Dribbling is very important in basketball.
Basketball is a sport in which two teams of five players each compete. The objective is to get the ball into the opposing team's hoop , which is fixed to a backboard 3.05 metres high . For this reason, basketball is usually played by tall people.
However, it should not be forgotten that for years there has also been another form of basketball played by people with physical disabilities. This is a version for playing in wheelchairs , with practically the same rules as regular basketball, although with various adaptations.
History of basketball
This game was invented by Canadian physical education teacher James Naismith in December 1891. Naismith sought to create an activity for young people to do in an indoor gymnasium during the winter.
This is how basketball was born, and today's games last 40 minutes (four periods of 10 minutes each). The exception to this rule is the American league , the National Basketball Association (NBA) , considered the best in the world, whose games last 48 minutes (four periods of 12 minutes). It should be noted that there are several different rules between the NBA and the Fédération Internationale de Basketball (FIBA) , the body that governs this sport internationally.
In both cases, once the second quarter or fourth quarter is over, the moment of rest takes place, when the players of both teams, together with the rest of the coaching staff, go to the locker rooms. Resting properly and planning new tactics to beat the opponent are two of the tasks that are carried out during this period of stoppage of play that usually lasts between 15 and 20 minutes.
The basketball uniform includes shoes, shorts and a T-shirt.
Regulatory measures and ball
As regards dimensions, it should be noted that the track , divided into two equal parts, must have dimensions of 15 metres wide by 28 metres long . It must have a central circle of 3.6 metres in diameter.
The ball , for its part, is orange, usually has black lines, must weigh between 600 and 800 grams and must also have a diameter of approximately 24 centimeters.
Characteristics of basketball
In basketball, the winning team is the one that scores the most points . Since a game cannot end in a tie, if there is a tie at the end of regular time , overtime is played to break the tie. If the overtime also ends in a tie, there is another overtime and so on until one team manages to achieve victory.
Scores in basketball have different values. The most common is the double (worth two points). When players shoot from behind a line that is 6.25 meters from the hoop (7.24 meters in the NBA), the score is worth three points ( triple ). On the other hand, when a player is fouled when shooting the hoop, he obtains the right to shoot from the free throw line, without opposition. In this case of free throws , the score is worth only one point.
In basketball, a triple-double involves achieving double-digit statistics in three categories.
The positions
There are five commonly recognized positions in basketball: point guard (also called point guard , playmaker ), shooting guard , small forward , power forward , and center . Although in theory each player occupies a position, in modern basketball the boundaries between each position are not so precise.
For example, the point guard is supposed to control the pace of possession and determine which play will be executed. However, that role can also be performed by the forward or even the center. In turn, the center is expected to try to capture the rebounds, although any player can do so.
It is important to know that, regardless of their position, all players have roles in attack and defence . The coach is responsible for defining the strategies and tactics, which are rehearsed in training, but the development of the matches is dynamic. The analysis of the statistics, in turn, can lead to making changes at any time.
It should be noted that in basketball, changes are unlimited. This means that, although there are five players in the starting five , rotation is frequent. Even a substitute can accumulate more minutes played than a starter at the end of the game.
Best basketball players
The debate about the best players in the history of basketball is common, as in other sports. Beyond subjectivity, the list usually includes athletes who, in the NBA , obtained recognitions such as MVP (Most Valuable Player) , shone in the playoffs or finals, won several championships, were part of the All-Star Game ( All-Star ) or are members of the Hall of Fame . At an international level, the performance of the national team is generally considered, with important performances in the Basketball World Cup and the Olympics.
Americans Michael Jordan , LeBron James , Kobe Bryant , Larry Bird , Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , for example, are considered by many journalists and fans to be among the best basketball players in history thanks to their championship rings and their notable talent.