Andrew Pace
Basketball is a team sport played between two teams of five players each, who try to score by shooting a ball through a hoop. The team without the ball is called the defence, and their job is to steal the ball, contest shots, deflect passes, and garner rebounds. While tackling is not allowed in basketball, the rules of the game have evolved over the past 20 years to be more offence-focused, and referees may let fouls go for the sake of game flow and entertainment. In fact, it is often beneficial for a team to foul hard rather than give up a layup or dunk, as the cost of the hard foul is a pittance compared to the benefits. This has resulted in a more physical style of play, with players tackling, hitting, and bringing down their opponents.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Objective of the game | Two teams of five players each try to score by shooting a ball through a hoop elevated 10 feet above the ground. |
| Game duration | In high school and below, the halves are divided into eight (and sometimes, six) minute quarters. In the pros, quarters are twelve minutes long. There is a gap of several minutes between halves. Gaps between quarters are relatively short. |
| Court | The game is played on a rectangular floor called the court, and there is a hoop at each end. |
| Mid-court line | If the offensive team puts the ball into play behind the mid-court line, it has ten seconds to get the ball over the line. If it doesn't, then the defense gets the ball. Once the offensive team gets the ball over the mid-court line, it can no longer have possession of the ball in the area behind the mid-court line. |
| Ball movement | The ball is moved down the court toward the basket by passing or dribbling. |
| Dribbling | The player must bounce, or dribble, the ball with one hand while moving both feet. If, at any time, both hands touch the ball or the player stops dribbling, the player must only move one foot. The foot that is stationary is called the pivot foot. |
| Double dribbling | The basketball player can only take one turn at dribbling. In other words, once a player has stopped dribbling, they cannot start another dribble. A player who starts dribbling again is called for a double-dribbling violation and loses the basketball to the other team. |
| Backcourt violation | Once the offensive team crosses half court, they may not go back into the backcourt. |
| Foul | Gaining an unfair advantage through physical contact. |
| Types of foul | Illegal pick/screen, charging, blocking foul, hard foul, double dribbling violation, backcourt violation, goaltending. |
| Defense | The team without the ball. The main rule for the defensive player is not to foul. |
| Defense strategy | Stay in a defensive stance, keep your torso between your man and the basket, staying on the balls of your feet, knees bent, hands up and mind alert. |
| Offense | The team with the ball. |
| Stealing | The act of taking the ball from an opposing player. An unsuccessful steal can result in the defender being out of position and unable to recover in time, allowing the offense to score. |
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What You'll Learn
Charging fouls
To establish a legal guarding position, a defender must have both feet on the court, with their torso facing the opponent. Once this position is established, the defender can move sideways or backward, and any contact on the torso is still considered legal. However, if the defender moves forward into the offensive player, especially while they are dribbling, it is considered a blocking foul.
Taking a charge is an important skill for defenders to learn, as it can help their team win games by preventing fouls and giving away points to the opposition. To take a charge effectively, defenders must anticipate the offensive player's next move, staying square to them and reading their movements. It is crucial to take the charge on the chest, avoiding the use of hips or shoulders, which can result in illegal contact.
The rules regarding charging fouls have evolved over the years, with the NBA realising that higher scores attract larger audiences. As a result, the game has become more offence-oriented, and referees may let some fouls go to maintain game flow and entertainment.
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Blocking fouls
A blocking foul is a type of personal foul in basketball, which occurs when a player impedes the progress of an opponent. Blocking fouls can be committed by players on both the offensive and defensive sides.
Offensive blocking is called when the attacking player makes contact with the defender above the shoulders or below the knees. However, it is not considered a foul if the contact occurs before the defender makes a move towards the basket or if their momentum carries them into the lane.
Defensive blocking is called when the attacking player makes contact with the defender below the waist. A defender is allowed to jump within their vertical plane to block a shot without fouling, but they cannot extend their arms, shoulders, hips, or legs outside their cylinder to make contact with an opposing player, as this will result in a blocking foul.
To avoid committing a blocking foul, defenders must establish and maintain a legal guarding position. This is achieved when both of the defender's feet are on the playing court, they are facing their opponent, and they are within an imaginary cylinder surrounding them from the floor to as high as they can jump or extend their arms.
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Physicality and tackling
Basketball is a team sport played between two teams of five players each, who try to score by shooting a ball through a hoop. The team with the ball is called the offense, and the team without the ball is called the defense.
