Court and Equipment
Basketball is played by two teams of five players each on a rectangular court, generally 50 by 94 feet for college and professional teams, 50 by 84 feet for high school players. (These dimensions are called "ideal" in the rules; they are not definitely prescribed, and high school teams often have smaller courts.) The court is divided into halves by the halfcourt line.
At the center of a court is the center jump circle, and at either end of the court, 4 feet from the end line, there is a basket, a rim 18 in in diameter and 10 feet above the floor, from which hangs a net of white cord 15 to 18 in long. Behind each basket is a backboard. For college and professional play, it is a glass rectangle 72 in wide by 48 in high; high schools may use a fan-shaped backboard 54 in wide. Beneath each basket a 12-foot lane (16 feet in professional play) is marked, ending at the free throw line, which is 15 feet from the basket. The free throw circle is inscribed around the line.
The 3-point line is an arc 19 feet, 9 inches from the basket in college basketball, 20 feet, 6 inches under international rules. In the NBA, the line is 23 feet, 9 inches from the basket for most of its length but only 22 feet away in the corners.
The basketball is spherical, 29 ½ to 30 inches in circumference and 20 to 22 ounces in weight. When dropped from a height of 6 feet a properly inflated ball will bounce to a height of 49-54 inches.
Timing
A professional game consists of four 12-minute quarters; a college game of two 20-minute halves; a high school game of four 8-minute quarters. The clock is started when the ball is tapped on the opening center jump. It stops when a foul is called, a violation occurs, a jump ball is signaled, or timeout is called.
An official may call a timeout because of an injury, in order to confer with scorers or timers, or because of a delay in getting a dead ball alive (if, for example, a ball goes out of bounds into a crowd, and there is delay in getting it back, since the clock doesn't stop merely because the ball has gone out of bounds). A player can also call timeout for the team, if the player's team has possession of the ball or the ball is dead. Each team is allowed five timeouts in a game (seven in professional basketball) and one timeout in an overtime period (two in professional basketball).
The clock starts again on a jump ball, when the ball is tapped by one of the jumping players; on a missed free throw, when the ball is touched by a player; on a throw-in, when the ball is touched by a player on the court.
If the regulation game ends in a tie, there is an overtime period of 5 minutes in college and professional ball, 3 minutes in high school. If the score is still tied at the end of the overtime period, there is another overtime period, and so on, until time expires with one team ahead.
Scoring
A successful shot from the field (field goal) counts 2 or 3 points, depending on from where it is taken. For the shot to count 3 points, both of the shooter's feet must be completely behind the 3-point line. A successful free throw counts 1 point.
For a shot to be successful, the ball must enter the basket from above and either go through or remain in the netting. However, a field goal is also scored if a shot from the field is touched by a defensive player on its downward arc toward the basket, or while the ball is wholly or partly in the imaginary cylinder above the basket. Formally known as basket interference, this violation is better known as "goaltending," and the field goal is awarded to the player who attempted the shot. An offensive player may also commit basket interference; in a case of offensive goaltending, the shot is nullified, and the ball goes out of bounds to the other team.
Out of Bounds
The ball is out of bounds when it touches a player, the floor, or any object which is out of bounds. (The inside edge of the out-of-bounds line is the boundary; therefore, if a ball touches the line, it is out of bounds). If it goes over the rectangular backboard, it is out of bounds; however, this doesn't apply if the fan-shaped backboard is used. It is also out of bounds if it touches the supports or the back of the backboard, or any overhead equipment or supports in the gymnasium or arena.
The ball is presumed to have been caused to go out of bounds by the last player who touched it or was touched by it, and the ball is awarded to the other team. If a player touches the ball while that player is already out of bounds, the ball goes to the other team. (For example, if a player on Team A makes a poor pass, and a player from Team B catches the ball while the latter is out of bounds, the ball goes to Team A.)
A player who is in the air is in bounds if that player was in bounds before jumping; out of bounds if the player was out of bounds before jumping. When an out-of-bounds is called, an official hands the ball to a nearby player on the team that is to gain possession. This player has 5 seconds to make a throw-in from the designated spot. The player must not leave the spot, nor can any part of the body be across the boundary line until the throw-in has been made. The throw-in is also used after a score, by the team scored against; in this case, the throw-in is made from behind the end line, and the player has the option of making a throw to a teammate who is also behind the end line. (This maneuver is most commonly used when the opposing team is using a full-court press.)
Violations
A violation is an infraction of the rules, not usually a foul, which results in loss of possession. After a violation, the ball is awarded to the opposing team for a throw-in.
