How to Play Basketball – Rules of Sport

B asketball is today a multibillion-dollar generating sport that is watched and played by people all around the world. Names like Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron James, or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar have become so famous that even people not interested in the game have heard of them. Kids are just dying to learn to play, and parents are caught in the fever of finding the best in-ground basketball hoop that will bring years of joy in the family and maybe someday give the world the news great name in the industry. Yet, even basketball started somewhere, more precisely in Springfield Massachusetts, where Canadian sports teacher James Naismith coined the first guidelines. The elements of the game we present below are not identical to the initial rules, as they have changed a lot over the years, but they are the ones generally accepted today.

Friends Playing Basketball Outdoors

Basketball Rules

The competing surface is called a basketball court and has a quadrilateral shape. The two ends of the court are supplied with hoops that have a height of 10 feet. Among polycarbonate, acrylic, and glass backboards, the last option is preferred for official contests. While the size of the court and the backboard can be different, some elements cannot be altered:

• Team: it is made up of 12 participants, but the guidelines allow only 5 participants playing at a time. The participants can be replaced at any point during the competition. They have pre-established positions, but they don’t limit their position during the game. Each player can move freely.
• Score: to win, you need to attain more points than the opposite team. To score, you must aim at the hoop, and the ball must to go through the ring. Conditional on the location from which shoot, you will get a different number of points. For instance, if you hit from within the 3 point arc, you will get 2 points, if you are situated on the exterior of the arc when you hit, you get 3 points, and if you hit during a free throw granted to your team as a foul, you get 1 point.
• Ball Advancement: it isn’t enough to have the ball into your possession and run toward the hoop, you must dribble or toss the ball to a different team member. Dribbling stands for striking the ball against the floor, and you must not do more than one footstep without hitting it, otherwise, the referee will call a foul. If you have seized the ball with both your hands, you will toss it to another team member. If you start bouncing it again, this is called double dribbling and is an infringement. When you regain the ball from the opposite team, you have 10 seconds to get it past the line to their half of the court.
• Shot Clock: it is placed above the backboard, and the participants need to keep an eye on it as they are allowed 24 seconds to score or at least shoot the ball. If the opposing side doesn’t shoot and the time elapses, they lose the ball in favor of the other team, which begins an offensive game.
• Possession: once the attacking side scores, the ball is given to the other team. A player must regain the ball and pass it to another team member in 5 seconds, otherwise, the other team gets control of the ball.
• Fouls: a foul appears when a player has unsportsmanlike conduct, which implies illegal contact designed to prevent another player from playing. Every time the referee calls a foul, the team that has been “fouled” gets free throws. Each participant can commit a limited number of fouls. The NBA accepts 6, while the NCAA and high school leagues only allow 5. When this number is achieved, the player is inevitably disqualified.
• Violations: they consist of minor-class illegal actions that don’t bring fines but lead to losing possession of the ball. Among the most customary violations are double dribbling or traveling, which appears when a player retaining the ball moves one or both of their legs illegally.

How to Play Defensive in Basketball – 4 Tips for a Better Strategy

1. Maintain your defensive stance even when you are not the one trying to snatch the ball. Some players tend to rest when they are performing off-ball defense. It is key to remain engaged and ready to respond immediately to an adversary who is trying to shoot at the hoop.
2. Prepare to take a charge. This is something only the best defenders will do and can be a real game-changer. So what does it mean? If a competitor is coming towards you, do not get out of their way but hold your position. When they make contact, let yourself fall backward and convincingly blow out air. This is often mentioned as flopping, but if you are doing it right, chances are that you will not be called for it.
3. Match the competition’s best player. It is a great way to develop your skills and turn into a reliable defensive actor. If you are tackling the best, you need to give your best every time. Sometimes, you may lose, but there will be plenty of occasions to display your talents.
4. Don’t lose balance. This is one of the great qualities of a defender. In fact, you cannot do anything on the court without it. Just think at all the shot fakes and pass jabs that entail that you get back in the defensive stance in a fraction of a second.

How to Play 21 Basketball

This is an easy version that is played often on neighborhood courts using an in-ground or a portable hoop. Although it implicates the presence of multiple participants, they are not organized in teams.

• Score Rules: they are similar to the official rules. If you are positioned on the exterior of the 3-point line, you get, as expected, 3 points. If you are positioned inside the line, you obtain 2 points, and if you try from the free-throw line, you get 1 point.
• Begin the game: to decide who gets to shoot first, the participants take turns aiming at the hoop. Starts the one who touches the rim with the ball first. If it enters the ring, the process restarts.
• How to play: if you have obtained the ball, now you need to score. The other participants will try to stop you by employing defensive tactics. You continue to add points until you miss. If you manage to do 3 free-throw shots in a row, you can retain the ball. To take it for you, the adversaries would have to take it from your possession and get it out of the 3-point line.
• The winner: the player who is first to gain 21 points wins. But pay attention as there is a catch here. If you make over 21 points, you lose, so you need to do the math in your head and maybe miss some shots to make certain that you win.

Couple Playing HORSE

How to Play HORSE Basketball

Most kids and teens love this game version as it is simple to play, requires only two players (more can participate, of course), and is super creative and fun. Here are the rules:

• Begin the game: to decide who shoots first, you can use any method you can think about: flip a coin, try to score, or just agree on who should start. This is supposed to be a game between friends.
• How to play: the first player announces the shoot they are taking at the hoop. They specify from where they are going to shoot and if they add extra rules like throwing the ball with their eyes closed, for instance. If they score, the next player needs to do the exact same movement. If they fail, the next player can use a new move they like.

If the next player needs to execute the same shot as the previous player and misses, they get the letter H. Every time this situation repeats, they receive a new letter until they spell the word H-O-R-S-E.

• The winner: the last player left standing when the others have spelled HORSE, wins the game.

Final Thoughts

HORSE basketball can be a great point to start and grow toward playing the game professionally. Even if on the driveway, the rules can be adjusted conditional on the age of the participants, it is essential to know the official ones so you can avoid committing faults and violations. For a friendly game, 21 basketball can prove extremely engaging and will definitely help you improve your game. Conversely, you now know everything it takes to play a real game and lead your team to victory. Use the tips we have provided to enhance your defense and remember to keep working to become a better player.