tied the series. The Bulls returned to the United Center and, by winning the next two games, took a 3–1 series lead. The Jazz won Game 5 by two points, 83–81. Game 6 was a tough battle for both teams. Scottie Pippen left early in the first quarter due to an ongoing back injury. He came back at
19646-528: The Celtics 98–79 to tie the series 3–3; James had 45 points and 15 rebounds. The deciding Game 7 was at Miami. The Celtics largely dominated during the first half. The second half saw several lead changes. The Heat eventually won 101–88, reaching the NBA Finals for the second straight year. In the much-anticipated match-up with the Oklahoma City Thunder , the Heat split the first two games, winning Game 2 on
19855-558: The Charlotte Hornets. However, Jordan and the Bulls were unable to overcome the eventual Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic , which included Horace Grant , Penny Hardaway , and Shaquille O'Neal . In the off-season, the Bulls lost Armstrong in the expansion draft, and Krause traded Perdue to the San Antonio Spurs for rebounding specialist Dennis Rodman , who had won the past four rebounding titles, and who had also been
20064-521: The Conference of Physical Training in Springfield to draw up general rules for women's basketball. Thus, the sport quickly spread throughout America's schools, colleges and universities with uniform rules for both sexes. Basketball was originally played with a soccer ball . These round balls from " association football " were made, at the time, with a set of laces to close off the hole needed for inserting
20273-479: The G League has 31 teams. FIBA (International Basketball Federation) was formed in 1932 by eight founding nations: Argentina , Czechoslovakia , Greece , Italy , Latvia , Portugal , Romania and Switzerland . At this time, the organization only oversaw amateur players. Its acronym, derived from the French Fédération Internationale de Basket-ball Amateur , was thus "FIBA". Men's basketball
20482-610: The Heat and return to the Cleveland Cavaliers . Wade and Bosh stayed in Miami. Like the Cavaliers in the 2010 off-season, the Heat focused on how it would maintain itself without LeBron. Wade and Bosh were joined by returning players Mario Chalmers , Norris Cole , Udonis Haslem and Chris Andersen along with former rivals Luol Deng and Danny Granger . The Heat also drafted Shabazz Napier and James Ennis . In 2015, they also gained Goran Dragić and his younger brother Zoran Dragić . After
20691-476: The Heat finished the 2022–23 regular season as the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference, qualifying for the play-in tournament; however, they managed to clinch their division title. In the first play-in game, they lost to the Atlanta Hawks, who eventually clinched the seventh seed in the NBA playoffs . Despite this, the Heat managed to enter the playoffs as the eighth seed after defeating the Chicago Bulls in
20900-446: The Heat gained relevance in the mid-1990s when Pat Riley became team president and head coach. Riley constructed the trades for Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway , which propelled the team into playoff contention. Mourning and Hardaway led the Heat to four consecutive division titles prior to their departures in 2001 and 2002, respectively. The team also experienced success after drafting Dwyane Wade in 2003. Led by Wade, following
21109-447: The Heat returned to the NBA Finals in 2020 and 2023 . The Heat acquired six-time NBA All-Star Kyle Lowry in 2021. The Heat hold the record for the NBA's third-longest winning streak , 27 straight games, set during the 2012–13 season. Seven Hall of Famers have played for Miami, and James won two consecutive NBA MVP Awards while playing for the team. In 1987, the NBA granted one of four new expansion teams to Miami (the others being
21318-407: The Heat were eliminated three times by the Bulls, who would go on to win the NBA championship each time. After Jordan retired and the Heat's fall in the early 2000s, the rivalry cooled but slightly picked up when the Heat faced them in the first round of the 2006 NBA playoffs, which ended in a 4–2 Heat series victory and went on to win the NBA Finals. The Bulls would sweep the defending champion Heat in
21527-471: The Heat were one of eight teams who participated in this line and wore their black 1988–99 uniforms, updated to the current Nike uniform cut. In the 2022–23 season , the Heat wore a white version of the uniforms from the same era. The current Heat uniforms have been in use since the 1999–2000 season . These uniforms, though similar, have marked differences such as striping on both sides, change from orange to yellow trim, updated lettering and block numbers, and
21736-431: The Heat wore special "City" uniforms that mixed various uniform styles used by the team. The black-based uniform featured a mix of lettering taken from the Heat's previous and current uniform sets, including the throwback Floridians and Miami Vice "City" set. Players were allowed to choose their own number styles. A white version of this uniform served as its 2022–23 "City" uniform. The 2023–24 "City" uniform centered around
21945-405: The Heat's 20th and 25th anniversary seasons, respectively, while the original black uniforms were used as throwbacks in the 2013–14 season. The classic white uniforms were used again for the 2015–16 season. As part of Nike 's uniform contract with the NBA, the so-called "Classic" edition was introduced and featured modernized throwback uniform designs from past years. During the 2017–18 season ,
22154-456: The Heat. Patrick Ewing and Alonzo Mourning had been friends from their Georgetown college basketball period. Larry Johnson, one of the Knicks, held bad blood with Mourning as far back as their days in the Charlotte Hornets . The rivalry with the Chicago Bulls began once the Miami Heat became contenders during the 1990s, a decade dominated by the Bulls and Michael Jordan . During that period,
22363-492: The Indiana Pacers in Game 7. Miami became the first Eastern Conference team to reach the NBA Finals in three straight years since the Chicago Bulls in the late 1990s. Miami lost Game 1 of the Finals on their home floor in a close game that was decided by a last-minute buzzer beater by Tony Parker . The Heat went on to win Game 2 with a 33–5 run in the second half. The two teams continued to trade wins leading up to Game 6 where