Basketball is a contact sport that involves a lot of physicality and tackling. While the rules of the game do not explicitly allow tackling, they can sometimes be interpreted as such by referees. The defensive player's main rule is to not foul, which is described as gaining an unfair advantage through physical contact. This includes making contact with the offensive player in a way that causes them to lose the ball or miss a shot. However, due to a flaw in the NBA rule book, it is often more advantageous for a team to foul hard than to give up a layup or dunk. This is because the cost of the hard foul is minimal compared to the benefits, which include stopping fantastic baskets and making potent scorers think twice about driving at all. As a result, hard foulers are often celebrated by their teammates and coaches for helping their team win on a technicality.
Good defense requires a strong defensive stance with the weight in the balls of the feet and active hands. Defenders should keep one hand out to the side to block the passing lane and the other hand a few inches from the ball, always keeping their body lower than the offensive player. They should also adjust their position when the ball or their player moves, so they can react quickly to any play.
If the attacker is a good shooter, defenders should not give them much space. If the attacker cannot shoot well, they will likely pass or drive to the basket. In this case, a little dirty hit can go a long way, as demonstrated by the "Bad Boy Pistons", one of the biggest contenders Jordan and Pippen ever faced.
While the rules of basketball have evolved over the past 20 years to be more offense-focused, the physicality of the game has also decreased. This is because the NBA realized that higher scores meant higher audience engagement. As a result, the rules were changed to make it easier for offensive players to get around defenders. However, this has also led to an increase in fouls, as refs are encouraged to let things go for the sake of game flow and entertainment.
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Stealing the ball
There are several scenarios in which a steal can be attempted. For example, when an offensive player is dribbling, they may not be protecting the ball adequately, leaving an opportunity for the defender to knock it away. The on-ball defender can also attempt to steal the ball when the offensive player is holding it without dribbling, especially when in the triple-threat position. In this case, the defender applies pressure and attempts to snatch the ball without fouling. Another opportunity for a steal arises when an offensive player falls into a defensive trap and has to pass to a teammate to relieve the pressure. The defender can try to intercept or deflect the pass, causing a turnover.
The benefits of a successful steal include gaining more offensive possessions for the defending player or team, which can lead to more potential points, especially for teams with average or below-average scorers.
However, attempting steals also carries risks. If a defender commits too many fouls due to unsuccessful steal attempts, and the team doesn't have adequate substitutes, it could hurt their offensive scoring and playmaking abilities. Therefore, stealing the ball requires persistence, smart play, and a good understanding of the game. Players should focus on building their defensive skills, strength, and explosiveness, as well as learning to scan the court and make smart decisions to create more steal opportunities.
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Defensive rules
Basketball is a team sport played between two teams of five players each, who try to score by shooting a ball through a hoop. The team that does not have the ball is called the defence. Here are some defensive rules and strategies:
- The defence tries to steal the ball, contest shots, deflect passes, and rebound.
- The defence can use their bodies to block the path of the opponent with the ball. However, if the defender has their feet set outside the restricted area and the offensive player slams into them, it is a charging foul, resulting in a turnover and no points.
- If the offensive team puts the ball into play behind the mid-court line, it has ten seconds to get the ball over the line. If it doesn't, the defence gets the ball.
- Once the offensive team gets the ball over the mid-court line, it cannot go back into the area behind the line with the ball. If it does, the defence is awarded the ball.
- If a player is shooting while being fouled, they get two free throws if their shot doesn't go in, but only one free throw if their shot does go in.
Defensive Strategies
- Defence is about effort and playing hard and smart.
- Keep your torso between your opponent and the basket, staying on the balls of your feet with knees bent and hands up.
- Keep your head on a swivel and be aware of your surroundings.
- Use your size and stay in front of your opponent. Move with them and force them to go through you to get to the basket.
- Communicate with your teammates, both verbally and non-verbally.
- Pressure the ball to intimidate and frustrate your opponents, forcing them to make mistakes.
- Keep a proper stance with a low centre of gravity. When guarding the ball, keep your head over the centre of your body and don't lean.
- When guarding a player who is dribbling the ball, position yourself so that the ball-handler has to change direction.
- Force more turnovers and limit your opponent's opportunities for high-percentage shots.
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Frequently asked questions
Tackling in basketball is when a player makes physical contact with an opponent. This could be in an attempt to block their movement, steal the ball, or disrupt their shot.
While tackling is not explicitly mentioned in the rules of basketball, physical contact is allowed within certain limits. Tackling that results in a foul, however, is prohibited.
A foul is defined as gaining an unfair advantage through physical contact. This includes making contact with an opponent in a way that causes them to lose the ball or miss a shot. A foul can also occur when a player uses their hands to block an opponent's vision or impede their movement.
When a foul is committed, the referee will stop the game and award the fouled player's team with possession of the ball. The fouled player may also be awarded free throws, depending on the specific situation and the rules of the league.
