What Are The Rules and Objectives of Basketball?
Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world. Athletes play both as amateurs and professionals. In this article, we’ll discuss the key rules and objectives of basketball. Next time you watch a game, you’ll be able to analyze and understand it better!
Principle rules and objectives of basketball
When basketball was first created, it was based on just thirteen rules, which have since been improved, amplified, and modified. The basic rules that we should know about this sport are:
1. The teams are formed by 12 players, of which, five of them play and seven stay on the bench.
2. A game lasts for 40 minutes, divided into four quarters of ten minutes – or into two parts of 20. Whenever the game is paused – for whatever reason – so is the clock, which is why the game can last for double that time.
3. A player can have possession of the ball for a maximum of 24 seconds; meanwhile, they have ten seconds to pass it to the rivals’ side.
4. Scoring a basket from outside the perimeter is worth three points, scoring from inside is worth two points, and free throws are worth one point.
5. After your opponent throws the ball, you’re not allowed to intercept it as it falls or before it’s touched the basket. After that happens, though, any player can touch or take it.
6. The games are supervised by three referees: one main and two assistants. Also, there’s a table of officials: a note-taker, an assistant note-taker, a timekeeper, and a 24-second rule enforcer.
7. Amongst the most common rule violations we have: passing the ball with one or two hands, traveling with the ball, and spending more than three seconds in the D-Zone – the part of the court closest to the basket – when your team is attacking.
8. In regards to fouls, they can be personal – for a specific player – attack-related, for poor sportsmanship, technical, or even disqualifying.
9. The basketball court is marked out and has the following measurements: 28m in length by 15m in width. They’re lined on parquet flooring. The baskets are located at either end and the hoop measures 3.05m tall.
10. The players have to wear light clothing that allows for movement – shirts without sleeves, although recently they have started to allow shirts with sleeves – and shorts, in addition to special shoes that protect the ankles.
Four key points about the objectives of basketball
The rules may appear to be somewhat abstract, but if we watch a game knowing the objectives of basketball, we can enjoy the performance more. These are some of the key elements to help you understand the sport.
1. A basic understanding of the game
To summarise in a few words, the objectives of basketball are to score more points than your opponents, which is the rule for many sports. But beyond that, it’s important to consider aspects such as the different points that you can score: triples, doubles, or singles, which all depend on where the player is when they throw the ball into the hoop.
2. Self-improvement
Of course, another objective of basketball essentially refers to the practice of scoring a basket. A player that practices free shots every day will have a better chance of scoring. But it’s important to note that their natural ability and particular skills will have an impact, too.
We can also talk about self-improvement when reviewing statistics, which are very important for this game. Bounces, assistances, attacks, blocks, all of that can help to improve the team and the individual.
3. Teamwork
To add to the above, another key aspect of this game is the fact that it relies on teamwork. On the court, there are five players per team, but on the bench, there are seven more. We also can’t forget the coach, medic, and personal trainers, among others.
As such basketball isn’t a sport where one person shines – although it’s true there are many stars, especially in the NBA – it’s a sport where five people use techniques to reach their opponents’ hoop and score.
4. The need for an indoor sport
It’s true that things have changed a lot since basketball was first created at the end of the 19th Century. However, at that time, the objectives of basketball were nothing more than a means of protecting young people from the harsh winters.
As such, this sport was born as a game with thirteen rules so that the students of the YMCA didn’t stop exercising when it got cold. It also turned out that ball games would motivate young people and help them to channel their energy.
Without a doubt, the rules and the objectives of basketball have made it one of the most popular sports for young people on the planet. In addition to improving teamwork amongst players, it also promotes self-improvement, so for that reason, it’s worth practicing it either as a hobby or professionally.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Rodríguez, O. Tipos de faltas en baloncesto: cuáles existen, qué sanción conllevan y cuándo se producen – Cuatro – Agosto 2020 – https://www.cuatro.com/deportes/baloncesto/tipos-faltas-personales-baloncesto-be5m_18_2975445263.html
- ABCNCLase – Evolución del reglamento del baloncesto – Julio 2020 – https://abcblogs.abc.es/abcnclase/otros-temas/evolucion-del-reglamento-del-baloncesto-1a-parte.html