22572-630: The Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (IAAUS). In 1910, that body changed its name to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The first Canadian interuniversity basketball game was played at YMCA in Kingston , Ontario on February 6, 1904, when McGill University – Naismith's alma mater – visited Queen's University . McGill won 9–7 in overtime;
22781-468: The Miami Vice uniforms. In addition, a pink version of the uniform was unveiled as part of Nike's "Earned" series which were exclusive only to the 16 teams that qualified in the 2018 NBA playoffs . A light blue version of the uniforms was used in the 2019–20 season. The Vice theme continued with the 2020–21 "City" uniform, this time featuring a pink and blue gradient and black letters. In the 2021–22 season,
22990-617: The Milwaukee Bucks and Tyrus Thomas to the Charlotte Bobcats. The Bulls finished with the eighth seed in the 2010 playoffs but were eliminated in five games by the Cleveland Cavaliers. In May 2010, the team fired head coach Vinny Del Negro. In early June 2010, Boston Celtics assistant Tom Thibodeau accepted a three-year contract to fill the Bulls' head coaching vacancy. He was officially introduced on June 23. On July 7, it
23199-505: The Miss Head's School. In 1899, a committee was established at the Conference of Physical Training in Springfield to draw up general rules for women's basketball. These rules, designed by Berenson, were published in 1899. In 1902 Berenson became the editor of A. G. Spalding 's first Women's Basketball Guide. The same year women of Mount Holyoke and Sophie Newcomb College (coached by Clara Gregory Baer ), began playing basketball. By 1895,
23408-463: The NBA Finals the previous year. Miami had qualified for the playoffs for six consecutive seasons. At the 2015 NBA draft lottery , the Heat were awarded the 10th pick for the 2015 NBA draft , which was used to select Duke forward Justise Winslow . During the 2015–16 season, the Heat compiled a 48–34 regular season record; however, their season ended in the Conference semifinals where they lost to
23617-493: The NBA Finals, they faced the Denver Nuggets , losing in five games. Unveiled prior to the 1988–89 season , the original Miami Heat uniforms consist of simple striping, exclusive only on the right side of the jersey and shorts. The home uniforms were white with lettering in red, black and orange trim, while the away uniforms were black with red, white and orange trim; the numbers were white with red, black and orange trim, using
23826-481: The NBA) for a short meeting with the players, are allowed. They generally last no longer than one minute (100 seconds in the NBA) unless, for televised games, a commercial break is needed. The game is controlled by the officials consisting of the referee (referred to as crew chief in the NBA), one or two umpires (referred to as referees in the NBA) and the table officials. For college, the NBA, and many high schools, there are
24035-404: The NBA, and U Sports (Canadian universities) play for both sexes, and 30 seconds in NCAA play for both sexes), holding the ball while closely guarded (5 seconds), and remaining in the restricted area known as the free-throw lane, (or the " key ") (3 seconds). These rules are designed to promote more offense. There are also limits on how players may block an opponent's field goal attempt or help
24244-673: The NBA. Top international players began coming into the NBA in the mid-1990s, including Croatians Dražen Petrović and Toni Kukoč , Serbian Vlade Divac , Lithuanians Arvydas Sabonis and Šarūnas Marčiulionis , Dutchman Rik Smits and German Detlef Schrempf . In the Philippines, the Philippine Basketball Association 's first game was played on April 9, 1975, at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao , Quezon City , Philippines. It
24453-460: The New York Knicks in exchange for Michael Sweetney , Tim Thomas and future draft picks. The Bulls struggled without a significant post presence but managed a 12–2 late-season run, finishing 41–41. They qualified for the playoffs but were defeated by the Miami Heat, who went on to win the championship. Despite the loss, key players gained valuable postseason experience. In the 2006 NBA Draft,
24662-651: The San Antonio Spurs for center Dave Corzine , the Bulls employed a high-powered offense centered on Theus, and which soon included guards Quintin Dailey and Ennis Whatley . However, with continued dismal results, the Bulls decided to change direction, trading Theus to the Kansas City Kings during the 1983–84 season . Attendance began to dwindle, with the Wirtz family looking to sell to ownership groups interested in moving
24871-578: The Savages : "Among other things, a game of skill is described in which balls must be thrown against a target woven from twigs, mounted high on a pole. There's a small reward for the player if the target is being hit." In December 1891, James Naismith , a Canadian-American professor of physical education and instructor at the International Young Men's Christian Association Training School (now Springfield College ) in Springfield, Massachusetts ,
25080-472: The Spurs, up 10 heading in the fourth quarter, were in position to close out the series and win the championship. James went on to score 16 points in the period, outscoring the entire Spurs team by himself at one point. With 5.2 seconds remaining, Ray Allen scored a three-pointer to tie the game at 95–all and force overtime, where the Heat won the game 103–100. The Heat went on to defeat the Spurs 95–88 in Game 7 behind
25289-428: The United States, and it quickly spread through the United States and Canada. By 1895, it was well established at several women's high schools. While YMCA was responsible for initially developing and spreading the game, within a decade it discouraged the new sport, as rough play and rowdy crowds began to detract from YMCA's primary mission. However, other amateur sports clubs, colleges, and professional clubs quickly filled
25498-459: The United States, basketball has evolved to become one of the world's most popular and widely viewed sports. The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the most significant professional basketball league in the world in terms of popularity, salaries, talent, and level of competition (drawing most of its talent from U.S. college basketball ). Outside North America, the top clubs from national leagues qualify to continental championships such as
