1.
Panathinaikos B.C.
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Panathinaikos B. C. known for sponsorship reasons as Panathinaikos B. C. Superfoods, and also simply as Panathinaikos, or by its full name. It is owned by the billionaire Giannakopoulos family, the parent athletic club was founded in 1908, while the basketball team was founded in 1919, being one of the oldest in the country of Greece. Alongside Aris, they are the only un-relegated teams with participation in every Greek First Division Championship until today, Panathinaikos has developed into the most successful basketball club in Greek basketballs history, and among the best in Europe, creating its own dynasty. They have won thirty-five Greek Basket League Championships, eighteen Greek Cups, nine Doubles, six EuroLeague Championships, one Intercontinental Cup, the team plays in the Olympic Indoor Hall, which has a capacity of 18,989 for basketball games. Panathinaikos is the team on the European continent to win as many as six EuroLeague titles. They hold a rivalry with Olympiacos, and matches between the two teams are referred to as the Derby of the eternal enemies. Panathinaikos started as a club in 1908. In 1919, basketball was still unknown in Greece, during that period Giorgos Kalafatis with other athletes participated in the Inter-Allied Games in Paris and attended basketball games between the Allies of World War I. When he later returned to Greece with the equipment, he set up the Panathinaikos basketball club. In 1919, PAO played their first match against X. A. N, Thessaloniki, another club also pioneer of basketball in Greece, a match which took place at the Panathenaic Stadium. During the German occupation that followed, Dimitris Giannatos was executed by the Nazis for his resistance action, in 1946 and 1947, Panathinaikos emerged champions, with the help of players like Giannis Lambrou, Missas Pantazopoulos, Stelios Arvanitis and Jack Nicolaidis. In 1950 and 1951, Panathinaikos emerged champions once again with the help of great athletes Faidon Matthaiou, in 1954 the club would repeat the success, however the next five years would prove fruitless and the club, despite its strength, would have to be renewed. In 1961 Panathinaikos won the Greek championship with new leaders Giorgos Vassilakopoulos, Stelios Tavoularis, in 1962 Panathinaikos made the repeat and was again the Greek champion. That was also the year that PAO took part for the first time in a European competition facing Hapoel Tel Aviv for the European Championship. In the 23rd of November 1963, Panathinaikos beat Olympiacos 90-48 for the Mantellos Cup, a tournament that was replaced by the Greek Cup. In 1967, Panathinaikos were crowned champions, with Giorgos Kolokithas in their ranks. In 1969, the conquest of the Championship was followed by the first European success of the club, the entrance in the semi-finals of the Cup Winners Cup, where they were eliminated by Dinamo Tbilisi
2.
Paris
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Paris is the capital and most populous city of France. It has an area of 105 square kilometres and a population of 2,229,621 in 2013 within its administrative limits, the agglomeration has grown well beyond the citys administrative limits. By the 17th century, Paris was one of Europes major centres of finance, commerce, fashion, science, and the arts, and it retains that position still today. The aire urbaine de Paris, a measure of area, spans most of the Île-de-France region and has a population of 12,405,426. It is therefore the second largest metropolitan area in the European Union after London, the Metropole of Grand Paris was created in 2016, combining the commune and its nearest suburbs into a single area for economic and environmental co-operation. Grand Paris covers 814 square kilometres and has a population of 7 million persons, the Paris Region had a GDP of €624 billion in 2012, accounting for 30.0 percent of the GDP of France and ranking it as one of the wealthiest regions in Europe. The city is also a rail, highway, and air-transport hub served by two international airports, Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Orly. Opened in 1900, the subway system, the Paris Métro. It is the second busiest metro system in Europe after Moscow Metro, notably, Paris Gare du Nord is the busiest railway station in the world outside of Japan, with 262 millions passengers in 2015. In 2015, Paris received 22.2 million visitors, making it one of the top tourist destinations. The association football club Paris Saint-Germain and the rugby union club Stade Français are based in Paris, the 80, 000-seat Stade de France, built for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, is located just north of Paris in the neighbouring commune of Saint-Denis. Paris hosts the annual French Open Grand Slam tennis tournament on the red clay of Roland Garros, Paris hosted the 1900 and 1924 Summer Olympics and is bidding to host the 2024 Summer Olympics. The name Paris is derived from its inhabitants, the Celtic Parisii tribe. Thus, though written the same, the name is not related to the Paris of Greek mythology. In the 1860s, the boulevards and streets of Paris were illuminated by 56,000 gas lamps, since the late 19th century, Paris has also been known as Panam in French slang. Inhabitants are known in English as Parisians and in French as Parisiens and they are also pejoratively called Parigots. The Parisii, a sub-tribe of the Celtic Senones, inhabited the Paris area from around the middle of the 3rd century BC. One of the areas major north-south trade routes crossed the Seine on the île de la Cité, this place of land and water trade routes gradually became a town
3.
France
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France, officially the French Republic, is a country with territory in western Europe and several overseas regions and territories. The European, or metropolitan, area of France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, Overseas France include French Guiana on the South American continent and several island territories in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. France spans 643,801 square kilometres and had a population of almost 67 million people as of January 2017. It is a unitary republic with the capital in Paris. Other major urban centres include Marseille, Lyon, Lille, Nice, Toulouse, during the Iron Age, what is now metropolitan France was inhabited by the Gauls, a Celtic people. The area was annexed in 51 BC by Rome, which held Gaul until 486, France emerged as a major European power in the Late Middle Ages, with its victory in the Hundred Years War strengthening state-building and political centralisation. During the Renaissance, French culture flourished and a colonial empire was established. The 16th century was dominated by civil wars between Catholics and Protestants. France became Europes dominant cultural, political, and military power under Louis XIV, in the 19th century Napoleon took power and established the First French Empire, whose subsequent Napoleonic Wars shaped the course of continental Europe. Following the collapse of the Empire, France endured a succession of governments culminating with the establishment of the French Third Republic in 1870. Following liberation in 1944, a Fourth Republic was established and later dissolved in the course of the Algerian War, the Fifth Republic, led by Charles de Gaulle, was formed in 1958 and remains to this day. Algeria and nearly all the colonies became independent in the 1960s with minimal controversy and typically retained close economic. France has long been a centre of art, science. It hosts Europes fourth-largest number of cultural UNESCO World Heritage Sites and receives around 83 million foreign tourists annually, France is a developed country with the worlds sixth-largest economy by nominal GDP and ninth-largest by purchasing power parity. In terms of household wealth, it ranks fourth in the world. France performs well in international rankings of education, health care, life expectancy, France remains a great power in the world, being one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council with the power to veto and an official nuclear-weapon state. It is a member state of the European Union and the Eurozone. It is also a member of the Group of 7, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the World Trade Organization, originally applied to the whole Frankish Empire, the name France comes from the Latin Francia, or country of the Franks
4.
Washington High School (North Carolina)
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Washington, commonly known as The Original Washington, or Little Washington, is a city in Beaufort County, North Carolina, United States, located on the northern bank of the Pamlico River. The population was 9,744 at the 2010 census and it is the county seat of Beaufort County. The closest major city is Greenville, approximately 20 miles to the west, established in 1776 on land donated by Col. James Bonner, Washington is the first city named after George Washington, the first president of the United States. The settlement at the current location of the city was founded in the 1770s by James Bonner on his land and was known as Forks of the Tar, in 1776, it was renamed Washington. During the American Revolutionary War, Washington served as a supply port while all major neighboring ports were under British siege, as of the census of 2010, there were 9,744 people and 4,246 households in the city. The population density was 1,190.0 people per square mile, there were 4,754 housing units at an average density of 580.5 per square mile. 33. 5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15. 3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older, the average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.93. In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 24. 7% under the age of 18,8. 6% from 18 to 24,24. 5% from 25 to 44,22. 6% from 45 to 64, the median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 77.4 males, for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 70.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $22,057, males had a median income of $26,053 versus $21,641 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,319, about 23. 3% of families and 28. 7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 42. 8% of those under age 18 and 19. 3% of those age 65 or over. United States Highways U. S. Route 264, dubbed Pactolus Highway, runs roughly east–west through Washington, following John Small Avenue, U. S. Route 17 runs roughly north–south, following Carolina Avenue and North Bridge Street. South of Washington the road crosses the Pamlico River over the Pamlico-Tar Bridge, North Carolina Highways N. C. Route 32 runs east–west through Washington, following River Road, Park Drive and 3rd Street. The road terminates at U. S. Route 17, the Washington Daily News is the local newspaper. As of September 2007, the Daily News had a circulation of 8,736 Monday through Saturday, in 2009, the newspaper The Beaufort Observer went from a bi-monthly print publication to an online publication. Beaufort County Community College, located in Washington, publishes Life on the Pamlico and it has a range of historical buildings and landmarks that add to its architectural interest, with some dating back to colonial times. A self-guided Historic Walking Tour allows visitors to explore the neighborhoods, homes of Victorian design, Arts and Crafts, and traditional early-20th century dwellings stand side-by-side on sidewalks lined with crepe myrtle trees. Condominiums and townhouses have been constructed on the waterfront to bring residents back to the river
5.
