Hoops for Dummies

Your favorite movie as a kid wasn’t Space Jam, you don’t know why there is a certain bitterness people from Ohio might feel towards Lebron, and you have know idea who Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is. You’re not a basketball fan, but that doesn’t mean you’re excused from knowing about the game.

Basketball is an easy game to follow. If you know that the team who gets the most points by getting the ball into the basket wins you can follow a game. Beyond that, however, there is much more to know about the game to make it more enjoyable.

The Court

A basketball court is 94feet by 50 feet with a basket at either end. There is a half court line, three-point lane (in the shape of a half circle), and a free throw lane inside the three-point lane. The free throw lane is typically painted a color, hence why players in this lane are referred to as “in the paint”.

Timing

The game consists of four twelve-minute periods, with a half time intermission. After the half, the teams switch ends of the court. However, with the addition of the clock stopping for fouls, and time outs, the game usually ends up being closer to two hours than the 48 minutes that are on the clock.

The most important aspects of timing of a basketball game are the twenty-four-second rule and three-second rule.

The twenty-four-second rule requires a team to make an attempted basket within 24 seconds of obtaining possession of the ball. The NBA instated the twenty-four-second rule in the 50’s in order to increase the pace and excitement of the game for fans, which without this rule would be more focused on defense.

The three-second rule is that an offensive player cannot be in the free throw lane, or “in the paint”, for more than 3 seconds. In addition, a defensive player cannot be in the paint for more than 3 seconds unless guarding an offensive player. If this rule is broken the team looses possession of the ball.

If these rules are broken, it is said that the team has committed a violation and is required to give the opposing team possession of the ball.

Scoring

3 Points: A shot made outside of the three-point lane is worth 3 points.

2 Points: A shot made when a player is inside the three-point lane is worth 2 points.

1 Point: If a player is fouled upon they approach the free throw line (you guessed it, the line at the end of the free throw lane) and are given 1, 2, or 3 attempts (depending on the type of foul) to make the basket for 1 point.

Fouls

If a player commits 6 fouls in a game, he “fouls out” and cannot play for the remainder of the game. There are three categories of fouls.

Personal fouls are the most common, and are when a player gets to hands on with another player. It’s not uncommon for a personal foul to be unintentional, and simply when a player is attempting to defend the offensive player and gets too close. This is most often committed when a player is attempting a shot. The shooting player gets an opportunity to shoot for 2, or 3 points depending if they were inside or outside of the three-point lane. If the player is fouled, and still makes the shot, they are still given an opportunity to make an “and one” by making one additional point.

Flagrant fouls are excessive and unnecessary contact committed while the ball is dead or alive. The player that the foul was committed against gets to attempt two shots for two points at the free throw line all by himself, with no defenders around.

Technical fouls are given for unsportsmanlike conduct, and they can even be called against coaches if they get too heated with a ref. The penalty for a technical foul is the same as a flagrant foul, allowing the team fouled upon to send one player by himself to the line to attempt two shots for two points.

There is much to know beyond this about the game of basketball, but with this knowledge you will be able to follow a game and know exactly what is going on next time you find yourself in a room with everyone fixed on the TV and the sounds squeaking sneakers and the sight of an orange blur flying across the screen. Look out next week for a review on important current and past, people and teams in the game to really enhance your basketball knowledge.

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