25707-450: The WNBA to break even this year." Measurements and time limits discussed in this section often vary among tournaments and organizations; international and NBA rules are used in this section. The object of the game is to outscore one's opponents by throwing the ball through the opponents' basket from above while preventing the opponents from doing so on their own. An attempt to score in this way
25916-506: The act of shooting, depending on whether the shot was successful. One point is awarded for making a free throw, which is attempted from a line 15 feet (4.6 m) from the basket. Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago . The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division of
26125-407: The allotted game time, typically about two hours. Five players from each team may be on the court at one time. Substitutions are unlimited but can only be done when play is stopped. Teams also have a coach, who oversees the development and strategies of the team, and other team personnel such as assistant coaches, managers, statisticians, doctors and trainers. For both men's and women's teams,
26334-468: The backcourt, Brad Sellers and Oakley at the forward spots, Corzine anchoring center, and rookies Pippen and Grant coming off the bench, the Bulls won 50 games and advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals, where they were beaten by the eventual Eastern Conference Champions Detroit Pistons in five games. For his efforts, Jordan was named NBA Most Valuable Player , an award he would win four more times over his career. The 1987–88 season would also mark
26543-490: The basket if one is scored. The defense gains possession in all cases of goaltending or basket interference. An attempt to unfairly disadvantage an opponent through certain types of physical contact is illegal and is called a personal foul. These are most commonly committed by defensive players; however, they can be committed by offensive players as well. Players who are fouled either receive the ball to pass inbounds again, or receive one or more free throws if they are fouled in
26752-414: The basketball is also regulated. For men, the official ball is 29.5 inches (75 cm) in circumference (size 7, or a "295 ball") and weighs 22 oz (620 g). If women are playing, the official basketball size is 28.5 inches (72 cm) in circumference (size 6, or a "285 ball") with a weight of 20 oz (570 g). In 3x3 , a formalized version of the halfcourt 3-on-3 game, a dedicated ball with
26961-457: The best road record in a standard 41 road-game season (33–8), the all-time best start by a team (41–3), and the best start at home (37–0). The Bulls also posted the second-best home record in history (39–2), behind only the 1985–86 Celtics 40–1 home mark. The team triumphed over the Miami Heat in the first round, the New York Knicks in the second round, the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals and finally Gary Payton , Shawn Kemp and
27170-451: The best single-season record at that time, moving from 47–35 to 72–10, becoming the first NBA team to win 70 or more games. Jordan won his eighth scoring title, and Rodman his fifth straight rebounding title, while Kerr finished second in the league in three-point shooting percentage. Jordan garnered the elusive triple crown with the NBA MVP , NBA All-Star Game MVP , and NBA Finals MVP . Krause
27379-516: The champion dwindled after 1954 when Brown v. Board of Education began an integration of schools. The last tournaments were held at Alabama State College from 1964 to 1967. Teams abounded throughout the 1920s. There were hundreds of men's professional basketball teams in towns and cities all over the United States, and little organization of the professional game. Players jumped from team to team and teams played in armories and smoky dance halls. Leagues came and went. Barnstorming squads such as
27588-419: The circumference of a size 6 ball but the weight of a size 7 ball is used in all competitions (men's, women's, and mixed teams). The ball may be advanced toward the basket by being shot, passed between players, thrown, tapped, rolled or dribbled (bouncing the ball while running). The ball must stay within the court; the last team to touch the ball before it travels out of bounds forfeits possession. The ball
27797-439: The court and backboard, it is considered important for the basket to be of the correct height – a rim that is off by just a few inches can have an adverse effect on shooting. The net must "check the ball momentarily as it passes through the basket" to aid the visual confirmation that the ball went through. The act of checking the ball has the further advantage of slowing down the ball so the rebound does not go as far. The size of
28006-535: The development of the game. The hall of fame has people who have accomplished many goals in their career in basketball. An upstart organization, the American Basketball Association , emerged in 1967 and briefly threatened the NBA's dominance until the ABA-NBA merger in 1976. Today the NBA is the top professional basketball league in the world in terms of popularity, salaries, talent, and level of competition. The NBA has featured many famous players, including George Mikan ,
28215-408: The early 1970s, the team faced challenges in the late decade. After four seasons of 50 or more wins, Williams left for Philadelphia, and Motta took on both the coaching and general manager roles. The Bulls' performance declined significantly, culminating in a 24–58 season in 1975–76 . As a result, Motta was fired and replaced by Ed Badger . Klein sold the Bulls to the Wirtz family, longtime owners of
28424-796: The ending of the game was replayed three times until the Soviet Union finally came out on top. In 1950 the first FIBA World Championship for men, now known as the FIBA Basketball World Cup , was held in Argentina. Three years later, the first FIBA World Championship for women, now known as the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup , was held in Chile. Women's basketball was added to the Olympics in 1976, which were held in Montreal , Quebec, Canada with teams such as
28633-468: The expansion Miami Heat was a result of their four consecutive playoff series from 1997 to 2000. Each series went seven games. The rivalry's central figure was Pat Riley , the head coach of both teams (the early 1990s for the Knicks and the late 1990s for the Heat). Jeff Van Gundy took over Riley's stint as head coach of the Knicks, while his elder brother Stan Van Gundy was simultaneously an assistant coach for