Washington, North Carolina
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Washington, commonly known as The Original Washington, or Little Washington, is a city in Beaufort County, North Carolina, United States, located on the northern bank of the Pamlico River. The population was 9,744 at the 2010 census and it is the county seat of Beaufort County. The closest major city is Greenville, approximately 20 miles to the west, established in 1776 on land donated by Col. James Bonner, Washington is the first city named after George Washington, the first president of the United States. The settlement at the current location of the city was founded in the 1770s by James Bonner on his land and was known as Forks of the Tar, in 1776, it was renamed Washington. During the American Revolutionary War, Washington served as a supply port while all major neighboring ports were under British siege, as of the census of 2010, there were 9,744 people and 4,246 households in the city. The population density was 1,190.0 people per square mile, there were 4,754 housing units at an average density of 580.5 per square mile. 33. 5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15. 3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older, the average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.93. In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 24. 7% under the age of 18,8. 6% from 18 to 24,24. 5% from 25 to 44,22. 6% from 45 to 64, the median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 77.4 males, for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 70.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $22,057, males had a median income of $26,053 versus $21,641 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,319, about 23. 3% of families and 28. 7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 42. 8% of those under age 18 and 19. 3% of those age 65 or over. United States Highways U. S. Route 264, dubbed Pactolus Highway, runs roughly east–west through Washington, following John Small Avenue, U. S. Route 17 runs roughly north–south, following Carolina Avenue and North Bridge Street. South of Washington the road crosses the Pamlico River over the Pamlico-Tar Bridge, North Carolina Highways N. C. Route 32 runs east–west through Washington, following River Road, Park Drive and 3rd Street. The road terminates at U. S. Route 17, the Washington Daily News is the local newspaper. As of September 2007, the Daily News had a circulation of 8,736 Monday through Saturday, in 2009, the newspaper The Beaufort Observer went from a bi-monthly print publication to an online publication. Beaufort County Community College, located in Washington, publishes Life on the Pamlico and it has a range of historical buildings and landmarks that add to its architectural interest, with some dating back to colonial times. A self-guided Historic Walking Tour allows visitors to explore the neighborhoods, homes of Victorian design, Arts and Crafts, and traditional early-20th century dwellings stand side-by-side on sidewalks lined with crepe myrtle trees. Condominiums and townhouses have been constructed on the waterfront to bring residents back to the river
6.
Georgia Bulldogs basketball
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The Georgia Bulldogs basketball program is the mens college basketball team representing the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. Established in 1891, the team has competed in the Southeastern Conference since its inception in 1932, as of 2014 the Bulldogs have amassed a record of 1334–1237. The school has produced a number of basketball greats, notably Basketball Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins. The teams current head coach is Mark Fox, in just his second season, Fox coached the Bulldogs to a 21–11 record, including a 9–7 record in conference play, and their first at-large NCAA Tournament bid since 2002. Georgia was a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association. Georgia participated in the SIAA from its establishment in 1895 until 1921, in 1921, the Bulldogs, along with 12 other teams, left the SIAA and formed the Southern Conference. In 1932, the Georgia Bulldogs left the Southern Conference to form, coach Rex Enright led Georgia to great success in the old Southern Conference during the 1931 and 1932 seasons. His 1931 team finished with a 23–2 record, the Bulldogs were upset in the Southern Conference tournament semi-finals by Maryland, 26–25. The 1932 team didnt have the record that the 1931 team did. But this team did something that the years team could not do in winning the Southern Conference tournament defeating Mississippi State, Virginia, Duke. Coach Hugh Durham brought Georgia to its first ever post season appearance in 1981 and that team finished with a 19–12 record. They earned an NIT bid and the surrounding the program earned them home games in first defeating Old Dominion. The 1982 Bulldogs were 19–12 were once again NIT bound and this time UGA made it all the way to the NIT Final Four defeating Temple, Maryland, and Virginia Tech before losing a heart breaker to Purdue at Madison Square Garden. These two teams marked the beginning of a post season streak of eight seasons, longest in Georgia basketball history. This string included three NCAA appearances and five NIT bids and this was a remarkable streak of consistency for a program that had never before experienced the post season beyond the SEC tournament. Former NBA star Dominique Wilkins is considered the greatest player in school history, however, Wilkins never played in the NCAA tournament, the Bulldogs made their first NCAA appearance in 1983—which would have been Wilkins senior year had he not opted for the NBA. The 1983 team made it to the Final Four of the NCAA Championship before being eliminated by eventual champion North Carolina State, the latter two victories coming at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, NY. UGA previously had won the Southeastern Conference tournament in Birmingham, AL defeating Ole Miss, Tennessee, the 1987 Georgia basketball team suffered injury after injury after injury leaving the team with only seven players available
7.
Utah Jazz
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The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association as a club of the leagues Western Conference Northwest Division. Since 1991, the team has played its games at Vivint Smart Home Arena. The franchise began play in 1974 as the New Orleans Jazz, a team based in New Orleans. The Jazz were one of the least successful teams in the league in their early years, although 10 seasons elapsed before the Jazz qualified for their first playoff appearance in 1984, they did not miss the playoffs again until 2004. During the late 1980s, John Stockton and Karl Malone arose as the players for the team. Both Stockton and Malone moved on in 2003, after missing the playoffs for three consecutive seasons the Jazz returned to prominence under the on-court leadership of point guard Deron Williams. However, partway through the 2010–11 NBA season, the Jazz began restructuring after Sloans retirement, the team has made the playoffs once since then, in 2012 under coach Tyrone Corbin. Quin Snyder was hired as coach in June 2014. Valued in 2015 at $850 million by Forbes, the Jazz rank as the 20th most valuable franchise in the NBA ahead of the Indiana Pacers, on June 7,1974, the New Orleans Jazz were admitted as an expansion franchise into the National Basketball Association. Team officials selected the name because of its definition in the dictionary, the team began its inaugural season in New Orleans in the 1974–75 season. Maravich struggled with injuries from that season onward. Venue issues were a problem for the team while it was based in New Orleans. Later, they played games in the cavernous Louisiana Superdome, but things were no better, due to demand for the stadium, onerous lease terms. Years later, founding owner Sam Battistone claimed that there was no plan in case the Jazz ever qualified for the playoffs. The pick would have been the Jazzs had they not traded it to acquire Gail Goodrich two years earlier, despite being barely competitive, the Jazz drew well during their first five years. However, by 1979 the franchise was sinking financially, barry Mendelson, the teams executive vice president for most of the early years, said one factor in the financial trouble was an 11 percent amusement tax, highest in the U. S. at the time. The team also could not attract much local corporate support—an important factor even in those days—or local investors, Battistone concluded that the franchise could not be viable in New Orleans and decided to move elsewhere
8.
Small forward
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The small forward, also known as the three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers. The small forward position is considered to be perhaps the most versatile of the five basketball positions. In the NBA, small forwards usually range from 66 to 69, the ideal position for a small forward would be between the key and three-point line. Many small forwards in professional basketball, however, are prolific scorers, therefore, accurate foul shooting is an imperative skill for small forwards, many of whom record a large portion of their points at the foul line. Small forwards who are defensive specialists are very versatile as they can often guard multiple positions using their size, speed, and strength such as Kawhi Leonard and Paul George
9.
