The basket is mounted to a backboard and is at a height of 10 feet from the ground. The rim of the basket is of 18 inches in diameter so that the basketball can easily pass through it. When a player scores a regular basket by making the ball pass through the basket, it is called a field goal. A field goal is worth two points, when the player is closer to the basket in comparison to the three-point line.
But when the player scores a basket from behind the three-point line, he will be awarded with three points which is commonly referred to as a 3 pointer or a three. Both the playing teams try to earn maximum points by putting the ball into the opponent team’s basket. At the end of the match, the teams with the maximum points is declared winner. But when both the teams score the same points, an additional time or overtime can be allowed to avoid the draw.
Rules and Regulations
The are several types of officials that supervise the game of basketball. These include a referee, one or two umpires and a couple of table officials. The table officials keep track of the playtime and scores, while the match referee is responsible to oversee all actions on the basketball court.
The act of throwing ball to the opponent’s basket is called a shot. A successful shot can earn a team from one to three points. A team can get one point when the shot is made from the foul line, when a foul is committed. A 3 pointer can be earned when a shot is taken from beyond the three-point arc. This arc is at the distance of 20.5 ft from the basket in international basketball events.
In the game of basketball, numerous types of violations can take place during the play. Any type of disruptive physical contact by a player to obstruct a player from his opponent team can be considered a personal foul and can be penalized. A free throw can be awarded as a penalty, if a personal foul is detected by the match referee. A technical foul can also take place for an unruly behavior by a player or a coach. When a technical foul is released, the opposing team gets a free throw and gets the opportunity of possessing the ball.
In the game of basketball, players can use different techniques to advance the ball. Some of the common techniques are dribbling and bouncing the ball and passing it to a teammate. A player is not allowed to run with the ball by simply holding it in his own hands. Moreover, there are specialized player positions which different players can occupy on the basketball court. These player positions can determine their offensive and defensive playing structure and strategy. Some of the common positions are the center, power forward and point guard. In general, the taller players are positioned at center and power forward positions while shorter players with a better ball handling capability occupy the point guard or the shooting guard position.
Playing Rules
A game of basketball is divided into four quarters. According to the Federation of International Basketball Association (FIBA), each quarter can be of 10 minutes each while as per NBA rules, a quarter can be of 12 minutes duration. In case of a tie of scores, an overtime of 5 minutes duration can be allowed. In case if the play is interrupted due to any reason, the clock is stopped and the time starts again with the restart of the game. The two consecutive quarters constitute the half of a basketball game and after one half’s play, both the playing teams interchange their positions and the baskets.
Each team can deploy maximum five players on the court, but teams can substitute their players for unlimited number of times. However, substitution can take place only when the play is stopped. A substitution is not allowed to disrupt the play. The coach of each team supervises his team’s play and guides the team with strategies and playing techniques.
All these playing rules are applicable on both men’s and women’s basketball playing. Players can wear a standard uniform which includes a pair of shorts and numbered jerseys to help identify the player. In many games, the name of the player, name of the team and sponsor’s names or logos can also be found on the uniforms.
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