28842-421: The fact that he got into a verbal argument with Spoelstra. However, with Wade visiting his former college coach, the team defeated the Pacers in the next three games, to close out the Pacers. They met the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals , taking the first two games before losing the next three, including one home loss where Bosh returned from injury. On June 7 they won on the road at Boston beating
29051-546: The final seeding game. They faced the Milwaukee Bucks in their third playoff meeting in four seasons, and eventually defeated them in five games, becoming the sixth team to eliminate a top-seeded team in the first round. They next defeated the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals and the Eastern Conference Finals, respectively. Becoming just the second eighth seed to reach
29260-416: The first Bulls player since Michael Jordan to win the award. As a team, Chicago finished the regular season with a league-best 62–20 record and clinched the first seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time since 1998. The Bulls defeated the Indiana Pacers and the Atlanta Hawks in five and six games, respectively, thereby reaching the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 1998, and faced
29469-472: The first decades of the 20th century, basketball quickly became the ideal interscholastic sport due to its modest equipment and personnel requirements. In the days before widespread television coverage of professional and college sports, the popularity of high school basketball was unrivaled in many parts of America. Perhaps the most legendary of high school teams was Indiana's Franklin Wonder Five , which took
29678-798: The first dominating "big man"; ball-handling wizard Bob Cousy and defensive genius Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics ; charismatic center Wilt Chamberlain , who originally played for the barnstorming Harlem Globetrotters ; all-around stars Oscar Robertson and Jerry West ; more recent big men Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , Shaquille O'Neal , Hakeem Olajuwon and Karl Malone ; playmakers John Stockton , Isiah Thomas and Steve Nash ; crowd-pleasing forwards Julius Erving and Charles Barkley ; European stars Dirk Nowitzki , Pau Gasol and Tony Parker ; Latin American stars Manu Ginobili , more recent superstars, Allen Iverson , Kobe Bryant , Tim Duncan , LeBron James , Stephen Curry , Giannis Antetokounmpo , etc.; and
29887-544: The first round and the semifinals, Miami went back to the conference finals for the first time in eight years, where it met the defending champion Detroit Pistons . Despite taking a 3–2 lead, Miami lost Wade to injury for Game 6. The Heat would go on to lose Game 7 at home despite Wade's return. In the summer of 2005, Riley brought in veteran free agent Gary Payton from the Boston Celtics , and also brought in James Posey , Jason Williams and Antoine Walker via trades. After
30096-466: The first round of the playoffs, Rose tore his ACL during Game 1 against the Philadelphia 76ers, sidelining him for the remainder of the series. Joakim Noah also sustained a foot injury during Game 3. The Bulls, weakened by these absences, lost the series in six games, becoming one of the few first-seeded teams eliminated by an eighth-seed. Subsequent roster changes saw the departures of key players, including Kyle Korver, C.J. Watson , and Ömer Aşık , while
30305-570: The first round the next season. The rivalry has intensified with the resurgence of the Bulls, and the emergence of Derrick Rose and the Heat re-signing Dwyane Wade (who turned down a chance of joining his hometown Bulls) with newly acquired superstars in Chris Bosh and LeBron James (who spurned a chance of teaming up with Rose in Chicago). The revived rivalry has been very physical, involving rough plays and hard fouls between players. Both teams met in
30514-457: The first time since 2006, in a rematch against the Dallas Mavericks . After taking a 2–1 series lead, the Heat lost the final three games to the Mavericks. After the second NBA lockout ended, the Heat signed veteran Shane Battier . In the shortened 2011–12 season , the Heat started 27–7. However they would struggle for the second half of the season, going 19–13. The Heat finished 46–20, earning
30723-406: The first-ever rights fees to be paid to a women's professional sports league. Over the eight years of the contract, "millions and millions of dollars" were "dispersed to the league's teams." In a March 12, 2009, article, NBA commissioner David Stern said that in the bad economy, "the NBA is far less profitable than the WNBA. We're losing a lot of money among a large number of teams. We're budgeting
30932-425: The game had spread to colleges across the country, including Wellesley , Vassar , and Bryn Mawr . The first intercollegiate women's game was on April 4, 1896. Stanford women played Berkeley , 9-on-9, ending in a 2–1 Stanford victory. Women's basketball development was more structured than that for men in the early years. In 1905, the executive committee on Basket Ball Rules (National Women's Basketball Committee)
31141-489: The inflatable bladder after the other sewn-together segments of the ball's cover had been flipped outside-in. These laces could cause bounce passes and dribbling to be unpredictable. Eventually a lace-free ball construction method was invented, and this change to the game was endorsed by Naismith (whereas in American football , the lace construction proved to be advantageous for gripping and remains to this day). The first balls made specifically for basketball were brown, and it
31350-506: The league MVP for the fifth and final time, and the Bulls went into the playoffs as the number one seed in the Eastern Conference. The first round of the playoffs for the Bulls was against the New Jersey Nets , a team led by Keith Van Horn , Kendall Gill and Sam Cassell . The Bulls swept the Nets three to nothing in a best of five series. The conference semi-finals were more challenging with
31559-401: The league in scoring for the fourth straight season and was joined on the all-star squad for the first time by Pippen. There was also a major change during the off-season, where head coach Doug Collins was replaced by assistant coach Phil Jackson . The Bulls also picked up rookie center Stacey King and rookie point guard B. J. Armstrong in the 1989 draft . With these additional players and