Atlanta Hawks
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The Atlanta Hawks are a professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association as a team of the leagues Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays its games at Philips Arena. The teams origins can be traced to the establishment of the Buffalo Bisons in 1946 in Buffalo, New York, after 38 days in Buffalo, the team moved to Moline, Illinois, where they were renamed the Tri-Cities Blackhawks. In 1949, they joined the NBA as part of the merger between the NBL and the Basketball Association of America, and had Red Auerbach as coach briefly, in 1951, Kerner moved the team to Milwaukee, where they changed their name to the Hawks. Kerner and the team moved again in 1955 to St. Louis, the Hawks played the Boston Celtics in all four of their trips to the NBA Finals. The St. Louis Hawks moved to Atlanta in 1968, when Kerner sold the franchise to Thomas Cousins, the Hawks currently own the second-longest drought of not winning an NBA championship at 57 seasons. The franchises lone NBA championship, as well as all four NBA Finals appearances, meanwhile, they went 48 years without advancing past the second round of the playoffs in any format, until finally breaking through in 2015. Much of the failure theyve experienced in the postseason can be traced back to their history in the NBA draft. Since 1980, the Hawks have drafted four players who have been chosen to play in an NBA All-Star Game. Dominique Wilkins was actually selected by the Utah Jazz and traded to the Hawks a few months after the draft, the origins of the Atlanta Hawks can be traced to the Buffalo Bisons franchise, which was founded in 1946. The Bisons were a member of the National Basketball League, the club was organized by the Erie County American Legion and was coached by Nat Hickey. Their first game – a 50–39 victory over the Syracuse Nationals – was played on November 8,1946, on the team was William Pop Gates, who, along with William Dolly King, was one of the first two African-American players in the NBL. The team, which needed to draw 3,600 fans per game to break even struggled to draw 1,000 fans per game to the Auditorium. Upon relocation to Moline, the team was renamed the Tri-Cities Blackhawks, and played their games at Wharton Field House. The team featured guard/forward and coach Deanglo King, and was owned by Leo Ferris, Pop Gates remained on the Blackhawks roster, and finished second on the team in scoring behind future 1948 NBL MVP Don Otten. A Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame member, Gates helped to integrate the league and later become the first African-American coach in a sports league. In 1949 the Blackhawks became one of the National Basketball Associations 17 original teams after a merger of the 12-year-old NBL and they reached the playoffs in the NBAs inaugural year under the leadership of coach Red Auerbach
10.
Los Angeles Clippers
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The Los Angeles Clippers, often abbreviated as the LA Clippers, are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association as a club of the leagues Western Conference Pacific Division. The franchise was founded in 1970 as the Buffalo Braves, one of three teams to join the NBA that year. The Braves moved from Buffalo, New York to San Diego in 1978, in 1984, the Clippers moved to Los Angeles. Through much of its history, the failed to see significant regular season or playoff success. The Clippers fortunes turned in the early 2010s with the acquisition of core players Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, and Chris Paul. In 2013, the franchise won its first division title, as the made the playoffs for the ninth time in franchise history. They repeated as champions in 2014. They played their games at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, along with another Buffalo team that would begin play that year. After two bad seasons, the Braves fortunes started to change under coach Jack Ramsay and star forward/center Bob McAdoo, McAdoo led the NBA in scoring three consecutive seasons and was named the leagues MVP in the 1974–75 season. The Braves qualified for the three times in a row, losing thrice to the eventual Eastern Conference champions. As a result, after an attempt to sell the team to an owner who intended to move it to South Florida. Brown, Jr. who decimated the roster, traded away all of its stars. Eventually in 1978, Brown dealt with Celtics owner Irv Levin so they would trade franchise ownerships, southern California resident Levin then decided to move the Braves to San Diego, something the league would have never allowed him to do with the Celtics. In 1978, San Diego welcomed the relocation of the Buffalo Braves franchise because the city had lost their Rockets to Houston seven years earlier, when the Clippers moved to Los Angeles in 1984, they kept their nickname. Playing at the San Diego Sports Arena, the Clippers posted a record of 43–39 in their first season in California under new head coach Gene Shue and it would be the Clippers last winning season for 13 years. It was also in that first season in southern California that long-time announcer Ralph Lawler began his association with the club. The 1979–80 season saw the Clippers begin to struggle despite adding center Bill Walton, Walton missed 68 games due to foot injuries
11.
Boston Celtics
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The Boston Celtics are an American professional basketball team based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association as a club of the leagues Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 and one of eight NBA teams to survive the leagues first decade, the Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which they share with the National Hockey League s Boston Bruins. The franchises 17 championships are the most of any NBA franchise, as a percentage of championships won, the Celtics are the most successful franchise to date in the major four traditional North American professional sports leagues. The Celtics have played the Lakers a record 12 times in the Finals, including their most recent appearances in 2008 and 2010, four Celtics players have won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award for an NBA record total of 10 MVP awards. Their mascot Lucky the Leprechaun is a nod to the teams Irish heritage, in 1950, the Celtics signed Chuck Cooper, becoming the first NBA franchise to draft a black player. The Celtics struggled during their years, until the hiring of coach Red Auerbach. In the franchises early days, Auerbach had no assistants, ran all the practices, did all the scouting—both of opposing teams and college draft prospects—and scheduled all the road trips. One of the first great players to join the Celtics was Bob Cousy, Cousy eventually became the property of the Chicago Stags, but when that franchise went bankrupt, Cousy went to the Celtics in a dispersal draft. After the 1955–56 season, Auerbach made a stunning trade and he sent perennial All-Star Ed Macauley to the St. Louis Hawks along with the draft rights to Cliff Hagan in exchange for the second overall pick in the draft. Auerbach also acquired Holy Cross standout, and 1957 NBA Rookie of the Year, Russell and Heinsohn worked extraordinarily well with Cousy, and they were the players around whom Auerbach would build the champion Celtics for more than a decade. With Bill Russell, the Celtics advanced to the NBA Finals and defeated the St. Louis Hawks in seven games, Russell went on to win 11 championships, making him the most decorated player in NBA history. In 1958, the Celtics again advanced to the NBA Finals, however, with the acquisition of K. C. Jones that year, the Celtics began a dynasty that would last for more than a decade. In 1959, the Celtics won the NBA Championship after sweeping the Minneapolis Lakers, during that time, the Celtics met the Lakers in the Finals five times, starting an intense and often bitter rivalry that has spanned generations. In 1964, the Celtics became the first NBA team to have an all African-American starting lineup. On December 26,1964, Willie Naulls replaced an injured Tommy Heinsohn, joining Tom Satch Sanders, K. C. Jones, Sam Jones, the Celtics defeated St. Louis 97–84. Boston won its next 11 games with Naulls starting in place of Heinsohn, the Celtics of the late-1950s–60s are widely considered as one of the most dominant teams of all time. Auerbach retired as coach after the 1965–66 season and Russell took over as player-coach, with his appointment, Russell also became the first African-American coach in any U. S. pro sport
12.
