Basketball 101 (Part 3)
During the ages, the game of basketball evolved just like humans evolved from monkeys. If we go back in time, and look at basketball in the past, we will see something that is very different from what we see today, but somehow
it maintained its essence. Let’s look at basketball from a technical point of view. Played by two teams, the objective is to outscore the opposing side. This is accomplished by throwing the ball in the opponent’s basket. The game is played in four quarters
which usually lasts around 12 minutes with 15 minutes for break in between two quarters. While the teams are not playing, the timer clock is stopped thus the games can actually take longer to end. A typical NBA basketball game lasts around 2 hours including
half way breaks and time outs. A time out is when a coach of a basketball team requests the time clock to be stopped for 100 minutes so that he can have a quick discussion with a player of the team who is on the field, or make a substitution.
The equipment used in the game is also changing constantly. A regulation court used in the NBA is around 94 feet by 50 feet in dimensions. There is a basket (also known as the hoop), on each side of the court. The basket itself
is carefully measured to make sure it meets the requirements of the NBA. The rim is made of steel, and measures exactly 18 inches in diameter. It is attached to a 6 feet by 3.5 feet “backboard”. The height of the rim is exactly 10 feet off the ground and 4
feet inside the baseline. The height is important for the players, because if it is off by even a few inches, it can affect the player’s ability to shoot and make free throws. The size of the basketball is also strictly regulated. In a men’s basketball game,
the circumference of the ball being used is 29.5 inches with a weight of 22 ounces, where as in a women’s basketball game, the circumference is smaller by one inch (28.5 inches) and the weight is 20 ounces.
According to the rules set by the NBA, violations are punished by penalties. These rules were kept so that the game would be played fairly and keep the entertainment levels high for the viewers and those on the stands. The rules
state that the ball must be taken towards the basket by using one of the many methods such as shooting, passed to another player, thrown, rolled and the most commonly used method of dribbling. The ball must also stay inside the clearly marked boundary line
of the court. The last team, who possessed the ball when it was taken out of bounds, must relinquish the ball to the opposing team. Another rule is that the player who has the ball cannot move with it using both feet or have his hand under it. As in, the player
cannot just grab the ball and run or hold the ball with his hand under it. The ball may not in any circumstances be kicked or hit with a fist. If these rules are violated, the team is punished, by handing the ball over to the other team.
Fouls are those actions that result in an unfair advantage to a certain team during the game. These are usually done through physical contact of an opponent by defensive players but can be done by the offensive ones as well. The
penalty for committing a foul depends on when the foul was done. If the foul was committed during a shot, then the player on whom the foul was committed is allowed a free throw worth one point. If the foul is committed otherwise, the player is allowed to throw
the ball inbounds. These types of fouls are called “Personal fouls”. If the player starts an argument or a fight with another player, or a referee, they receive what is known as a “Technical foul”. The penalty for a technical foul might be a free throw. In
this type of free throw, the team can choose any player to take the shot. Repeated infringements can result to stricter penalties such as disqualification.
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