Offensive Techniques
The way players move on the court is the most important thing of the game. Correct actions while moving without the ball or dribbling can really make interaction with the partners easier.
Basic elements of moving in the court:
- Running. A basketball player should know how to move and how to “change gears”, be able to effectively move in different positions;
- Walking. Used to slow down the game and change positions;
- Jumps. They can be performed with one or two feet. Jumping is used to the rebound from a backboard or to make a shot. Bear in mind that jumping with the ball without a subsequent shot is considered to be a violation;
- Stops and turns. These two elements are used to be able to pull away from the opponent for further offensive actions.
Offensive ball possession techniques include the following elements:
- Receiving the ball. It allows a player to fully prepare for subsequent offensive actions. It is a starting position for dribbling, shooting, or passing. A player may receive the ball with either one or both hands;
- Passing. A technique by which the ball can be delivered to a partner to continue the attack. A variety of ways to pass the ball are used depending on a game situation: two hands chest pass (used in a relatively simple game situation in a short or medium distance), two hands overhead pass (medium distance in case an opponent is too close), two hands from below (short distance in case the ball is at the level below the waist), one hand overhaul (in case you need to pass the ball pretty far), bounce pass (medium distance in case the opponent is too close, the ball strikes the court and goes towards the receiver);
- Dribbling. This technique allows a basketball player to move on the court with the ball for offensive actions. Players are required to dribble the ball with one hand, otherwise it will be considered to be a violation. Depending on the game situation the ball is dribbled with a change of either speed (to pull away from an opponent) or direction (to beat a defender);
- Shooting. You need to score to win the game. There are many ways to score. And there are many shooting techniques, too. Set shots and jump shots, mid-range and long-range shots, a layup, and a slam dunk.
Defense Techniques
One of the main unwritten rules of basketball says that defense wins titles. Defensive game is an important and integral part of basketball. The basic elements of defense techniques include:
- Stance. A correct position that players take while defending allow them to quickly respond to the opponent’s actions. The most common stance is the following: a player puts one foot forward and bents legs, so it’s convenient to guard the players with the ball and prevent them from passing or shooting. This stance give a lot more space for maneuvers on the court while defending;
- Throwing the ball away. This technique is used to complicate the offensive player’s actions. To do this, the defender makes shallow lunges towards the opponent with an outstretched hand, then retreats to the starting position;
- Steal. The technique involves interrupting an opponent’s attack with subsequent possession of the ball. Successful stealing is usually achieved due to the speed and reaction of the player. Steal can be performed both when the ball is passed and when the opponent dribbles;
- Block shot. This method is used when the opponent throws the ball towards the ring. The main thing is to hit the ball on an upward trajectory. When covering the shot, a player needs to correctly calculate the time for a jump and take into account the movement of the hands, because this action very often leads to personal fouls;
- Rebound. A very important element of the basketball techniques performed a large number of times per game. It is very important to have the right position to make it difficult for your opponent to rebound the ball, which allows you to get possession of the ball instead.
Despite the unlimited number of substitutions in basketball, players are logically tired throughout the game. Without the required and mandatory timeouts, they would have a hard time recovering from match to match. Fortunately, basketball rules stipulate time outs, which allow players to take a few minutes off.
How long a basketball game lasts
A basketball game consists of two halves, each with two quarters. In the NBA, China and the Philippines, a quarter lasts 12 minutes, respectively, a half lasts 24 minutes and a match lasts 48 minutes.
In European Championships and European Cups the duration of a quarter is 10 minutes, half – 20, match – 40.
The match shall have mandatory time-outs after each quarter, during which game time shall be stopped. In addition, the coach may request personal time-outs. These breaks not only give the players a chance to rest, but also allow the coaches to adjust the team’s tactics and, often, influence the final result.
Length of basketball halftime
The length of breaks in basketball differs depending on the type of timeout. For example, the longest break is between the second and third quarters: it lasts 15 minutes. Between the other quarters it is 2 minutes.
If we talk about the requested breaks, they last one minute (in Europe) and one and a half minutes in the USA.
How long is the timeout time between the 2nd and 3rd half
As mentioned above, the length of the break between the second and third quarters in basketball is 15 minutes.
This is the only pause in the game during which basketball players and coaches leave the court and go to the locker room.
After 15 minutes, play shall be resumed. If one of the teams fails to return to the pitch in time, a penalty (mostly a fine) may await it after the game.
Requested break
A requested break (coach time-out) is a minute break in the game, initiated by the coaching staff of one of the teams. It can be taken at any second of the game time, so it is difficult to predict when it will occur in a basketball game.
When they can provide
There have to be certain conditions for the coach to take a break.
A mentor gets that chance if:
- the ball becomes “dead”, as a result of which the game clock stops;
- the opponent threw the ball from the play and the coach of the team that missed the throw demanded a pause before the thrower let the ball out of his hands;
- the judge finished showing the foul to the clerk’s desk.
A pause shall not be granted to the team that throws the ball in the basket and the game clock shall be stopped in the last 2 minutes of play and/or the extra period.
Sometimes coaches are distracted for 1-2 seconds and lose the opportunity to take a coaching time-out when it is very much needed. This opportunity for the coach disappears if:
- the referee with the ball has already entered the circle to play a contested shot;
- the referee has entered the area from which the first (or only) penalty kick is taken, with or without the ball;
- the ball is in the possession of the player throwing it in from behind the front or touchline.