Panathinaikos BC
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Panathinaikos B. C. known for sponsorship reasons as Panathinaikos B. C. Superfoods, and also simply as Panathinaikos, or by its full name. It is owned by the billionaire Giannakopoulos family, the parent athletic club was founded in 1908, while the basketball team was founded in 1919, being one of the oldest in the country of Greece. Alongside Aris, they are the only un-relegated teams with participation in every Greek First Division Championship until today, Panathinaikos has developed into the most successful basketball club in Greek basketballs history, and among the best in Europe, creating its own dynasty. They have won thirty-five Greek Basket League Championships, eighteen Greek Cups, nine Doubles, six EuroLeague Championships, one Intercontinental Cup, the team plays in the Olympic Indoor Hall, which has a capacity of 18,989 for basketball games. Panathinaikos is the team on the European continent to win as many as six EuroLeague titles. They hold a rivalry with Olympiacos, and matches between the two teams are referred to as the Derby of the eternal enemies. Panathinaikos started as a club in 1908. In 1919, basketball was still unknown in Greece, during that period Giorgos Kalafatis with other athletes participated in the Inter-Allied Games in Paris and attended basketball games between the Allies of World War I. When he later returned to Greece with the equipment, he set up the Panathinaikos basketball club. In 1919, PAO played their first match against X. A. N, Thessaloniki, another club also pioneer of basketball in Greece, a match which took place at the Panathenaic Stadium. During the German occupation that followed, Dimitris Giannatos was executed by the Nazis for his resistance action, in 1946 and 1947, Panathinaikos emerged champions, with the help of players like Giannis Lambrou, Missas Pantazopoulos, Stelios Arvanitis and Jack Nicolaidis. In 1950 and 1951, Panathinaikos emerged champions once again with the help of great athletes Faidon Matthaiou, in 1954 the club would repeat the success, however the next five years would prove fruitless and the club, despite its strength, would have to be renewed. In 1961 Panathinaikos won the Greek championship with new leaders Giorgos Vassilakopoulos, Stelios Tavoularis, in 1962 Panathinaikos made the repeat and was again the Greek champion. That was also the year that PAO took part for the first time in a European competition facing Hapoel Tel Aviv for the European Championship. In the 23rd of November 1963, Panathinaikos beat Olympiacos 90-48 for the Mantellos Cup, a tournament that was replaced by the Greek Cup. In 1967, Panathinaikos were crowned champions, with Giorgos Kolokithas in their ranks. In 1969, the conquest of the Championship was followed by the first European success of the club, the entrance in the semi-finals of the Cup Winners Cup, where they were eliminated by Dinamo Tbilisi
13.
San Antonio Spurs
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The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association as a club of the leagues Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its games at the AT&T Center in San Antonio. The Spurs are one of four former American Basketball Association teams to remain intact in the NBA after the 1976 ABA–NBA merger, the Spurs five NBA championships are the fourth most in history behind only the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, and Chicago Bulls. The Spurs currently rank first among active franchises for the highest winning percentage in NBA history, in their 40 NBA seasons since 1976–77, the Spurs have won 21 division titles. With their 50th win in the 2016–17 season, the Spurs extended their record for most consecutive 50-win seasons to 18. Thus, since the 1997–98 season, the Spurs have had 20 consecutive seasons with a percentage of.610 or greater during the regular season which is also an NBA record. Only the teams current head coach, Gregg Popovich, who had been the general manager before replacing Bob Hill in 1996, has had a longer tenure with the Spurs. The Spurs are the only team in any of the four major U. S. professional sports leagues. Since 2003, the team has been forced on a road trip for much of February since the AT&T Center hosts the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. This is informally known as the Rodeo Road Trip, the Spurs have consistently posted winning road records during this period, including an NBA-record longest single road trip winning streak. When the Spurs have won the NBA title, the victory parades have been boat trips on the San Antonio River Walk. The San Antonio Spurs started out as the Dallas Chaparrals of the version of the American Basketball Association. Coached by player/coach Cliff Hagan the Dallas Chaparrals were one of 11 teams to take the floor in the season of the upstart ABA. The Chaps second season was a bit of a disappointment, as the finished in 4th place with a mediocre 41–37 record. In the playoffs the Chaparrals quickly fell to the New Orleans Buccaneers, the team suffered from poor attendance and general disinterest in Dallas. While the Chaparrals had been successful on the court, they were sinking financially by their third season. After missing the playoffs for the first time in their existence in the 1972–73 season, a group of 36 San Antonio businessmen, led by Manager/Angelo Drossos, Chairman of the Board/John Schaefer and President/Red McCombs, worked out a lend-lease deal with the Dallas ownership group
14.
Fortitudo Pallacanestro Bologna
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Fortitudo Pallacanestro Bologna 103 is a basketball club based in Bologna, Italy. It plays in the second division Serie A2 as of the 2015–16 season, Fortitudo has for much of its history played second fiddle in its own city to arch rivals Virtus Bologna. Fortitudo won its first major trophy in 1998, winning the Italian Cup, Fortitudo made the Italian league finals ten consecutive years. After three straight losses, Fortitudo won the Serie A for the first time in 2000. In recent years, Fortitudo had been a fixture in the European top-tier Euroleague, fortitudos first achievement in European competition was a Korać Cup final against Jugoplastika in 1977 in their maiden participation. It got to the Euroleague Final four in 1999 and the semifinal of the Euroleague playoffs in 2001, the 2006-07 season saw them change coaches thrice as they finished thirteenth, though they still qualified for the ULEB Cup 2007-08. Financial difficulties saw the clubs affiliation to the Italian Federation revoked, on 18 June 2013, a group of local entrepreneurs, professionals and fans joined to give life to Fortitudo Pallacanestro Bologna 103, the spiritual successor of the original entity. Starting from the fourth division DNB, Fortitudo climbed to the second division Serie A2 where it play during the 2015-16 season. Fortitudos home arena is the Paladozza, known for reasons as the Land Rover Arena
15.
Orlando Magic
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The Orlando Magic is an American professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. The Magic compete in the National Basketball Association as a club of the leagues Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The franchise has played in the NBA playoffs for more than half of its existence. Orlando has been the second most successful of the four expansion teams brought into the league in 1988 and 1989 in terms of winning percentage, after fellow Floridian team Miami Heat. In September 1985, Orlando businessman Jim L. Hewitt approached Philadelphia 76ers general manager Pat Williams as they met in Texas on his idea of bringing an NBA team to Orlando. Intrigued by the project, Williams signed on as the front man of the investment group one year later as he left the 76ers, on June 19,1986, the two held a news conference to announce their intention of seeking an NBA franchise. At the same time Hewitt and Williams decided to hold a contest in the Orlando Sentinel newspaper to get names for their new franchise. Out of a total of 4,296 submitted entries, the names were subsequently narrowed to four, Heat, Tropics, Juice, the last one, which had been submitted by 11 people, was picked after Williams brought his 7-year-old daughter Karyn to visit in Orlando. On July 27,1986, it was announced that the committee chose the Magic to be the new name of the Orlando franchise in the NBA, the name Magic alludes to the citys biggest tourist attraction and economic engine Walt Disney World, along with its Magic Kingdom. Hewitt added that You look at all the aspects of Central Florida, and you find it really is an exciting place, a magical place. Many, including Williams himself at first, thought that Miami or Tampa were better locations in Florida for a franchise, given Orlando was a small town lacking a major airport and a suitable arena. Meanwhile, Williams gave presentations to NBA commissioner David Stern and the owners of the teams of the league that the town was viable. The Magic were one of the four new expansion franchises awarded by the NBA in 1987 along with the Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat, the Magic became the first ever major-league professional sports franchise in the Orlando area, following an expansion fee of reportedly $32.5 million. The Magic hired Matt Guokas as the teams first coach, who helped the Magic select 12 players in the NBA Expansion Draft on June 15,1989. On June 27,1989, the Magic chose Nick Anderson with the 11th pick in the first round, the very first game played was an exhibition game on October 13,1989 against the then reigning champions Detroit Pistons, which the Magic won. Anderson was quoted as saying the atmosphere and the people watching the game was like Game 7 of the NBA Finals. On November 4,1989, the Magic played their first season game at the Orlando Arena against the visiting New Jersey Nets, the Magics first victory came two days later, as the Magic defeated the New York Knicks 118–110. The inaugural team compiled a record of 18–64 with players including Reggie Theus, Scott Skiles, Terry Catledge, Sam Vincent, Otis Smith, in the 1990 NBA draft, the Orlando Magic selected Dennis Scott with the fourth overall pick
16.
1994 NBA All-Star Game
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The 1994 NBA All-Star Game was the 44th edition of the All-Star Game. The event was held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the East All-Stars won the game with the score of 127–118. Scottie Pippen of the Chicago Bulls was voted MVP of the game and it was broadcast by NBC for the 1994 NBA All-Star Game in a fourth consecutive year. ^INJ Alonzo Mourning and Charles Barkley did not participate due to injury, karl Malone replaced Barkley in the West starting lineup. ^REP Charles Oakley and Gary Payton replaced Alonzo Mourning and Charles Barkley, respectively
17.