31768-545: The league's popularity and level of competition. Other professional women's basketball leagues in the United States, such as the American Basketball League (1996–98) , have folded in part because of the popularity of the WNBA. The WNBA has been looked at by many as a niche league. However, the league has recently taken steps forward. In June 2007, the WNBA signed a contract extension with ESPN . The new television deal ran from 2009 to 2016. Along with this deal, came
31977-648: The league) and steals (fourth), and led the Bulls back to the playoffs , where they lost in four games to the Milwaukee Bucks . For his efforts, he was rewarded with a selection to the All-NBA Second Team and the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. In the following off-season, the team acquired point guard John Paxson and on draft day traded with the Cavaliers for the rights to power forward Charles Oakley . Along with Jordan and center Dave Corzine , they provided much of
32186-428: The mantra of "HEAT Culture" within the organization. The black-based uniform featured the team name in red and "CULTURE" in white letters. The number font was based on the 1988–99 uniforms. A modified version of the uniform was worn by Jaime Jaquez Jr. during the 2024 All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contest , with "EL HEAT CULTURA" emblazoned in front to acknowledge Jaquez Jr.'s Mexican American heritage. A red version of
32395-423: The mezzanine balcony of the playing court, but this proved impractical when spectators in the balcony began to interfere with shots. The backboard was introduced to prevent this interference; it had the additional effect of allowing rebound shots. Naismith's handwritten diaries, discovered by his granddaughter in early 2006, indicate that he was nervous about the new game he had invented, which incorporated rules from
32604-443: The most in a playoff game since 1995. In Game 3, Nazr Mohammed was ejected for shoving LeBron James early in the second quarter. Norris Cole had his jersey ripped by Taj Gibson while driving to the basket for a layup. Joakim Noah was seen applauding and cheering on the image of Chris Bosh arguing with Mario Chalmers . Noah received a technical foul for shoving Chris Andersen after he fell on Nate Robinson . Chalmers received
32813-489: The nation by storm during the 1920s, dominating Indiana basketball and earning national recognition. Today virtually every high school in the United States fields a basketball team in varsity competition. Basketball's popularity remains high, both in rural areas where they carry the identification of the entire community, as well as at some larger schools known for their basketball teams where many players go on to participate at higher levels of competition after graduation. In
33022-402: The nearby Smith College , went to Naismith to learn more about the game. Fascinated by the new sport and the values it could teach, she started to organize games with her pupils, following adjusted rules. The first official women's interinstitutional game was played barely 11 months later, between the University of California and the Miss Head's School. In 1899, a committee was established at
33231-400: The new sport and the values it could teach, she instantly introduced the game as a class exercise and soon after teams were organized. The first women's collegiate basketball game was played on March 21, 1893, when her Smith freshmen and sophomores played against one another. The first official women's interinstitutional game was played later that year between the University of California and
33440-515: The next round with a 4–2 loss to the Detroit Pistons. The 2007 offseason brought speculation of major trades involving players like Kevin Garnett , Pau Gasol , and Kobe Bryant , but none materialized. The Bulls began the 2007–08 season poorly, leading to the dismissal of head coach Scott Skiles in December. Interim coach Jim Boylan was appointed but could not reverse the team’s fortunes, and they ended
33649-426: The number 1 draft pick, and Sonny Weems at number 39. The Bulls later traded Weems to the Denver Nuggets for Denver's 2009 regular second-round draft pick. The Bulls also made several trades, including one that brought Ömer Aşık to the team. The team re-signed Luol Deng to a six-year deal, although he was sidelined for much of the season due to injury. In February 2009, the Bulls made multiple trades to strengthen
33858-454: The offense, a violation of these rules results in loss of possession; for the defense, most leagues reset the shot clock and the offensive team is given possession of the ball out of bounds. There are limits imposed on the time taken before progressing the ball past halfway (8 seconds in FIBA and the NBA; 10 seconds in NCAA and high school for both sexes), before attempting a shot (24 seconds in FIBA,
34067-409: The only NBA franchise to win multiple championships while never losing an NBA Finals series in their history. The Bulls won 72 games during the 1995–96 season , setting an NBA record that stood until the Golden State Warriors won 73 games during the 2015–16 season . The Bulls were the first team in NBA history to win 70 games or more in a single season, and the only NBA franchise to do so until
34276-405: The opposing team from shooting through their own hoop. A field goal is worth two points, unless made from behind the three-point line , when it is worth three. After a foul, timed play stops and the player fouled or designated to shoot a technical foul is given one, two or three one-point free throws . The team with the most points at the end of the game wins, but if regulation play expires with
34485-476: The player's names at the back replaced by their nicknames (e.g. 'King James' for LeBron James). They wore the uniforms for select home games that season. From 2012 to 2014, the Heat wore special monochrome uniforms: an all-black ensemble in the 2011–12 season, an all-white version in the 2012–13 season, and an all-red attire in the 2013–14 season. In 2015, a variation of their all-black uniforms, featuring drop shadows, centered numbers and heavy striping inspired from