The most common violations are:
- Traveling - Also called "walking" or "steps"; in general, this is taking more than one step with the ball, without dribbling. In advancing the ball, a player must bounce it on the floor once for every two steps taken; the ball is controlled with the fingertips, not the palm, and the dribble must be continuous. Many traveling violations are caused by a player illegally moving the pivot foot. If both feet are on the floor when the ball is received, the player may move either foot. Once a foot is moved, however, the other foot becomes the pivot foot, and the player cannot take a step with it without dribbling. The player can pivot on the pivot foot but must not slide it along the floor.
- Double dribble - Formally known as "discontinued dribble"; the dribble ends when the dribbler catches the ball, holds it, or touches it with both hands simultaneously. Once the dribbling has stopped, the player cannot dribble again until after another player has touched the ball. (There is one exception: A player may stop dribbling, take a shot at the basket, and begin dribbling again after gaining the rebound.)
- 3-second violation - An offensive player cannot remain partly or wholly within the free-throw lane for more than 3 seconds. The player's team must be in control of the ball for the whole period, however, and some allowance is made if, before the 3 seconds has passed, the player dribbles toward the basket to try a shot. (The line marking the free-throw lane is considered part of the lane.)
- 10-second violation - Once a team gains possession of the ball in its own backcourt, it must advance the ball across the half-court line within 10 sec. Having crossed the halfcourt line , the ball must not return to the backcourt while the team is still in possession. If a player on Team A in the forecourt makes a poor pass, and the ball goes into the backcourt, it is a live ball. If a player from Team A touches it while it is in the backcourt, it is a violation. However, if Team B was responsible for the ball going into the backcourt, it is a free ball, and Team A can recover it.
- Palming the ball - Also called "turning the ball over," this violation involves using the palm to control the ball when dribbling.
- Kicking or striking the ball with the fist - Kicking the ball is a violation only when it is a deliberate act; accidentally striking the ball with the leg or foot is not a violation.
- Shot clock violation - In professional basketball, a team is given 24 seconds to attempt a shot after gaining control of the ball. The time is marked off on a special 24-second clock installed near the basket the team is shooting at. The shot must hit the rim or the backboard if it doesn't go in the basket; if it merely brushes the net, or misses entirely, it is not considered to be a shot. After an attempted shot, if the offensive team gains the rebound, the clock starts again at 24 sec. If, with less than 10 seconds on the shooting clock, the ball is awarded out of bounds to the offensive team, the clock is restarted at the 10-second mark. Note that the ball must definitely change possession for the clock to be stopped; for example, if there is a loose ball, and a scramble, with the offensive team regaining possession, the clock continues to run. College basketball has a 45-second shot clock. The other provisions of the rule are generally the same.
- Throw-in violations - It is a violation if the player making a throw-in leaves the designated spot, fails to pass it in within 5 seconds, carries the ball onto the court, touches it in the court before it has touched another player, or makes a shot at the basket. The player must not allow any part of the body, or the ball, to project over the boundary line before a legal throw-in has been made. Other violations, relating to jump balls and free throws, are discussed in those sections.
Jump Balls
The jump ball, used to start play at the beginning of the game, is also used in other situations to determine which team controls the ball, most often in the case of a "held ball."
It is a held ball when two opponents are struggling for possession of the ball, and it would take undue roughness for either of them to gain control; when a player is so closely guarded as to be compelled to hold or dribble the ball for 5 seconds and not be able to pass it to a teammate; or when a team controls the ball for more than 5 seconds in an area screened off by teammates. A jump ball is also called if the ball goes out of bounds and the officials cannot determine which team was responsible.
The "closely guarded" provision involves a difficult bit of judgment by the official, and is subject to some special provisions. The player's opponent must be in a guarding stance, within 6 feet. When a player dribbles from the midcourt area into the forecourt, a new 5-second count begins; and if the player begins to dribble in the forecourt, and then ends it and holds the ball, a new 5-second count begins.
If a jump is called because of a held ball, the two opponents involved are the jumpers; in other cases, any player from either team may jump. The jump takes place in the nearest restraining circle-the center circle or one of the free-throw circles. Each jumper must have at least one foot touching the 2-foot jumping circle (imaginary at the free throw circles), and all other players must remain outside the 6-foot restraining circle until the ball is tapped. The official throws the ball up between them, higher than they can jump, and they attempt to tap the ball on its way down.
It is a violation if a jumper touches the ball on its way up, catches the jump ball, taps it more than once, or leaves the 2-foot jumping circle before the ball has been tapped. The restrictions end when the ball touches one of the non-jumpers or the floor. It is also a violation if a non-jumper enters the restraining circle before the ball has been tapped.
Alternate Possession
In college basketball, the alternate possession arrow has replaced the jump ball for most situations. The possession arrow points toward the basket being attacked by the team that's entitled to the next possession.