All-NBA First Team
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The All-NBA Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor bestowed on the best players in the league following every NBA season. The voting is conducted by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States, the team has been selected in every season of the leagues existence, dating back to its inaugural season in 1946. The All-NBA Team originally had two teams, but since 1988 it is composed of three five-man lineups—a first, second, and third team, typically comprising a total of 15 roster spots. Players receive five points for a first team vote, three points for a team vote, and one point for a third team vote. The five players with the highest point totals make the first team, with the next five making the second team, in the case of a tie at the fifth position of any team, the roster is expanded. If the first team consists of six due to a tie. A tie has occurred once, in 1952, when Bob Davies. From 1946 to 1955, players were selected without regard to position, however, since 1956, kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan hold the record for the most total selections with fifteen. Karl Malone and Shaquille ONeal follow with fourteen total honors, while Schayes, Bob Cousy, Jerry West, Hakeem Olajuwon, Dirk Nowitzki, and LeBron James have twelve selections. From the 1946–47 season to 1954–55 season, the All-NBA Team was composed of two teams, each with five spots, except when there were ties. During this period, players were selected without regard to position, from the 1955–56 season to 1987–88 season, the All-NBA Team was composed of two teams, each with five roster spots, except when there were ties. During this time, players were selected with regard to position, they are listed according to position in the descending order. Since the 1988–89 season, the All-NBA Team has been composed of three teams, each with five spots, except when there are ties. Players are selected with regard to position, they are listed according to position in the descending order. The following table lists players with at least ten total selections. National Basketball Association portal All-NBA Development League Team General Specific
18.
All-NBA Second Team
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The All-NBA Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor bestowed on the best players in the league following every NBA season. The voting is conducted by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States, the team has been selected in every season of the leagues existence, dating back to its inaugural season in 1946. The All-NBA Team originally had two teams, but since 1988 it is composed of three five-man lineups—a first, second, and third team, typically comprising a total of 15 roster spots. Players receive five points for a first team vote, three points for a team vote, and one point for a third team vote. The five players with the highest point totals make the first team, with the next five making the second team, in the case of a tie at the fifth position of any team, the roster is expanded. If the first team consists of six due to a tie. A tie has occurred once, in 1952, when Bob Davies. From 1946 to 1955, players were selected without regard to position, however, since 1956, kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan hold the record for the most total selections with fifteen. Karl Malone and Shaquille ONeal follow with fourteen total honors, while Schayes, Bob Cousy, Jerry West, Hakeem Olajuwon, Dirk Nowitzki, and LeBron James have twelve selections. From the 1946–47 season to 1954–55 season, the All-NBA Team was composed of two teams, each with five spots, except when there were ties. During this period, players were selected without regard to position, from the 1955–56 season to 1987–88 season, the All-NBA Team was composed of two teams, each with five roster spots, except when there were ties. During this time, players were selected with regard to position, they are listed according to position in the descending order. Since the 1988–89 season, the All-NBA Team has been composed of three teams, each with five spots, except when there are ties. Players are selected with regard to position, they are listed according to position in the descending order. The following table lists players with at least ten total selections. National Basketball Association portal All-NBA Development League Team General Specific
19.
All-NBA Third Team
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The All-NBA Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor bestowed on the best players in the league following every NBA season. The voting is conducted by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States, the team has been selected in every season of the leagues existence, dating back to its inaugural season in 1946. The All-NBA Team originally had two teams, but since 1988 it is composed of three five-man lineups—a first, second, and third team, typically comprising a total of 15 roster spots. Players receive five points for a first team vote, three points for a team vote, and one point for a third team vote. The five players with the highest point totals make the first team, with the next five making the second team, in the case of a tie at the fifth position of any team, the roster is expanded. If the first team consists of six due to a tie. A tie has occurred once, in 1952, when Bob Davies. From 1946 to 1955, players were selected without regard to position, however, since 1956, kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan hold the record for the most total selections with fifteen. Karl Malone and Shaquille ONeal follow with fourteen total honors, while Schayes, Bob Cousy, Jerry West, Hakeem Olajuwon, Dirk Nowitzki, and LeBron James have twelve selections. From the 1946–47 season to 1954–55 season, the All-NBA Team was composed of two teams, each with five spots, except when there were ties. During this period, players were selected without regard to position, from the 1955–56 season to 1987–88 season, the All-NBA Team was composed of two teams, each with five roster spots, except when there were ties. During this time, players were selected with regard to position, they are listed according to position in the descending order. Since the 1988–89 season, the All-NBA Team has been composed of three teams, each with five spots, except when there are ties. Players are selected with regard to position, they are listed according to position in the descending order. The following table lists players with at least ten total selections. National Basketball Association portal All-NBA Development League Team General Specific
20.
NBA All-Rookie First Team
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The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches, who are not allowed to vote for players on their own team, the All-Rookie Team is generally composed of two five-man lineups, a first team and a second team. The players each receive two points for each first team vote and one point for second team vote. The top five players with the highest point total make the first team, in the case of a tie at the fifth position of either team, the roster is expanded. If the first team consists of six due to a tie. Ties have occurred several times, most recently in 2012, when Kawhi Leonard, Iman Shumpert, no respect is given to positions. For example, the first team had four forwards, and one guard in 2008, while the first team had four centers, nine All-Rookie Team members have won both the Rookie of the Year Award and the Most Valuable Player Award during their careers. Wilt Chamberlain and Wes Unseld are the players to accomplish this feat in the same season. National Basketball Association portal General Specific
21.
2013 NBA All-Star Game
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The 2013 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game that was played on February 17,2013 at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, the current home of the Houston Rockets. This game was the 62nd edition of the National Basketball Association All-Star Game and was played during the 2012–13 NBA season, the Houston Rockets were awarded the All-Star Game in an announcement by commissioner David Stern on February 8,2012. This was the time that Houston had hosted the All-Star Game. The West won the game 143–138, and Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers was named the games most valuable player, starters for the game were selected by the fans, who could select three frontcourt players and two guards from each conference. Previously, fans selected two forwards and one center instead of generic frontcourt players, kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers received the most overall votes at 1,591,437. Starting this season, NBA All-Star Saturday Night events became contests between the Eastern and Western Conferences, the coaches for the All-Star game were the head coaches who led the teams with the best winning percentages in their conference through the games of February 3,2013. Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs clinched the West position after a win on January 30, erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat clinched the East position after a win over the Toronto Raptors on February 3,2013. The head coaches from the year, Tom Thibodeau and Scott Brooks, were not eligible for selection. The rosters for the All-Star Game were chosen in two ways, the starters were chosen via a fan ballot. Two guards and three players who received the highest vote were named the All-Star starters. NBA head coaches voted for the reserves for their respective conferences, each coach selected two guards, three frontcourt players and two wild cards, with each selected player ranked in order of preference within each category. If a player is unable to due to injury, the commissioner will select a replacement. Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers topped the ballots with 1,591,437 votes, Bryant earned a record 15th consecutive All-Star selection. Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, and Dwight Howard completed the Western Conference starting position, the lone first-time All-Star in the Western Conference is the Houston Rockets James Harden. Also sending a pair of players to the All-Star Game were the Oklahoma City Thunder, represented by Durant and Russell Westbrook, the Golden State Warriors had an All-Star representative for the first time since Latrell Sprewell was selected in 1997, with David Lee. The Eastern Conferences leading vote-getter was LeBron James, who finished with 1,583,646 votes, rajon Rondo, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, and Kevin Garnett completed the Eastern Conference starting positions. Anthony, James and Wade were starters for the previous years Eastern Conference team, the Eastern Conference reserves included six first-time selections, Tyson Chandler, Paul George, Jrue Holiday, Kyrie Irving, Brook Lopez, and Joakim Noah. The Boston Celtics sent two players to start in the All-Star Game for the first time since 1984, when Larry Bird, the New York Knicks sent two players to the All-Star Game for the first time since 2001
22.