34694-607: The playoffs by virtue of a tiebreaker with the Chicago Bulls. On February 8, 2018, the Cleveland Cavaliers traded Dwyane Wade back to Miami. Wade willed the Heat to a game two win against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the 2018 playoffs , but the team would lose the series in five games. Wade retired after one last season with the Heat in 2018–19 ; Bosh and Wade's jerseys were retired in March 2019 and February 2020, respectively. In 2019–20 , Miami acquired All-Star Jimmy Butler , Andre Iguodala , and Jae Crowder , and drafted Kentucky shooting guard Tyler Herro . Following
34903-488: The playoffs for a third consecutive year by the Heat. The Heat went to a fourth consecutive Finals , and faced the Spurs again. The first two games in San Antonio were split but the Heat fell to the Spurs 4–1, failing to repeat as champions for the third consecutive season. On July 11, 2014, LeBron James announced on Sports Illustrated 's website that after opting out of the final year of his contract, he would leave
35112-478: The playoffs. Guard Guy Rodgers , who led the league in assists, and forward Jerry Sloan were named All-Stars, and Kerr earned Coach of the Year honors. The Bulls initially played their home games at the International Amphitheatre before moving to Chicago Stadium . Despite their early success, fan interest waned over the next few seasons, with attendance dropping significantly. One Bull's game in
35321-482: The previous year's starting five, the Bulls again made it to the Conference Finals and pushed the Pistons to seven games before being eliminated for the third straight year, the Pistons going on to repeat as NBA champions. In the 1990–91 season , the Bulls recorded a then-franchise record 61 wins, and romped through the playoffs , where they swept the Knicks in the first round, defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in
35530-451: The purchasing of the franchise by Carnival Cruise Lines chairman Micky Arison in 1995, Pat Riley was brought in as the team president and head coach. Riley acquired center Alonzo Mourning and point guard Tim Hardaway to serve as the centerpieces for the team, transforming Miami into a championship contender throughout the late 1990s. With them they also brought in a new team trainer, Cody Posselt, to work on shooting. The Heat underwent
35739-462: The right to select first in the NBA draft ( Rod Thorn , the Bulls' general manager, called "heads"). Had the Bulls won the toss, they would have selected Magic Johnson ; instead, they selected David Greenwood with the second pick. The Los Angeles Lakers selected Johnson with the pick acquired from the New Orleans Jazz , who traded the selection for Gail Goodrich . After Gilmore was traded to
35948-424: The road, before sweeping the next three at home. James was named the Finals MVP as he won his first NBA championship. On July 11, 2012, the Heat officially signed veterans Ray Allen to a three-year contract and Rashard Lewis to a two-year contract. The Heat later posted a 27-game winning streak from February 3, 2013, and March 27, 2013. Defeating Orlando in the season finale set the franchise record for 66 wins in
36157-593: The roster, including a deal with the Sacramento Kings for Brad Miller and John Salmons , and another with the Oklahoma City Thunder for a first-round pick. These moves helped the team secure a playoff spot, finishing the season at .500 with a 41–41 record. In the playoffs, they faced the Boston Celtics in a dramatic seven-game series. In Game 1, Derrick Rose scored 36 points, along with 11 assists, tying Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 's record for most points scored by
36366-433: The same font as the classic Los Angeles Lakers jerseys. The original 'flaming ball' logo is on the left leg of the shorts while the word 'Miami' is on the right leg. In the 1995–96 season the Heat introduced a red alternate uniform with lettering and numbers in black, white and orange trim. The original set lasted until the 1998–99 season . The original white and red uniforms were reintroduced as throwback uniforms during
36575-459: The score tied, an additional period of play ( overtime ) is mandated. Players advance the ball by bouncing it while walking or running (dribbling) or by passing it to a teammate, both of which require considerable skill. On offense, players may use a variety of shots – the layup , the jump shot , or a dunk ; on defense, they may steal the ball from a dribbler, intercept passes, or block shots; either offense or defense may collect
36784-564: The score was 7–7 at the end of regulation play, and a ten-minute overtime period settled the outcome. A good turnout of spectators watched the game. The first men's national championship tournament, the National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball tournament, which still exists as the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) tournament , was organized in 1937. The first national championship for NCAA teams,
36993-406: The season with a 33–49 record. In a midseason trade, the team acquired Drew Gooden , Larry Hughes , and others in exchange for Ben Wallace and Joe Smith. Following the season, Boylan was not retained, and the search for a new head coach culminated in the hiring of Vinny Del Negro , a rookie coach supported by experienced assistants Del Harris , Bernie Bickerstaff , and Bob Ociepka . With only
37202-525: The second seed in the East for the NBA playoffs . Entering the first round, they took a 3–0 lead against the New York Knicks but like their previous series with the Sixers, were not able to close them out in Game 4. A victory in Game 5 ultimately defeated New York and the Heat advanced to the second round versus the Indiana Pacers . After losing Game 2 at home and Game 3 at Indiana, many criticized Dwyane Wade 's lackluster performance in Game 3, bringing attention to
37411-451: The second team in NBA history to snap two winning streaks of 13 games or more in a season. In 2013–14, Rose sustained another significant injury, tearing his medial meniscus just 10 games into the season, sidelining him once again. The Bulls traded Luol Deng to the Cleveland Cavaliers midseason, receiving Andrew Bynum and draft picks in return, though Bynum was immediately waived. Despite finishing 48–34 and earning home-court advantage in
