<Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> 1956--57 NBA season </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> League </Th> <Td> National Basketball Association </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Sport </Th> <Td> Basketball </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Number of games </Th> <Td> 72 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Number of teams </Th> <Td> 8 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> TV partner (s) </Th> <Td> NBC </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Regular season </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Season MVP </Th> <Td> Bob Cousy (Boston) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Top scorer </Th> <Td> Paul Arizin (Philadelphia) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Playoffs </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Eastern champions </Th> <Td> Boston Celtics </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Eastern runners - up </Th> <Td> Syracuse Nationals </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Western champions </Th> <Td> St. Louis Hawks </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Western runners - up </Th> <Td> Minneapolis Lakers </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Finals </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Champions </Th> <Td> Boston Celtics </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Runners - up </Th> <Td> St. Louis Hawks </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> NBA seasons </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> ← 1955--56 1957--58 → </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> 1956--57 NBA season </Th> </Tr>

How many teams in the nba in 1956