NBA adds new trophy for team with best regular-season record

The NBA announced on Tuesday it has created a new trophy for this season, to be awarded to the team that has the best regular-season record.

The Maurice Podoloff Trophy – named after the NBA's first commissioner – will be handed out for the first time this season.

According to the announcement, the trophy "features a crystal ball cut into 82 panels, sitting on a pedestal that combines the structures of the Eastern Conference posts and Western conference rings."

Podoloff's name used to be tied to the league's MVP award, though it had been dropped when Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic retained it last season.

Named after the NBA’s first commissioner Maurice Podoloff, this trophy is presented to the team with the best record after 82 regular season games and features elements that represent the season and both conferences. pic.twitter.com/SRS2Ng7Nux

— NBA (@NBA) December 6, 2022

Had the new award been given out after the 82 games last year, it would have gone to the Phoenix Suns after their impressive 64-18 campaign, and would perhaps have provided some consolation after they were beaten in the Western Conference semi-finals by the Dallas Mavericks.

The Boston Celtics currently lead the way in the NBA this season, with a record of 20-5 after finishing runners-up to the Golden State Warriors in last year's Finals.

The NBA also unveiled redesigned trophies for the Joe Dumars Trophy for sportsmanship, the Red Auerbach Trophy for coach of the year, the Twyman-Stokes Trophy for the league's best teammate and the NBA Executive of the Year Trophy, working with artist Victor Solomon.