Basketball is a fast paced game played on a 94-by-50 foot court (NBA) with 1 basket on opposite sides.
The game starts when the official tosses the ball between two players, one from each team, in the middle of the court. This is also referred to as the tip off. The other 8 players stand at specific places outside the mid-circle. The jumpers will try to tip the ball to any of their team members to gain the first possession.
The goal is to score more points than their opponents.
In the professional setting, the game is divided into 2 halfs or 4 quarters. Each quarter is 12 minutes long.
During each possession, the offensive team has a time limit to shoot the ball in the basket. This is called the shot clock. The NBA rule allows 24 seconds for each possession. In college basketball, the shot clock is set for 35 seconds.
There are basically 2 ways to shoot and score in a basketball game: shooting when the ball is in play and from the free throw line.
There are several ways to score during play. You can either take a perimeter shot or drive toward the basket. You can score 3 points if you shoot the ball beyond the arc. There are also...