37620-460: The semifinals, and then swept the defending champion Pistons in the Conference Finals, then winning the NBA Finals in five games over the Magic Johnson -led Los Angeles Lakers . The Bulls won their second straight title in 1992 after racking up another franchise record for wins with 67. They swept the Miami Heat in the first round, defeated the Knicks in seven games in the second round, then
37829-430: The shorts, these uniforms remain in use with the Heat today. Following the switch to Nike as the uniform provider in the 2017–18 season, the Heat's current uniforms now fall under three categories. The white uniforms are part of the "Association" line, the black uniforms are on the "Icon" line and the red uniforms are assigned to the "Statement" line. All three uniforms are now used regardless of home or away games. Since
38038-427: The signing of reigning league MVP LeBron James and NBA All-Star Chris Bosh , creating the " Big Three " along with Wade. During their four years together, Spoelstra, James, Wade, and Bosh led the Heat to the NBA Finals in every season, culminating in back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013 . All three departed by 2016, and the team entered a period of rebuilding. After acquiring All-Star Jimmy Butler in 2019,
38247-463: The sport in Australia. The Women's National Basketball League began in 1981. Women began to play basketball in the fall of 1892 at Smith College through Senda Berenson , substitute director of the newly opened gymnasium and physical education teacher, after having modified the rules for women. Shortly after Berenson was hired at Smith, she visited Naismith to learn more about the game. Fascinated by
38456-492: The start of the Pistons-Bulls rivalry which was formed from 1988 to 1991. The 1988–89 season marked a second straight year of major off-season moves. Power forward Charles Oakley , who had led the league in total rebounds in both 1987 and 1988, was traded on the eve of the 1988 NBA draft to the New York Knicks along with a first-round draft pick used by the Knicks to select Rod Strickland for center Bill Cartwright and
38665-434: The start of the second half, and after a trip or two to the locker room to get physical therapy, came back out to finish the game. Late in the game and down by three points to the Jazz, Michael Jordan led the Bulls to one final win. Jordan hit a shot to bring the Bulls within 1, then stole the ball from Karl Malone and hit the game winning shot with 5.2 seconds remaining on the clock. With a score of 87–86, John Stockton put up
38874-483: The team added Marco Belinelli , Nate Robinson , and Nazr Mohammed . Rose missed the entire 2012–13 season, yet the Bulls finished 45–37 and advanced to the second round of the playoffs after a seven-game victory over the Brooklyn Nets. They were eliminated by the Miami Heat in five games. During the season, the Bulls snapped both Miami's 27-game winning streak and the New York Knicks' 13-game winning streak, becoming
39083-496: The team as over, noting that the team was no longer working toward his return. On July 4, 2017, the Heat waived Bosh a month after an NBA ruling declared his blood clotting issues a career-ending illness. Riley immediately announced that Bosh's number would be retired in the future out of respect to him and his accomplishments with the Heat. With nearly all remnants of the Big Three era gone in just two seasons, Miami went 41–41 and missed
39292-425: The team floundering at 17-65 in 1999–2000. Attempts to attract top free agents failed, and new additions like Brad Miller and Ron Mercer didn't improve results, leading to a league-worst 15-67 record the following season. Krause shocked fans by trading Brand for Tyson Chandler and drafting Eddy Curry , both seen as long-term prospects. Without veteran leadership, the team struggled, despite mid-season trades and
39501-548: The team out of Chicago, before selling to local ownership. In the summer of 1984, the Bulls had the third pick of the 1984 NBA draft , after Houston and Portland. The Rockets selected Hakeem Olajuwon , the Blazers picked Sam Bowie and the Bulls chose shooting guard Michael Jordan . The team, with new management in owner Jerry Reinsdorf and general manager Jerry Krause , decided to rebuild around Jordan. Jordan set franchise records during his rookie campaign for scoring (third in
39710-480: The team's strategy to defense, but the Bulls still finished 23-59. Kirk Hinrich emerged as a fan favorite, earning All-Rookie honors amid another disappointing season. Between 2004 and 2008, the Chicago Bulls underwent notable roster transformations and fluctuating on-court results in their efforts to rebuild as a competitive team. In the 2004 NBA Draft, General Manager John Paxson acquired Ben Gordon , Luol Deng , and Chris Duhon while also signing Andrés Nocioni ,
39919-614: The third NBA team in Chicago's history, following the Chicago Stags (1946–1950) and the Chicago Packers/Zephyrs (1961–1963) . The franchise was founded by Dick Klein , the only owner in Bulls history to have played professional basketball, having previously played for the Chicago American Gears . Klein served as the team’s general manager and president during its formative years. After the 1966 NBA Expansion Draft ,
40128-416: The three players who many credit with ushering the professional game to its highest level of popularity during the 1980s and 1990s: Larry Bird , Earvin "Magic" Johnson , and Michael Jordan . In 2001, the NBA formed a developmental league, the National Basketball Development League (later known as the NBA D-League and then the NBA G League after a branding deal with Gatorade ). As of the 2023–24 season,
40337-411: The visiting Hornets. In that game, Michael Jordan recorded 42 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists for the Bulls. The next game, they were up against the Boston Celtics. The Bulls scored 35 points in the third quarter as they pulled away against the Celtics, 107–85. Six Bulls players scored in double figures in this win. The 1995–96 Bulls posted one of the best single-season improvements in league history and
40546-411: The void. In the years before World War I , the Amateur Athletic Union and the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (forerunner of the NCAA ) vied for control over the rules for the game. The first pro league, the National Basketball League, was formed in 1898 to protect players from exploitation and to promote a less rough game. This league only lasted five years. James Naismith
