Basketball

Basketball is a ball sport in which, under organized rules, two teams of five players each try to score points by throwing a ball through a hoop.

Rules and regulations

:Main article: Rules of basketball

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The object of the game is to outscore one's opponents by throwing the ball through the opponents' basket from above while preventing the opponents from doing so on their own. An attempt to score in this way is called a shot.

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A successful shot is worth two points, or three points if it is taken from beyond the three-point arc which is 6.25 meters (20 ft 5 in) from the basket in international games, 23 ft 9 in (7.24 m) in NBA games and 19 ft 9 in (6.02 m) in US college games. A successful free throw is worth one point.

Related Topics:
Three points - Free throw

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Playing regulations

Games are played in four quarters of 10 (international) or 12 minutes (NBA), or two halves of 20 minutes (college and WNBA) each. Fifteen minutes are allotted for a half-time break, and two minutes are allowed at the other breaks. Overtime periods are five minutes long. Teams exchange baskets for the second half.

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The time allotted is actual playing time; that is, the clock is stopped while the ball is not in play, for example when a violation or foul is committed or during free throws. Therefore, games generally take much longer; games of the length above realistically take around two hours.

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A time-out is a clock stoppage requested by the coach of either team, during which he can talk to the team. A time-out lasts one minute in international basketball and either 60 seconds or 20 seconds in NBA basketball, but if the game is on television and a commercial break is taken during a time-out, the time-out is extended to 100 seconds. In international basketball, time-outs are limited to two in the first half, three in the second half and one in each extra period. In NBA basketball, six time-outs are allowed throughout the game, though only three can be in the last quarter. Three are allowed in each extra period.

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The game is controlled by the officials consisting of the referee, one or two umpires and the table officials. The table officials are responsible for scoring, timekeeping and the shot clock.

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Equipment

The only essential equipment in basketball is the court, which consists of two baskets with backboards, and a basketball. At competitive levels, much more equipment is needed, including clocks, scoresheets, scoreboards, foul markers, alternating possession arrows, sometimes whistle-operated stop-clock systems.

Related Topics:
Scoreboard - Alternating possession

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The men's ball's circumference ranges between 29.5 and 30 inches (749 and 762 mm) and weighs 1 lb 4 oz to 1 lb 6 oz (567 to 624 g). The women's ball's circumference is between 28.5 and 29.0 in (724 and 737 mm) and its mass from 1 lb 2 oz to 1 lb 4 oz (510 to 567 g).

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A regulation basketball court in international games is 28 by 15 meters (approx. 92 by 49 feet) and in the NBA is 94 by 50 feet (approx. 29 by 15 meters). Most courts are made of wood and have various markings 2 inches (5 centimeters) wide to mark off the various sections.

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A basket and backboard hang over each end of the court. The basket consists of a cast-iron rim and a net, and is connected by supports to the backboard. The backboard sits 10 feet (NBA), which is the same as 3.05 meters (FIBA), above the court and four feet inside the endline. They may have either a fan shape or rectangular shape. The fan shaped backboard is 54 inches (140 centimeters) wide, and has the "target area" at the bottom center. The rectangular backboard is 72 inches (180 centimeters) wide and has its "target area" in the lower center. Both "target areas" are 24 inches long and 18 inches wide.

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Teams and uniforms

There are five players from each team, on the court at any time. Teams can have up to seven substitutes, except in NBA three-game series where only five are allowed. Substitutions are unlimited but can only be done during a stoppage in play. Teams also have a coach, who oversees the development and strategies of the team, and other team followers such as assistant coaches, managers, statisticians, doctors and trainers.

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For both men's and women's teams, a standard uniform consists of a pair of shorts and a sleeveless tank top. Players also wear high-top sneakers that provide extra ankle support. Years ago, female players' uniforms consisted of short-sleeved shirts and skirts. This type of uniform has long since been phased out. At all levels of competitive basketball, the basketball uniforms have the team's name printed across the upper chest area, plus a number. The numbers help identify a player to fans and - more importantly - other players, coaches and game officials. The uniforms of the home team are often white (or some other light color), while the visiting team wears a darker-colored uniform. A small number of high school teams, many college teams, and a large number of professional teams put the player's name on the back of the jersey. This practice is mandatory in the NBA.

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International games mandate the numbers from 4 to 15. At the high school and college levels, numbers generally range from 1-5, 10-15, 20-25, 30-35, 40-45, and 50-55, plus 0 and 00; in NCAA basketball, these are the only legal numbers. In some states, high school teams must wear even-numbered jerseys if they're the home team and odd-numbered jerseys if they're considered the visitor. Also, teams may have either 0 or 00, but not both. Uniform numbers in the NBA are generally the same, but digits greater than 5 have always been allowed (e.g., all-time great Bill Russell wore #6 with the Boston Celtics, and current star Andrei Kirilenko wears #47 with the Utah Jazz), and some players have worn numbers above 55 (like Dennis Rodman, who wore #91 while playing with the Chicago Bulls).