2015 NBA All-Star Game
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The NBA awarded the game to New York City in 2013, and the logo for the 2015 All-Star Game was unveiled on July 10,2014. The All-Star Game itself was played at the Knicks home arena, the current Garden last hosted the game in 1998, and the Knicks previous home, the third Madison Square Garden, hosted three earlier All-Star Games. The Saturday activities conducted as part of NBA All-Star Weekend were held at the Nets home arena, the Nets previously hosted the 1982 All-Star Game at Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The game was televised nationally by TNT and TBS in the United States, Mike Budenholzer, coach of the Atlanta Hawks, and Steve Kerr, coach of the Golden State Warriors, were selected as the East and West head coach, respectively. The rosters for the All-Star Game were chosen in two ways, the starters were chosen via a fan ballot. Two guards and three players who received the highest vote were named the All-Star starters. NBA head coaches voted for the reserves for their respective conferences, each coach selected two guards, three frontcourt players and two wild cards, with each selected player ranked in order of preference within each category. If a player is unable to due to injury, the commissioner will select a replacement. Anthony Miller #4 Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors topped the ballots with 1,513,324 votes, Kobe Bryant earned a record 17th consecutive All-Star selection, and Anthony Davis, Marc Gasol, and Blake Griffin completed the Western Conference starting positions. The first-time All-Stars in the West were the Warriors’ Klay Thompson and the Sacramento Kings DeMarcus Cousins, the Oklahoma City Thunder were represented by two players, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, both of whom were reserves. Also sending a pair of players to the All-Star Game as reserves were the Portland Trail Blazers, represented by LaMarcus Aldridge, the remaining Western Conference reserves were Thompson, Cousins, Tim Duncan, James Harden, Chris Paul, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Durant, and Russell Westbrook. Golden State had two All-Star representatives for the first time since 1993, when Tim Hardaway and Chris Mullin were both All-Stars and it was also the first time the Warriors had a pair of starters since 1967, when Rick Barry and Nate Thurmond were both starters. The Eastern Conferences leading vote-getter was Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James, who finished with 1,470,483 votes, John Wall, Kyle Lowry, Pau Gasol, and Carmelo Anthony completed the Eastern Conference starting positions. The Eastern Conference team featured four first-time selections, Lowry, Jimmy Butler, Jeff Teague, the Atlanta Hawks were represented by four players, Al Horford, Paul Millsap, Teague and Korver, all of whom were reserves. Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, and Kyrie Irving completed the remaining Eestern Conference reserves, the Gasol brothers Marc and Pau were selected to start in the West and the East respectively, marking the first time in NBA history two brothers were picked to start in an All-Star Game. The Gasols were also the first brothers to appear in the same All-Star Game since Tom, Russell Westbrook scored 41 points and was named the NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player. He scored 27 points in 11 minutes in the first half and he finished one point shy of the All-Star game record set by Wilt Chamberlain in 1962. The 2015 Sprint NBA All-Star Celebrity Game was played on Friday and it was held at Madison Square Garden in New York City, home of the New York Knicks
23.
EuroLeague Finals
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The EuroLeague Finals are the championship finals of the EuroLeague competition. The EuroLeague is the highest level tier, and most important professional club competition in Europe. For finals not played in a game, an * precedes the score of the team playing at home. †2001 was a year, with the best European teams split into two major leagues. A2001 was a year, with the best European teams split into two major leagues, SuproLeague, held by FIBA Europe and EuroLeague, held by Euroleague Basketball. The finals series of the latter, From 1958 to 1987, however, there was no actual MVP award given. The top scoring performances in EuroLeague Finals games, Žarko Varajić47 points vs. Emerson Varese Vladimir Andreev 37 points vs, real Madrid Dražen Petrović36 points vs. Real Madrid Sergei Belov 34 points vs. Ignis Varese Steve Chubin 34 points vs, real Madrid Earl Williams 31 points vs. Real Madrid Emiliano Rodríguez 31 points vs. Spartak ZJŠ Brno Juan Antonio San Epifanio 31 points vs. Banco di Roma Virtus Wayne Hightower 30 points vs. Dinamo Tbilisi Mirza Delibašić30 points vs. Emerson Varese Clifford Luyk 30 points vs. CSKA Moscow František Konvička 30 points vs
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EuroLeague Final Four MVP
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The EuroLeague Final Four Most Valuable Player Award is presented to the basketball player who has exhibited the most exceptional play during the EuroLeague Final Four. The award often goes to the best player on the European-wide top-tier level EuroLeagues best team and it is generally considered to be the most prestigious individual award in European professional club basketball. The Final Four MVP award was first given at the end of the 1987–88 season, prior to the 1987–88 season, the Top Scorer of the EuroLeague Finals was noted. However, an actual MVP was not named until the first EuroLeague Final Four of the era was held. From the 1958 to 1986–87 seasons, the Top Scorer of the EuroLeague Finals was noted, however, there was no actual MVP award given. Since the end of the 1987–88 season, when the first EuroLeague Final Four was held, an MVP is named at the conclusion of each Final Four. † The 2000–01 season was a year, with the best European teams splitting into two different major leagues, The SuproLeague, held by FIBA, and the EuroLeague, held by Euroleague Basketball. That seasons EuroLeague Basketball tournament did not end with a Final Four tournament, instead, it ended with a 5-game playoff series. So, Manu Ginóbili was named the EuroLeague Finals MVP that season, europa Euroleague official webpage InterBasket Euroleague Basketball Forum TalkBasket Euroleague Basketball Forum Euroleagues Youtube Channel Euroleagues Youtube Channel
25.
HEBA Greek All Star Game
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The Greek HEBA All-Star Game, also known as the Greek ΕΣΑΚΕ All Star Game, is the All Star Game of the HEBA Greek basketball association for men. It was founded and organized by Gus Sarianides, the game is played in a format that is the Greek all stars versus the rest of the world all stars. The all star weekend also features an ages 20 and under all star game, there is also a slam dunk competition and a 3-point shootout competition. Finally, there are also 3-point shootout and slam dunk competitions for the ages 20, players from the top-tier level Greek Basket League, the 2nd-tier level Greek A2 Basket League, and Greek the lower level divisions are eligible to compete at the All Star Games weekend festivities. Normally, only players from the top-tier level Greek Basket League are eligible to compete in the mens all star game. However, players from the lower-tier level Greek divisions can participate in the dunk and 3 point shootout contests. The Greek All Star Game was held for the first time on December 31,1991, over the next seven all star games, the format was The European All Stars versus The American All Stars. From 2001 until now, the format has been the same as the all star game was. The HEBA Greek Hopes, or Youth All-Star Game of basketball, is the all star game that is played by players from the Greek basketball leagues that are ages 20, the first Hopes game was played on March 29,2003. The Youth All Star Game is played over the same weekend as the regular Greek All Star Game. The game can be considered as analogous to the NBAs All-Star Weekend Rising Stars Challenge, there are also the Greek Youth 3 Point Shootout Competition and the Greek Youth Slam Dunk Contest, for Greek players that are ages 20 and under
26.
Greek Basketball Cup
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The Greek Basketball Cup or Hellenic Basketball Cup is the top-tier level annual pro basketball national cup competition in Greece. It is organized by the Hellenic Basketball Federation, there were no official Greek Cups, or Greek Cup records, with regards to the tournament before the 1975–76 season. But according to sources, AEK won two unofficial versions of the Greek Cup in the seasons of 1966–67 and 1970–71. The first official Greek Cup took place during the 1975–76 season, from the 1994–95 to 2003–04 seasons, the Final Four format was used. The competition format in recent years includes a total of 30 teams,14 from the top-tier level Greek Basket League, the quarterfinals and onward rounds are played under a single elimination format. 6 clubs have won the Greek Basketball Cup, the 6 clubs that have won the Greek Basketball Cup all come from either the Thessaloniki or Athens urban areas, which are the two largest urban areas in the country of Greece. The Final Four system was introduced in the 1994–95 season, while the last Final Four was held during the 2003-04 season, from 1976 to 1994, the Top Scorer of the Greek Cup Finals was noted, regardless of whether he played on the winning or losing team. Since 1995, an MVP is named at the conclusion of the finals, players that are still active are marked in bold. Players that are active are marked in bold. com AllStar Basket Magazine Official Facebook Page Basketblog. gr
27.
