Basketball - an explanation

It was in the cold of winter, back in 1891, that Doctor James Naismith hung two peach baskets and gave rise to the sport of basketball. While working in the athletic department of the YMCA in Springfield, Massachussetts, Dr. Naismith wanted a recreational activity that could be played indoors during the snowy and cold New England winters. "Basketball" was quite unlike the game it is today.

Using a soccer ball and two peach baskets, set at opposite ends of the gymnasium, the object was to toss the ball in the basket and earn a point. The game was very slow and rules were not very clear. Each time a team would successfully land the ball in the peach basket, the game had to stop in order to retrieve the ball. No one had thought to cut a hole in the bottom of the peach basket. Well, as the years went by, the game changed, eventually becoming one of the world's most popular sports. If you are new to the sport of basketball, please read on as I will try to explain all the intricacies of the game.

Even if you know nothing about basketball, you probably are familiar with some of the great players from the past and the present. Names like Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. These players enjoy a status equivalent to England's football (soccer) star, David Beckham.

Let's start out with a brief explanation of the object of the game and some of the basic rules. Like any other sport, the object is to outscore your opponent. Different rules apply for high school, college and professional leagues. For purposes of this article, I'll focus on the professional game only. The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the professional league in the United States where, even the average player, is paid millions to play a game.

A regulation game is divided into 4 quarters. Two quarters make a half. Two halfs make an official game, unless overtime is required. Games can not end in a tie (as in soccer). Each quarter is 12 minutes of official time and a regulation game is 48 minutes of official time. Official time is not real time. Play is stopped often with time outs, for injuries and yes, television commercial advertisements. So, a normal game generally takes about 2.5 to 3.0 hours to complete. You score points each time you successfully get the ball through the basketball hoop. The basketball hoop is made of steel and has a diameter roughly twice the size of the basketball. Suspended from the circular steel ring is a nylon net that makes it easy to see if the ball did pass through the hoop.

Scoring

You can score 1, 2 or 3 points for each successful shot.

The basic shot, within approximately 22 feet of the basket, is worth 2 points. It does not matter if it goes in from 15 feet, 5 feet or is dunked directly through the hoop.

A 3 point shot is any shot that is taken from behind the 3 point line. The 3 point line is an arc drawn from two equidistant points on opposite sides of the goal (on the endline) and extending 22 feet out on all points of the semicircle. Any shot made behind the line is worth 3 points.

If a player is fouled, he goes to the foul line to shoot free throws. Each successful shot is worth one point. The foul line is located 15 feet, directly in front, of the basket. It is also referred to as the free throw line, because you attempt the shot with no one guarding you.

Advancing the Basketball

A regulation court is approximately 29 meters (94 feet) long and 15 meters (50 feet) wide. There are two ways to advance the ball toward the basket. Dribbling involves bouncing the ball up and down from your hand to the floor and back again. The rules alow you to take one step with each dribble. If you take two or more steps when dribbling up the court, you will be whistled for a turnover (when the other team is awarded possession of the ball). The other means of advancing the ball is by passing it to one of your teamates. You may get the ball to your teammate any way you want, the most common being the chest pass (where you throw it in the air) and the bounce pass (bounce the ball once to reach your teammate). There is no rule against rolling it to a teammate, but that is not really a regular method of advancing the ball.

Now that you know some of the basics, I'll try to explain some of the terminology of the sport.

Slam Dunk

This is an offensive scoring play where a player leaps high enough in the air so that the ball is above the rim. He then "slams" it down through the hoop for a slam dunk and 2 points. In the NBA, just about every player can slam dunk, even the shorter ones who are well under 2 meters in height. The act of dunking on someone has been a fan favorite for many years. There are actually contests to see who can do the most awesome and creative slam dunk. For instance, you might see someone turning 360 degrees through the air, kick his feet apart and slam the ball through the hoop with a windmill motion of his arm.

Zone Defense

No one guards an individual player. Instead each player is responsible for an area on the court and defends against anyone that invades that area.

Technical Foul

This is called if you get out of line with the referee, maybe by swearing or complaining too much about a call. The opposing team is awarded free throws.

Charging

While on offense, if you run into a defender (more than a touch), you are penalized and the ball is turned over to your opponent.

There is so much more to understand about basketball, but, that can not be done in one short article. Why not get yourself a basketball, find a hoop and give the sport a go. Don't be left behind as the rest of the world is playing basketball in greater numbers than ever before.