40755-399: Was also questionable, as his relationship with team general manager Jerry Krause was one of growing tension. Scottie Pippen was looking for a significant contract extension that he thought he deserved, but was not getting from the organization. In spite of the turmoil that surrounded the Bulls, they still had a remarkable season, with a final regular season record of 62–20. Jordan would be named
40964-403: Was common by 1896, with a rule against the double dribble by 1898. The peach baskets were used until 1906 when they were finally replaced by metal hoops with backboards. A further change was soon made, so the ball merely passed through. Whenever a person got the ball in the basket, his team would gain a point. Whichever team got the most points won the game. The baskets were originally nailed to
41173-461: Was created by the American Physical Education Association . These rules called for six to nine players per team and 11 officials. The International Women's Sports Federation (1924) included a women's basketball competition. 37 women's high school varsity basketball or state tournaments were held by 1925. And in 1926, the Amateur Athletic Union backed the first national women's basketball championship , complete with men's rules. The Edmonton Grads ,
41382-401: Was first included at the Berlin 1936 Summer Olympics , although a demonstration tournament was held in 1904. The United States defeated Canada in the first final, played outdoors. This competition has usually been dominated by the United States, whose team has won all but three titles. The first of these came in a controversial final game in Munich in 1972 against the Soviet Union, in which
41591-474: Was founded as a "rebellion" of several teams from the now-defunct Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association, which was tightly controlled by the Basketball Association of the Philippines (now defunct), the then-FIBA recognized national association. Nine teams from the MICAA participated in the league's first season that opened on April 9, 1975. The NBL is Australia's pre-eminent men's professional basketball league. The league commenced in 1979 , playing
41800-407: Was good enough to qualify them for the playoffs. However, they were again swept by the Celtics in the playoffs . In the 1987 draft , to address their lack of depth, Krause selected center Olden Polynice eighth overall and power forward Horace Grant 10th overall, then sent Polynice to Seattle in a draft-day trade for the fifth selection, small forward Scottie Pippen . With Paxson and Jordan in
42009-418: Was instrumental in establishing college basketball . His colleague C. O. Beamis fielded the first college basketball team just a year after the Springfield YMCA game at the suburban Pittsburgh Geneva College . Naismith himself later coached at the University of Kansas for six years, before handing the reins to renowned coach Forrest "Phog" Allen . Naismith's disciple Amos Alonzo Stagg brought basketball to
42218-399: Was named NBA Executive of the Year , Jackson Coach of the Year, and Kukoč the Sixth Man of the Year. Both Pippen and Jordan made the All-NBA First Team, and Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman made the All-Defensive First Team, making the Bulls one of several teams in NBA history with three players on the All-Defensive First Team. In addition, the 1995–96 team holds several other records, including
42427-444: Was named the NBA Finals MVP , becoming the fifth player to win the award back-to-back along with Michael Jordan , Hakeem Olajuwon , Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant , and only the second player in NBA history to win the Finals MVP and league MVP back-to-back along with Jordan. Miami struggled throughout the 2013–14 season with extended absences of Dwyane Wade, who only played 54 games to injury and ended on an 11–14 record entering
42636-412: Was not an official Olympic sport until 1976. The Grads' players were unpaid, and had to remain single. The Grads' style focused on team play, without overly emphasizing skills of individual players. The first women's AAU All-America team was chosen in 1929. Women's industrial leagues sprang up throughout the United States, producing famous athletes, including Babe Didrikson of the Golden Cyclones , and
42845-424: Was only in the late 1950s that Tony Hinkle , searching for a ball that would be more visible to players and spectators alike, introduced the orange ball that is now in common use. Dribbling was not part of the original game except for the "bounce pass" to teammates. Passing the ball was the primary means of ball movement. Dribbling was eventually introduced but limited by the asymmetric shape of early balls. Dribbling
43054-477: Was promoted to head coach. A healthy Wade led the Heat to 43 wins in 2009 and 47 wins in 2010, making the playoffs both seasons, though they lost in the first round, 4–3 in 2009 and 4–1 in 2010. Wade was the scoring champion in 2009 and the NBA All-Star MVP in 2010. Entering the 2010–11 season with nearly $ 48 million in salary cap space, the Heat caused a major power shift during the blockbuster 2010 free agency, adding Chris Bosh and LeBron James , starting
43263-463: Was revealed that Carlos Boozer of the Utah Jazz had verbally agreed to an $ 80 million, five-year contract. Afterwards, the Bulls traded veteran point guard Kirk Hinrich to the Washington Wizards to create more cap space. The Bulls also signed former 76er and Jazz sharpshooter Kyle Korver to a three-year, $ 15 million contract. The same day that the Bulls signed Kyle Korver, they signed Turkish All-Star Ömer Aşık . After being matched by
43472-411: Was signed from the Los Angeles Clippers . Just prior to the start of the 2003–04 season, Riley stepped down as head coach to focus on rebuilding the Heat, promoting Stan Van Gundy to the position of head coach. Behind Van Gundy's leadership, Wade's stellar rookie year and Odom's break out season, the Heat made the 2004 NBA playoffs , beating the New Orleans Hornets 4–3 in the first round and losing to
43681-402: Was trying to keep his gym class active on a rainy day. He sought a vigorous indoor game to keep his students occupied and at proper levels of fitness during the long New England winters. After rejecting other ideas as either too rough or poorly suited to walled-in gymnasiums , he invented a new game in which players would pass a ball to teammates and try to score points by tossing the ball into
#796203