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Basketball Rules and Regulations


Here at Basketball Drills Online we are dedicated to improving your skills as a basketball player.  In order to play the game, you need to know the rules and regulations of the sport.  This page can be used as a teaching tool to educate you on how to play the game of basketball properly.

Basics
  • 10 players on the court at any given time, 5 on each team.
  • Each team shoots at the opponents basket.
  • The team with the highest score after regulation wins.
Scoring
  • 1 point for a made free throw
  • 2 points for a shot made inside the 3-point arcBasketball Whistle
  • 3 points for a shot made outside the 3-point arc
Fouls
  • Personal fouls: hitting, pushing, holding, moving pick/screen
  • Charging: Running into a defensive player while their feet are set.
  • Blocking: Impeding an offensive player’s progress by extending your arms or getting in front of a player while your feet are still moving.
  • Flagrant foul: A serious contact foul that involves excessive or intentional contact committed against an opponent.
  • Technical foul: A foul that usually doesn’t involve bodily contact but does involve unsportsmanlike conduct.  This type of foul can be assessed to a player, coach or even a team.
Violations
  • Traveling: occurs when a player picks up the ball and takes one or more steps illegally.  If a player is on the move they can take 2 steps.  If you are still, you can only take one step.
  • Carrying/Palming: occurs when a player puts his hand underneath the ball causing the ball to remain at a rest.
  • Goaltending: occurs when a defensive player blocks the ball on the way down or when the ball is hit inside or on the rim.  This results in automatic points for the offensive team.
  • Double Dribble: Dribbling with two hands or pickup the dribble and dribble again.
  • Backcourt/Over & Back: occurs when an offensive team brings the ball from the backcourt to the frontcourt and then return to the backcourt.
  • 10 Second: When a team fails to bring the ball over the halfourt line within 10 seconds.
  • Three Seconds: When an offensive player stays inside the key for 3 seconds or longer.