In games that last 40 minutes of dirty time (10-minute quarters), each coach may take two requested breaks in the first half and three in the second half (plus an extra time-out in overtime). In games of 48 minutes (12 minute quarters) three breaks can be taken in the first half, four more in the second half, plus one in extra time.
The coach may change his mind abruptly and refuse to take a time out. But this must be done before the secretary signals to the referees that the requested time-out must be given.
During a timeout the players on the court shall be allowed to sit on the bench. At the same time, the substitutes and the coaching staff shall be allowed to enter the court.
]]>What it is made of, how many layers it contains
The material depends primarily on where the game will be played – outdoors or indoors.
According to the rules, the outer surface of a professional indoor ball should be made of natural or artificial leather or a combination of these, or with the use of composite leather.
These materials are suitable only for playing indoors, otherwise the asphalt coating will shorten the life of the product. Professional leagues use shells made of natural and composite leather. Such products are labeled “Indoor use only” and “supreme leather” (high quality leather).
Basketballs in the outdoor category are made of rubber. Rubber is the most affordable and unpretentious material. Such products are often used as souvenirs. It is uncomfortable to play with such a projectile indoors, because its surface, made of a synthetic material, is created especially for the street.
The surface itself of any category of product consists of four layers:
- butyl chamber – for air concentration;
- reinforced coating – to retain its shape;
- The lining consisting of several layers – to maintain the elasticity of the basketball and water resistance;
- outer coating – for durability and adhesion to the surface.
What is the size of the shell, what is its circumference, how much it weighs. The size refers to the diameter of the product, which can be found by dividing the length of the circumference by the number “Pi”. The largest size, 7, is used for official games of the men’s teams. It has a mass of 567- 650 g and its circumference is 749-780 mm. The size 6 ball is used for women’s team games. This size has a circumference of at least 724 mm, but no more than 737 mm and a weight of 510 to 567 g.
Balls size 3 and 5 are chosen for training and competition in mini-basketball for the age of players up to 12 and 8 years, respectively. A size 5 product has a circumference length of 700 mm and a size 3 to 570 mm. Their masses are 450-500 g and 350 g, respectively.
What pressure should be
An ideally inflated basketball shows a pressure of 0.48 to 0.61 atm. If the product is poorly inflated, it will deflate, and if it is over-inflated, it can become deformed. The degree of inflation can be determined by the height of the bounce. Photo 5 When falling from 1.8 meters (from the bottom of the ball) to the court, a basketball should bounce at a height of 1.2 to 1.4 meters. This can be measured from the top of the projectile. If there is no way to accurately measure the pressure, you can check it by lifting the ball in your outstretched arms and releasing it, and it should bounce at about belly button level. A well pumped product is squeezed with your thumb for 3-5 mm.
]]>- steals
- rebounds
- points
- assists
- blocked shots
What is a double-double in basketball?
A double-double is a kind of achievement of a player that counts a certain way. If a basketball player scores 10 points in at least two of the above categories in a single game, a double-double is recorded. If, for example, a player scores 10 points and commits 10 steals, and all other indicators are 0, a double-double will still count.
What is a triple-double in basketball?
A triple-double is basically the same term, the only difference being that 10 points should be scored in 3 categories instead of 2. The seemingly simple distinction on paper is actually quite different in game terms.
And while a double-double is an everyday occurrence, especially for team leaders, a triple-double usually counts as a very serious achievement, and even the NBA’s biggest stars don’t achieve it in every championship game.
]]>How long does a basketball game last?
In the NBA the so-called “pure” time of the game is 4 quarters of 12 minutes, that is 48 minutes. At first glance, this does not seem to be enough, because the game in other popular sports takes longer: a soccer game lasts 90 minutes – 2 halves of 45 minutes, hockey – 3 periods of 20 minutes etc.
But here there is a certain trick – the actual, “dirty” time of the game, includes a huge number of pauses, filling the time between game segments. Plus, do not forget about the breaks between quarters, they also last from 2 minutes between the first and second, and third and fourth quarters, to the 15-minute “big” break in the middle of the game.
According to NBA statistics, an average basketball game lasts about 135-140 minutes. That’s true during the regular season, but playoff games tend to be longer.
In European basketball it is shorter: four quarters of 10 minutes each, or 40 minutes of regular time.
Also, not every game ends in the allotted time: the rules say that if teams play to a tie in regulation time, a 5 minute overtime period is scheduled when the teams must come up with a winner. If they fail to do so in the first overtime, another overtime is scheduled, and then, if necessary, again and again, until one of the teams wins. According to the rules of basketball, a winner must be determined.
The longest game in NBA history took place on January 6, 1951. “The Indianapolis Olympians played the main time against the Rochester Royals, followed by six more overtime periods. By modern basketball standards, the score for 78 minutes of playing time is ridiculous, 75-73. The explanation for that is that there was no time limit on the offense (now there is 24 seconds and it has to be a ring touch or pass to the opponent) and the opponents simply did not want to attack so as not to take any chances.
In fact, for a fan who attends a game live in the stadium, it can last from 2.5 to 5-6 hours. Therefore, it is worth setting aside a whole day to go to a full basketball game.
Basketball is full of attacks, on average they last from 5 to 24 seconds, and almost all of them end with some kind of active productive action: shooting, foul, or stealing. This is very enjoyable for the spectators and keeps them in suspense. Taller players sink spectacular overhead shots and sharpshooters attack the basket from afar, or in beautiful passes – the variability of the basketball offense is very high.
That’s why TV companies love basketball so much; it’s great in terms of ad placement during halftime. It has great ratings, often as good as American soccer or baseball, the undisputed leaders of the U.S. sports media market.
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