At the beginning of the game, the the team that didn't win the initial center jump is awarded the ball gets the next possession. From that point on, every time the alternate possession rule is invoked, the possession switches to the other team.
Personal Fouls
Generally speaking, the basketball rules allow no personal contact. But, of course, a great deal of contact is actually allowed in basketball, particularly during rebounding action. Most personal fouls are not specifically spelled out in the rules; one of the most common fouls, "hacking," has an official signal but no official definition. ("Hacking" is striking the player who has the ball across the hands, wrists, or forearms.)
The most difficult judgment call arises when the player with the ball runs into a defensive player. The offensive player is guilty of charging if the defensive player was entitled to that spot on the floor; the defensive player is charged with a foul if that player moved into the path of the opponent with the ball. A defensive player is entitled to stand in the dribbler's path, if the player got there far enough in advance for the dribbler to be able to avoid contact.
In efforts to reduce the number of free throws and so speed up the game, collegiate and professional basketball have both made a number of rules changes in recent years, setting up various foul categories. A foul by an offensive player results in loss of ball, not a free throw. A loose-ball foul--a personal foul committed while the ball belongs to neither team, usually during rebounding action-also results in the ball being awarded to the other team.
In college play, a team is "allowed" six fouls in each half. Starting with the seventh team foul, the other team is in a "one-and-one" situation, meaning that if a player makes the first free throw, that player is awarded a second one.
In professional play, a team is allowed four fouls per period. Starting with the fifth team foul, the other team is in a bonus situation; a bonus free throw is awarded for each foul, whether the player makes the first shot or not. One special note: An offensive foul counts as a personal foul, but not as a team foul.
The player who is fouled while in the act of shooting is awarded two free throws if the shot is not successful (three if the attempt was a three-point shot), and one free throw if it is successful.
Two free throws are also awarded for an intentional foul (one judged by an official to have been premeditated) and for a flagrant foul, defined as a personal or technical foul of a violent or savage nature, or a non-contact foul involving vulgar or abusive contact. A player is disqualified from the game for a flagrant foul. A fifth personal foul is also a disqualification in college play, a sixth personal foul in professional play.
Technical Fouls
The term "technical foul" covers a multitude of basketball sins. By far the most common is vehement protesting of an official's call. Other technical fouls include: delaying the game, taking an excess timeout, grabbing the rim of either basket, failing to raise the hand after being called for a personal foul, having too many players on the court, inciting undesirable actions by the crowd, and others.
When a technical foul is called, the other team is awarded a free throw, to be taken by any player. In college play, that team then gets the ball out of bounds at midcourt. In pro play, the ball returns to the team that had possession when the foul occurred.
Three technical fouls disqualify a player or coach in college basketball, two in professional play.
Free Throws
A free throw, or foul shot, is just what the name implies: an unmolested shot at the basket awarded as the result of a foul. After giving the teams time to line up properly, the official gives the ball to the thrower, who has 10 seconds to attempt the shot.
The player must shoot from within the free-throw circle and from behind the line. Other players must remain outside the lane until the ball touches the ring or backboard. Along the lane, spaces are marked at intervals of 3 feet. Opponents of the thrower are entitled to the two spaces nearest the basket; the thrower's teammates are entitled to the next two spaces; and so on, alternately, through the four spaces. No one is required to occupy a space at the lane, but if a space is not occupied by a player from the team entitled to it, it must remain unoccupied.
If any of these provisions are violated by the shooter or a teammate, the shot cannot count, and the ball is awarded outof-bounds to the other team, at the sideline. If there is a violation by the opposing team, it is ignored if the free throw is successful; the shooter gets another chance if it is not successful. If both teams commit a violation, the throw doesn't count, and there is a jump ball at center court.
Special Situations
There are two rare situations that should be mentioned: a double foul and a multiple foul. A double foul occurs when two opponents commit fouls against each other at approximately the same time. No free throw is awarded, and the ball is put in play by a jump at the center circle. A multiple foul occurs when two or more players foul the same opponent at approximately the same time. Each offending player is charged with a personal foul but there is only one penalty; a player who is fouled by two opponents while attempting an unsuccessful shot, for example, gets only two free throws.
A false double foul occurs when both teams commit fouls at about the same time, with different sets of players involved. In this case, the appropriate free throws are taken, and the ball is then put in play with a center jump.
A false multiple foul occurs when two or more members of the same team commit fouls against two or more members of the other team. Again, all appropriate foul shots are taken. (For example, Player A-1 fouls Player B-1 while B-1 is attempting an unsuccessful shot; at the same time, Player A-2 fouls Player B-2. B-1 is awarded two free throws, B-2 is awarded one free throw.)