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Throughout more than 76 seasons, the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA) has had many intense [[List of sports rivalries|rivalries]]. This article lists some of the famous rivalries in the NBA. Rivalries are classified into three primary groups; intradivisional, interdivisional, and interconference.
Throughout more than 76 seasons, the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA) has had many intense [[List of sports rivalries|rivalries]]. This article lists some of the famous rivalries in the NBA. Rivalries are classified into three primary groups; intradivisional, interdivisional, and interconference.


Inter-conference rivalries comprise games between opponents in different [[athletic conference|conferences]]. A team plays each opponent from the other conference in one home game and one away game.
Interconference rivalries comprise games between opponents in different [[athletic conference|conferences]]. A team plays each opponent from the other conference in one home game and one away game.


Intra-divisional rivalries comprise games between opponents in the same [[division (sport)|division]]. Since the [[2004–05 NBA season]], there are 30 teams in six divisions of 5 teams each. Each team plays each division opponent 4 times during the regular season (twice at home, twice away) for a total of 16 games out of 82 total regular season games.
Intradivisional rivalries comprise games between opponents in the same [[division (sport)|division]]. Since the [[2004–05 NBA season]], there are 30 teams in six divisions of 5 teams each. Each team plays each division opponent 4 times during the regular season (twice at home, twice away) for a total of 16 games out of 82 total regular season games.
Inter-divisional rivalries comprise games between opponents in different divisions but within the same conference. A team plays against each team from the other two divisions in its conference either three or four times. The total interdivisional games an NBA team plays is 36. Conference games are often important, as a team's record in common games, as well as its overall record against its conference, are sometimes used as tiebreakers for playoff seeding at the end of the regular season. Also, many regular season opponents have met again in the playoffs, and the result of a regular season game can affect where the playoff game will be played.
Interdivisional rivalries comprise games between opponents in different divisions but within the same conference. A team plays against each team from the other two divisions in its conference either three or four times. The total interdivisional games an NBA team plays is 36. Conference games are often important, as a team's record in common games, as well as its overall record against its conference, are sometimes used as tiebreakers for playoff seeding at the end of the regular season. Also, many regular season opponents have met again in the playoffs, and the result of a regular season game can affect where the playoff game will be played.


Player rivalries consist of frequent match-ups of star players of similar skill, particularly in the postseason. In the NBA, player rivalries go as far back as the Chamberlain-Russell rivalry, which started in the late 1950s.<ref>{{cite web |title=When Chamberlain and Russell Collided |url=https://www.npr.org/transcripts/5036764 |website=NPR.com |access-date=1 May 2023}}</ref>
Player rivalries consist of frequent match-ups of star players of similar skill, particularly in the postseason. In the NBA, player rivalries go as far back as the Chamberlain-Russell rivalry, which started in the late 1950s.<ref>{{cite web |title=When Chamberlain and Russell Collided |url=https://www.npr.org/transcripts/5036764 |website=NPR.com |access-date=1 May 2023}}</ref>
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*[[Mavericks–Spurs rivalry]]
*[[Mavericks–Spurs rivalry]]
*[[Rockets–Spurs rivalry]]
*[[Rockets–Spurs rivalry]]

===Interdivisional===
===Interdivisional===
* [[Jazz–Rockets rivalry]]
* [[Jazz–Rockets rivalry]]
* [[Lakers–Spurs rivalry]]
* [[Lakers–Spurs rivalry]]
* [[Spurs–Suns rivalry]]
* [[Spurs–Suns rivalry]]

===Defunct===
* [[Portland Trail Blazers|Trail Blazers]]-[[Seattle SuperSonics#Rivalries|Sonics]] rivalry<ref>{{cite web |title=Portland Trail Blazers vs. Seattle SuperSonics -- the rivalry that was |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/northwest/portland-trail-blazers/portland-trail-blazers-vs-seattle-supersonics-rivalry-was |website=RSN |language=en}}</ref>

==Players==
*[[76ers-Celtics rivalry#Chamberlain and Russell|Chamberlain-Russell rivalry]]
*[[Center (basketball)#1970s–1980s: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar era|Abdul-Jabbar-Chamberlain rivalry]]
*[[Celtics-Lakers rivalry#1980s: Showtime Lakers and Larry Bird|Bird-Magic rivalry]]
*[[76ers-Celtics rivalry#Dr. J and Bird|Bird-Dr. J rivalry]]
*[[Celtics-Pistons rivalry#Bird and Isiah|Bird-Thomas rivalry]]
*[[Lakers-Pistons rivalry#1988|Magic-Thomas rivalry]]
*[[Bulls-Pistons rivalry#1988–90: The Bad Boys and Jordan Rules|Jordan-Thomas rivalry]]
*[[Rockets-Spurs rivalry#1995 Playoffs|Olajuwon-Robinson rivalry]]
*[[1998 NBA Finals##Aftermath|Malone-Rodman rivalry]]
*[[Center (basketball)#1990s: Hakeem Olajuwon–David Robinson–Shaquille O'Neal era|O'Neal-Robinson rivalry]]
*[[Lakers-Spurs rivalry|Bryant-Duncan rivalry]]
*[[Power forward (basketball)|Duncan-Garnett rivalry]]
*[[Mavericks-Spurs rivalry#Background|Duncan-Nowitzki rivalry]]
*[[Cavaliers-Warriors rivalry|Curry-James rivalry]]
*[[Cavaliers-Warriors rivalry#2016–2018: Arrival of Kevin Durant|Durant-James rivalry]]


==See also==
==See also==

Revision as of 04:38, 2 May 2023

Throughout more than 76 seasons, the National Basketball Association (NBA) has had many intense rivalries. This article lists some of the famous rivalries in the NBA. Rivalries are classified into three primary groups; intradivisional, interdivisional, and interconference.

Interconference rivalries comprise games between opponents in different conferences. A team plays each opponent from the other conference in one home game and one away game.

Intradivisional rivalries comprise games between opponents in the same division. Since the 2004–05 NBA season, there are 30 teams in six divisions of 5 teams each. Each team plays each division opponent 4 times during the regular season (twice at home, twice away) for a total of 16 games out of 82 total regular season games.

Interdivisional rivalries comprise games between opponents in different divisions but within the same conference. A team plays against each team from the other two divisions in its conference either three or four times. The total interdivisional games an NBA team plays is 36. Conference games are often important, as a team's record in common games, as well as its overall record against its conference, are sometimes used as tiebreakers for playoff seeding at the end of the regular season. Also, many regular season opponents have met again in the playoffs, and the result of a regular season game can affect where the playoff game will be played.

Player rivalries consist of frequent match-ups of star players of similar skill, particularly in the postseason. In the NBA, player rivalries go as far back as the Chamberlain-Russell rivalry, which started in the late 1950s.[1]

Interconference rivalries

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

Central Division

Southeast Division

Interdivisional

Western Conference

Pacific Division

Southwest Division

Interdivisional

See also

  1. ^ "When Chamberlain and Russell Collided". NPR.com. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
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