Being beloved by your hometown faithful is the goal of most basketball players, but some took a special pride in the pure hatred they inspired in opposing fan bases.

From Run-TMC to the Splash Brothers and Showtime to the Fab Five, we run down the most memorable basketball nicknames that applied to multiple teammates

It’s the NBA Finals that technically decides the league’s champion from year to year but here are 10 times that series seemed like a foregone conclusion and the “true” Finals took place earlier in the postseason.

As part of our Totally ’80s series, we explore the 80 most monumental, controversial, influential, unforgettable, and indescribable basketball moments from the 1980s.

Their rivalry is still the pinnacle of the NBA for many, and their subsequent friendship still inspires. As we approach the 30th anniversary of their final NBA match-up, we take a look back at the eight most unforgettable games involving two of the game’s all-time greatest, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.

Normally these two long-time rivals would never dream of exchanging players, but in three rare cases they came together to make a deal.

Can it really be considered a rivalry if one side always gets the best of their opponent? These NBA match-ups, involving both individuals and teams, put that concept to the test to varying degrees over the years.

For better or worse, we don’t really see big fights on the court anymore in the NBA. But in the past, they’ve been just as threaded into the fabric of the sport as anything that gets logged into the box score. Today, we take a look at the 26 most memorable examples of on-court melees, presented below in chronological order.

When management didn’t move fast enough, these teams took matters into their own hands, undermining their coach and questioning his authority until there was no choice left but to fire him.

While most player feuds never make it past the cliches “leave it all on the floor” or “let your game do the talking,” these are the ones that actually spilled out into noticeable quarrels, be it physical, verbal, or passive-aggressive.

Though some were pretty great players in their own right, these siblings got lost in the shuffle of their more famous brothers’ NBA success.

If absence makes the heart grow fonder, then it stands to reason that closeness breeds contempt, as was the case in these nine NBA rivalries, which were all connected by topographical proximity.

Whether it was the locale, the franchise’s recent history, the roster makeup, the contract offer, or all of the above plus myriad other supposed reasons (just ask Steve Francis), these eight players disavowed the NBA teams that drafted them, with varied results.

Unconscionable signings, lopsided trades, unexplainable draft picks, and perplexing personnel decisions are the hallmarks of the eras detailed below, where a general manager put together a performance so dreadful, they arguably set the franchise back years of development.

It’s the season of giving, and on these 11 Christmas Day celebrations, the NBA reached into its big red bag and produced especially memorable games