Facts on Basketball Rules
The official game of basketball is a team sport played by two opposing teams made up of five players each. Points are scored by throwing or "shooting" the ball through a hoop affixed 10 feet off the playing surface. A set of basic, universal rules are considered standard for the traditional team-based format.
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Playing Surface
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The playing surface or court used in the National Basketball Association is a regulation 94 feet long by 50 feet wide, with hoops appended at each end. Basketball can be played on any surface amendable for dribbling.
Length of Game
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Organized basketball associations traditionally regulate games into timed quarters or halves. Less formal games can be played to an agreed upon point total or time. Normally the halfway point of a contest is considered "halftime," in which the game is briefly suspended to allow each side time to rest and regroup.
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Ball Movement
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Basic basketball rules dictate how the ball can be moved around the playing surface. Single players must transport the ball by bouncing it off the playing surface to themselves while in motion. This is known as "dribbling".
Scoring
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Differing legislative bodies administer varying basketball scoring rules. Traditionally, two points are awarded for a "field goal," three points are awarded for goals scored from set distance away from the hoop and one point is scored for a free throw.
Defense
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It is against basketball rules to defend ones goal through means of brute force or marked physical contact. Defenders should use their bodies and limbs to thwart pass and shot attempts or intercept them in progress.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Chris Metcalf
