How to Play Basketball

The Court

Basketball is a team sport where two teams of five players try to score the ball into a hoop that is 10 feet off the ground.

Basketball is played on a court that is divided into two halves for the teams playing.

The goal of the game is to score points on the opposing side by throwing the ball in the basket.

There isn't a certain amount of points you need to win, though the goal of the game is to score more points than the opposing side in the alloted game time.

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NielsF
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Parts of the Basketball Hoop

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author: ppd
pixinio
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Scoring Points

To score points in basketball you have to throw the ball into the net on the opposing team.

The different types of throwing methods are...

Layup Shots Layups are the most common types of shots in basketball. A player could perform a layup by moving towards the basket while dribbling; then, they must throw the ball into the basket while they are very close to the basket. It is very common for a player to utilize the backboard while performing this throw.	Link to the image Keith Allison from Owings Mills, USA CC BY-SA 2.0(attribution, share-alike), Wikimedia Commons
Slam Dunks A slam dunk is one of the most aggressive shots ever. Compared to layups, slam dunks are more challenging, and they also require a lot of strength. For a player to perform a slam dunk, they have to dribble close to the hoop, throw the ball up and quite literally slam the ball into the net by grabbing the rim of the net with one or two of their arms.	Link to the image authors: chensiyuan, derivative work: MoRecupero CC BY-SA 3.0(attribution, share-alike) Wikimedia Commons
Jump Shot A jump shot in basketball is any shot performed while jumping into the air. This shot is used to avoid the defender, get a better look at the hoop, and get more strength on a shot.	Link to the image author : orangetaki CC BY-SA 2.0(attribution, share-alike) Wikimedia Commons
Hook Shots A hook shot in basketball is a shot that is only performed within close range of the hoop. It is also mostly performed by larger players as it could be more challenging for defenders to block it. This shot is performed when a player dribbles to the net and then swings their arms sideways in a hooking motion with the ball usually over the head's side. After the player does this, they will throw the ball into the net while jumping.	Link to the image author: SD Dirk CC BY 2.0(attribution) Wikimedia Commons
Bank Shots Bank shots are also one of the most effortless shots in basketball. Bank shots are usually only performed by taller players as taller players could jump higher. A bank shot is any shot that ricochets of the backboard before going into the basket.	Link to the image Ray_Shrewberry public domain pixabay
Tip In Shot A tip-in shot is when a player tips the ball into the hoop just as it's rolling off the rim. The player tips the ball into the net. This shot is also a relatively easy shot to make as it doesn't require many steps and is pretty straightforward.	Link to the image author: Steffen Prößdorf CC BY-SA 4.0(attribution, share-alike) Wikimedia Commons
Free Throws A free throw in basketball is a shot that is made from the free-throw line. This shot only happens when a person on the opposing team fouls a player on the other team. These shots are supposed to be unprotected and mean "free shots" as they are straightforward to make, and the person making the shot is unprotected.	Link to the image author: Zereshk CC BY-SA 3.0(attribution, share-alike) Wikimedia Commons
Swish A swish in basketball is any shot that is scored into the basket without touching the backboard, or rim. The name "swish" was chosen for this shot as it resembles the sound made when you perform this shot.	Link to the image Marcus Quigmire from Florida, USA CC BY-SA 2.0(attribution, share-alike) Wikimedia Commons

Different Positions in Basketball

There are five positions in basketball as there are only five people playing on the court

Center

The center is the tallest player in each team, playing near the basket. On offense, the center tries to score on close shots and rebound. But on defense, the center attempts to block opponents' shots and rebound their misses.

Power Forward

The power forward on a team does many things that the center does, playing near the basket while rebounding and defending taller players. But power forwards also take longer shots than centers. While on defense power forwards guard and block offensive players.

Small Forward

The small forwards are the players that roam around the court and could score from a long and a short-range. While on defense their main job is to guard players on the opposing team.

Point Guard

A point guard is usually the best dribbler and passer on a team. The point guard is the person that opposes the other teams' point guard and tries to steal the ball from them. While on defense the point guard tries to steal the ball from the opposing team.

Shooting Guard

The shooting guard is usually the team's best shooter. The shooting guard can make shots from long and short distances and is also an excellent dribbler. While on defense the shooting guards main objective is to steal the ball from the other team and to guard the other players.

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author: Ernie Woods

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Rules

Now that we know all of the core basics of basketball, like the parts of a basketball hoop and the details of a basketball court, the different types of shooting methods, and the various positions, we could start looking at the rules.

The rules of basketball may vary depending on the way you play it, though this webpage is going to show you how to play basketball with NBA style rules.

First of all, there are two sides to basketball, the offensive, and the defensive

1. The beginning of the game starts with a tip off where the referee throws the ball into the air, and one person from each team tries to take the ball by catching it.
2. The game's goal is to throw the ball into the basket on the opposing side.
3. Dribbling and pivoting are the only ways you can move the ball. Once someone puts two hands on the ball, they cannot dribble it anymore. *If they continue to dribble the ball, it will result in a double dribble, ultimately giving the other side a free throw.
4. After a player dribbles the ball into the halfway line, they can't go back to their side, and if they go back, that would be considered a violation, and free throws will be rewarded to the other team.
5. Each team has a time limit of 24 seconds to get the basketball in the basket. If a person on the team fails to make a basket or time runs out, the ball is rewarded to the other team.
6. There are two sides in basketball, which are the offense and the defense. The team with the ball is called the offense, and the team without the ball is called the defensive team. Sides and positions in basketball keep changing depending on which team has the ball.
7. When a team commits a foul, the opposing team will be awarded a free throw.

Violations in basketball include...

• Travelling:

  taking more than one step without bouncing the ball

• Double dribbling:

  picking the ball, stopping, then dribbling again

• Goaltending:

  a defensive player interferes with the ball traveling downwards towards the basket.

• Back Court Violation:

  once the ball crosses the halfway line, the offensive team cannot take the ball back to their side.

These are the basketball rules; you don't have to play the game just like how it is stated on the web page; you could always alter and change the rules if you want. If you understand these rules, you will be one step closer to becoming a better basketball player. I hope this webpage helped you in some way.

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