United Press International
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At its peak, it had more than 6,000 media subscribers. It was headed by Hugh Baillie from 1935 to 1955, at the time of his retirement, UP had 2,900 clients in the United States, and 1,500 abroad. In 1958 it became United Press International after absorbing the International News Service, at its peak, UPI had more than 2,000 full-time employees, and 200 news bureaus in 92 countries, it had more than 6,000 media subscribers. With the rising popularity of news, the business of UPI began to decline as the circulation of afternoon newspapers, its chief client category. Its decline accelerated after the 1982 sale of UPI by the Scripps company, the E. W. Scripps Company controlled United Press until its absorption of William Randolph Hearsts smaller competing agency, INS, in 1958 to form UPI. With the Hearst Corporation as a minority partner, UPI continued under Scripps management until 1982, since its sale in 1982, UPI has changed ownership several times and was twice in Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization. With each change in ownership came deeper service and staff cutbacks and changes of focus, since the 1999 sale of its broadcast client list to its one-time major rival, the AP, UPI has concentrated on smaller information market niches. It no longer services media organizations in a major way, in 2000, UPI was purchased by News World Communications, an international news media company founded in 1976 by Unification Church leader Sun Myung Moon. It now maintains a website and photo service and electronically publishes several information product packages. It also sells a premium service, which has deeper coverage and analysis of emerging threats, the security industry, UPIs content is presented in text, video and photo formats, in the English, Spanish and Arabic languages. UPIs main office is in the Miami metropolitan area and it maintains office locations in five countries and uses freelance journalists in other major cities. Beginning with the Cleveland Press, publisher E. W. Scripps created the first chain of newspapers in the United States, Scripps also hoped to make a profit from selling that news to papers owned by others. At that time and until World War II, most newspapers relied on news agencies for stories outside their geographic areas. Despite strong newspaper industry opposition, UP started to sell news to the new and competitive radio medium in 1935, years before competitor AP, controlled by the newspaper industry, Scripps United Press was considered a scrappy alternative news source to the AP. UP reporters were called Unipressers and were noted for their aggressive and competitive streak. UP became a training ground for generations of journalists. Walter Cronkite, who started with United Press in Kansas City, gained fame for his coverage of World War II in Europe and that was part of the spirit. But we knew we could do a good job despite that
28.
Associated Press
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The Associated Press is an American multinational nonprofit news agency headquartered in New York City that operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. The AP is owned by its contributing newspapers and radio and television stations in the United States, all of which stories to the AP. Most of the AP staff are members and are represented by the Newspaper Guild, which operates under the Communications Workers of America. As of 2007, news collected by the AP was published and republished by more than 1,700 newspapers, in addition to more than 5,000 television, the photograph library of the AP consists of over 10 million images. The AP operates 243 news bureaus in 120 countries and it also operates the AP Radio Network, which provides newscasts twice hourly for broadcast and satellite radio and television stations. Many newspapers and broadcasters outside the United States are AP subscribers, as part of their cooperative agreement with the AP, most member news organizations grant automatic permission for the AP to distribute their local news reports. The AP employs the inverted pyramid formula for writing that enables the news outlets to edit a story to fit its available publication area without losing the storys essentials. Cutbacks at rival United Press International in 1993 left the AP as the United States primary news service, although UPI still produces and distributes stories and photos daily. Other English-language news services, such as the BBC, Reuters, some historians believe that the Tribune joined at this time, documents show it was a member in 1849. The New York Times became a member shortly after its founding in September 1851, initially known as the New York Associated Press, the organization faced competition from the Western Associated Press, which criticized its monopolistic news gathering and price setting practices. The revelations led to the demise of the NYAP and in December 1892, when the AP was founded, news became a salable commodity. The invention of the press allowed the New York Tribune in the 1870s to print 18,000 papers per hour. During the Civil War and Spanish–American War, there was a new incentive to print vivid, Melville Stone, who had founded the Chicago Daily News in 1875, served as AP General Manager from 1893 to 1921. He embraced the standards of accuracy, impartiality, and integrity, the cooperative grew rapidly under the leadership of Kent Cooper, who built up bureau staff in South America, Europe and, the Middle East. He introduced the telegraph typewriter or teletypewriter into newsrooms in 1914, in 1935, AP launched the Wirephoto network, which allowed transmission of news photographs over leased private telephone lines on the day they were taken. This gave AP a major advantage over other media outlets. While the first network was only between New York, Chicago, and San Francisco, eventually AP had its network across the whole United States, in 1945, the Supreme Court of the United States held in Associated Press v. The decision facilitated the growth of its main rival United Press International, AP entered the broadcast field in 1941 when it began distributing news to radio stations, it created its own radio network in 1974
29.
Rebound (basketball)
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In basketball, a rebound, colloquially referred to as a board, is a statistic awarded to a player who retrieves the ball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebounds are also given to a player who tips in a shot on his teams offensive end. Rebounds in basketball are a part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made. A rebound can be grabbed by either a player or a defensive player. The majority of rebounds are defensive because the team on defense tends to be in position to recover missed shots. Offensive rebounds give the team another opportunity to score whether right away or by resetting the offense. A block is not considered a rebound, a ball does not need to actually rebound off the rim or backboard for a rebound to be credited. Rebounds are credited after any missed shot, including air balls, if a player takes a shot and misses and the ball bounces on the ground before someone picks it up, then the person who picks up the ball is credited for a rebound. Rebounds are credited to the first player that gains possession of the ball or to the player that successfully deflects the ball into the basket for a score. A rebound is credited to a team when it gains possession of the ball after any missed shot that is not cleared by a single player, great rebounders tend to be tall and strong. Because height is so important, most rebounds are made by centers and power forwards, the lack of height can sometimes be compensated by the strength to box out taller players away from the ball to capture the rebound. For example, Charles Barkley once led the league in rebounding despite usually being much shorter than his counterparts, also, some shorter guards can be excellent rebounders as well such as point guard Jason Kidd who led the New Jersey Nets in rebounding for several years. Great rebounders must also have a sense of timing and positioning. Great leaping ability is an important asset, but not absolutely necessary, players such as Larry Bird and Moses Malone were excellent rebounders, but were never known for their leaping ability. Bird has stated, Most rebounds are taken below the rim, the action can also be called blocking out. A team can be boxed out by players using this technique to stop the other team from rebounding. Because fighting for a rebound can be physical, rebounding is often regarded as grunt work or a hustle play. Overly aggressive boxing out or preventing being boxed out can lead to personal fouls, statistics of a players rebounds per game or rebounding average measure a players rebounding effectiveness by dividing the number of rebounds by the number of games played
30.
National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame
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The National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Kansas City, Missouri, is a hall of fame and museum dedicated to mens college basketball. The museum is a portion of the College Basketball Experience created by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. The hall is meant as a complement to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, on November 17,2006 the NABC honored around 180 players, coaches and other notable contributors to college basketball by inducting them into the founding class of the Hall of Fame. Oscar Robertson, Bill Russell, Dean Smith, John Wooden, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts has indicated it will help with the exhibits. The other interactive portions of the College Basketball Experience are called The Entry Experience, The Fan Experience, the NABC recently renamed the Guardians Classic college tournament the CBE Classic to help promote it
31.