Related Topics:
Bill Russell - Boston Celtics - Andrei Kirilenko - Utah Jazz - Dennis Rodman - Chicago Bulls

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Violations

The ball may be advanced toward the basket by being shot, passed between players, thrown, tapped, rolled or dribbled (bouncing the ball while running).

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The ball must stay within the court — it cannot touch the floor on or outside the boundary line, or a person who is standing there. The last team to touch the ball before it does so forfeits possession. A player is allowed to "save" a ball that has crossed the vertical plane of the boundary line and return the ball to play before the ball or the player touches the ground.

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The ball-handler may not move both feet while he is holding the ball and not dribbling, known as travelling, nor may he dribble with both hands or catch the ball in between dribbles, a violation called double-dribbling. A player's hand cannot pass the vertical while dribbling, so that his hand is partially below the ball; this is known as carrying the ball. A team, once having established ball control in the front half of the court, may not return the ball to the backcourt. No player may kick the ball or strike it with his fist. A violation of these rules results in loss of possession, or, if committed by the defense, a reset of the shot clock.

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A team, having gained possession of the ball, must progress the ball past halfway within 8 seconds (10 seconds in college) and attempt a shot within 24 seconds (35 in college). However, there is usually no shot clock below the college level. After a shot, the shot clock resets to its original time if the ball hits some part of the rim; a shot that makes no contact at all (an air ball) or that only hits the backboard does not reset the clock. A closely guarded player may not hold the ball without dribbling (or, in the NBA, dribble with his back to the basket) for 5 seconds. These rules are designed to reward good defense. Also, an offensive (and, in the NBA, defensive) player cannot remain in the restricted area (also known as the paint or keyhole) for more than 3 seconds at a time. An offensive 3-second violation results in loss of possession; a defensive 3-second violation gives the offense 1 free throw and continued possession of the ball.

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No player may interfere with the ball or basket on its downward flight to the basket, or while it is on the ring (or, in the NBA, while it is directly above the basket), a violation known as goaltending. If a defensive player goaltends, the attempted shot is considered to have been successful, and 2 or 3 points, depending on where the shot was taken, are awarded to the shooting team. If an offensive teammate of the shooter goaltends, that team loses possession.

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Fouls

:Main articles: Personal foul, Technical foul

Related Topics:
Personal foul - Technical foul

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An attempt to unfairly disadvantage an opponent through personal contact is illegal and is called a foul. These are most commonly committed by defensive players; however, they can be committed by offensive players as well. Players who are fouled either receive the ball to pass inbounds again, or receive one or more free throws if they are fouled in the act of shooting, depending on whether the shot was successful. One point is awarded for making a free throw, which is attempted from a line 4.5 metres (15 feet) from the basket.

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There is some discretion with the referee when calling a foul — they consider if there was unfair advantage gained, for example, a player gained possession unfairly. This makes fouls sometimes controversial calls. Contact in basketball is unavoidable, and the calling of a foul can vary between games, leagues and even between referees.

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If a team surpasses a preset limit of team fouls in a given period (quarter or half) ? four for international and NBA games, six for college games ? the opposing team is awarded one or two free throws on all subsequent fouls for that period. The number of free throws depends on the league. If the foul is in the act of shooting, the amount of free throws normally awarded for that shooting situation overrules the amount set here. Offensive fouls and double fouls do not result in free throws (just loss of possession); and they are not counted as team fouls in the NBA (though they are counted in international games).

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A player or coach who shows poor sportsmanship, for instance, by arguing with a referee or by fighting with another player, can be charged with a technical foul. A coach with two technical fouls is disqualified from the game and is required to leave the playing area. In the NBA, players with two technical fouls are also disqualified. The penalty involves free throws and varies between leagues.

Related Topics:
Technical foul - Disqualified

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Blatant fouls with excessive contact or that are not an attempt to play the ball are called unsportsmanlike fouls (or flagrant fouls in the NBA) and incur a harsher penalty; in some rare cases a disqualifying foul will require the player to leave the playing area.

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If a player commits five fouls (including technical fouls) in one game (six in some professional leagues, including the NBA), he is not allowed to participate for the rest of the game, and is described as having "fouled out". If no substitutes are available, the team must forfeit the game. Some leagues, including the NBA, allow fouled out players to re-enter the game at the cost of a technical foul on the team. But, if the team has a player that has fouled out, and the game goes into overtime, the player that has fouled out is allowed back into the game, though for one period only.

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