Basketball
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Basketball is a non-contact team sport played on a rectangular court by two teams of five players each. The objective is to shoot a ball through a hoop 18 inches in diameter and 10 feet high that is mounted to a backboard at each end of the court. The game was invented in 1891 by Dr. James Naismith, a team can score a field goal by shooting the ball through the basket being defended by the opposition team during regular play. A field goal scores three points for the team if the player shoots from behind the three-point line. A team can also score via free throws, which are worth one point, the team with the most points at the end of the game wins, but additional time is mandated when the score is tied at the end of regulation. The ball can be advanced on the court by passing it to a teammate and it is a violation to lift, or drag, ones pivot foot without dribbling the ball, to carry it, or to hold the ball with both hands then resume dribbling. The game has many techniques for displaying skill—ball-handling, shooting, passing, dribbling, dunking, shot-blocking. The point guard directs the on court action of the team, implementing the coachs game plan, Basketball is one of the worlds most popular and widely viewed sports. Outside North America, the top clubs from national leagues qualify to continental championships such as the Euroleague, the FIBA Basketball World Cup attracts the top national teams from around the world. Each continent hosts regional competitions for teams, like EuroBasket. The FIBA Womens Basketball World Cup features the top womens basketball teams from continental championships. The main North American league is the WNBA, whereas the EuroLeague Women has been dominated by teams from the Russian Womens Basketball Premier League, in early December 1891, Canadian Dr. He sought a vigorous indoor game to keep his students occupied, after rejecting other ideas as either too rough or poorly suited to walled-in gymnasiums, he wrote the basic rules and nailed a peach basket onto a 10-foot elevated track. Basketball was originally played with a soccer ball and 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, dribbling was not part of the original game except for the bounce pass to teammates. Passing the ball was the means of ball movement. Dribbling was eventually introduced but limited by the shape of early balls. Dribbling only became a part of the game around the 1950s
32.
FIBA World Championship
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It is considered to be the flagship event of the International Basketball Federation. The world championship is considered to be just as prestigious as the basketball gold medal. The championship has held every four years since the inaugural tournament in 1950. The tournament structure is similar, but not identical, to that of the FIFA World Cup, a parallel event for womens teams, now known as the FIBA Womens Basketball World Cup, is also held quadrennially. From 1986 through 2014, the mens and womens championships were held in the same year, the current format of the tournament involves 24 teams competing for the title at venues within the host nation. The winning team receives the Naismith Trophy, first awarded in 1967, the current champions are the United States, who defeated Serbia in the final of the 2014 tournament. Following the 2014 FIBA championships for men and women, the mens World Cup was scheduled on a new four-year cycle to avoid conflict with the FIFA World Cup, the next mens World Cup will be held in 2019, in the year following the FIFA World Cup. All FIBA World Championship/World Cup tournaments from the 1994 edition onward, are considered as fully professional level tournaments. The FIBA Basketball World Cup was conceived at a meeting of the FIBA World Congress at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. Long-time FIBA Secretary-General Renato William Jones urged FIBA to adopt a World Championship, similar to the FIFA World Cup, the FIBA Congress, seeing how successful the 23-team Olympic tournament was that year, agreed to the proposal, beginning with a tournament in 1950. Argentina was selected as host, largely because it was the country willing to take on the task. Argentina took advantage of the host selection, winning all their games en route to becoming the first FIBA World Champion, the first five tournaments were held in South America, and teams from the Americas dominated the tournament, winning eight of nine medals at the first three tournaments. By 1963, however, teams from Eastern Europe and Southeast Europe, between 1963 and 1990, the tournament was dominated by the United States, the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, and Brazil who together accounted for every medal at the tournament. United States dominated that year and won gold, while former states of USSR and Yugoslavia - Russia and Croatia - won Silver, the 1998 FIBA World Championship, held in Greece, lost some of its luster when the 1998–99 NBA lockout prevented the American professional players from participating. New Yugoslavian team, now consisting of the former Yugoslav republics of Serbia and Montenegro, won the gold medal over Russia, while USA, playing with amateur players, in 2002 other nations eventually caught up to the four powerhouse countries and their successor states. Meanwhile, the United States team, made up entirely of NBA players and this new era of parity convinced FIBA to expand the tournament to 24 teams for 2006,2010 and 2014 editions of the tournament. In 2006, emerging powerhouse Spain beat Greece in the first appearance in the final for both teams, Spain became only the seventh team to capture a World Championship gold. The USA, who lost to Greece in a semifinal, beat Argentina in 3rd place match, in 2010 FIBA World Championship final the USA beat Turkey and won gold for first time in 16 years, while Lithuania beat Serbia and won bronze
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1994 FIBA World Championship
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The 1994 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Canada from August 4 to August 14,1994. The tournament was held at SkyDome and Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto as well as at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton. The hosting duties were awarded to Belgrade, Yugoslavia, but after United Nations imposed a trade embargo on the Balkan country. The tournament was won by the United Statess Dream Team II, the United States finished with a perfect 8–0 record. The bronze medal was won by Croatia who beat Greece 78–60 in the bronze-medal game, three stadia were used during the tournament, The following national teams competed, * North Korea withdrew from the tournament, South Korea replaced them. The top two teams each group remain in medal contention. The top two finishers from Groups I and II advance to the final round
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United States national basketball team
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The USA Basketball Mens Senior National Team, commonly known as the United States Mens National Basketball Team, represents the United States in international mens basketball. The USA team is the most successful team in competition, winning medals in all eighteen Olympic tournaments it has entered. The United States is currently ranked first in the FIBA World Rankings, traditionally composed of amateur players, a 1989 rule change by FIBA allowed USA Basketball to field teams with professional players. The first such team, known as the Dream Team, won the medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. With the introduction of professionals, the team was able to spark a run of dominance after capturing only a bronze medal in 1988. A team of professional players competed at the 1994 FIBA World Championship, in 1996,2000,2008,2012, and 2016 the USA again captured gold medals at the Olympics. Facing increased competition, the USA failed to win a medal at the 2002 FIBA World Championship, determined to put an end to these failures, USA Basketball initiated a long-term project aimed at creating better, more cohesive teams. The USA won its first seven games at the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan before losing against Greece in the semi-finals, the USA won gold two years later, though, at the 2008 Summer Olympics with a dominant performance. The USA continued this streak of dominance by going undefeated and capturing gold once more at the 2012 Summer Olympics,2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, the United States possessed a clear advantage in the early decades of international play. Through the next six tournaments, the United States went undefeated, collecting gold while not losing a single contest in the held in London, Helsinki, Melbourne, Rome, Tokyo. Roster until the formation of the 1992 Dream Team, the 1952 team included big man Clyde Lovellette of the University of Kansas, a future Hall of Famer and NBA star, but Kurland once again led the team to victory. The 1956 team was led by San Francisco Dons Bill Russell, the 1972 Olympic mens basketball gold medal game, marking the first ever loss for the USA in Olympic play, is arguably the most controversial in Olympic history. The United States rode their seven consecutive gold medals and 63–0 Olympic record to Munich for the 1972 Summer Olympics, the team won its first eight games in convincing fashion, setting up a final against the Soviet Union. With three seconds left in the medal game, American forward Doug Collins sank two free throws to put the Americans up 50–49. However, the buzzer sounded before Collins second free throw, immediately following Collins free throws, the Soviets inbounded the ball and failed to score. But one official had whistled play to stop with one remaining after hearing the earlier horn. The Soviets argued that they had requested a timeout before Collins foul shots, the referees ordered the clock reset to three seconds and the games final seconds replayed. However, the clock was in the process of being reset when the referees put the ball in play
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Professional
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A professional is a member of a profession or any person who earns their living from a specified professional activity. In addition, most professionals are subject to strict codes of conduct, Professional standards of practice and ethics for a particular field are typically agreed upon and maintained through widely recognized professional associations, such as the IEEE. Some definitions of professional limit this term to those professions that serve some important aspect of public interest, in narrow usage, not all expertise is considered a profession. Although sometimes incorrectly referred to as professions, occupations such as skilled construction, the completion of an apprenticeship is generally associated with skilled labour, or trades such as carpenter, electrician, mason, painter, plumber and other similar occupations. A related distinction would be that a professional does mainly mental work, although professional training appears to be ideologically neutral, it may be biased towards those with higher class backgrounds and a formal education. His evidence is both qualitative and quantitative, including examinations, industry statistics and personal accounts of trainees. A key theoretical dispute arises from the observation that established professions are subject to strict codes of conduct, some have thus argued that these codes of conduct, agreed upon and maintained through widely recognized professional associations, are a key element of what constitutes any profession. Thus, as people became more and more specialized in their trade, they began to profess their skill to others, with a reputation to uphold, trusted workers of a society who have a specific trade are considered professionals. Ironically, the usage of the word profess declined from the late 1800s to the 1950s, centre for the Study of Professions Organizational culture Professional boundaries Professional sports
