BasketBall Information

Rules Of Basketball
By Sean
Ever since the invention of the game Basketball in 1891, it has developed to become a truly international sport. It is among the few professional sports in which the women has grown in tandem with the men. Originally a sport of the American origin it has grown to tremendous heights internationally. Teams from all around the globe have emerged with some quality outstanding players, all trying to prove their worth and make their nation noticed and proud.

Basketball is played between two teams each consisting of five players, each team trying to outscore the other by throwing the ball through the opponents basket from above. The basic rule is to score more points than the opponents while preventing the opponent to do so. A successful throw through the opponents basket is worth two points; or three points if it is taken from beyond the three-point arc which is 6.25 meters (20 ft 6 in) from the basket in international games and 23 ft 9 in (7.24 m) in NBA games. Each team can have up to seven substitutions but can only be made when the play is stopped.

The game is played in four quarters of 10 minutes(International) or 12 minutes(NBA) and fifteen minutes are allowed for a half-time break and two minutes for the other breaks. The game sometimes progresses into overtime periods that are generally for five minutes. In the second half, the two teams exchange baskets/courts. The time allowed is the actual playing time so the clock is stopped when the play is not active which is why the games take longer than the allotted period(generally 2 hours). It is enjoyed extremely by the spectators since they get to watch more of their favorite teams playing. The players uniform includes a pair of jersey(with an unique number printed in the front and back) and shorts. The game is controlled by officials consisting of the referee, one or two umpires and the table officials and has a limited number of time-outs.

Generally the players try to maintain discipline and etiquette during play but sometimes players do get involved in heated arguments with the rivals. Though against the rules of the games, it makes the spectators go crazy with excitement and brings new spirit into the game. The ball must stay within the court; the last team to touch the ball before it travels out of bounds forfeits possession. The ball-handler cannot move both feet without dribbling, known as traveling and a players hand must remain on top of the ball while dribbling; failure to do so is known as carrying the ball. A violation of these rules results in loss of possession or, if committed by the defense, a reset of the shot clock. Players who are fouled either receive the ball to pass inbounds again, or receive one or more free throws.

The National basketball Association(NBA ) was formed in 1946 organizing the top professional teams and leading to greater popularity of the this game

Basketball as a global sport has come a long way and has kept on achieving greater levels for its players as well as for its spectators. The quality players have made a strong impact on its fans and have inspired quite a few millions. It is one of the coolest game and is enjoyed by all age groups. You can check our some free basketball day cards from 123greetings.com

Sean Carter writes on holidays, and celebrations around the world, sports like Baseball .He also writes on family, relationships,womens issues birthdays, inspiration, religion, love and friendship. He is a writer with special interest in ecard industry. He writes for 123greetings.com

Nba Superstars Failing In International Competition
By Matthew Paolini
A major area of concern surrounding Team USA professional basketball is the notable lack of recent victories when pitted against international competition. In the quadrennial World Championship tournament, a U.S. team has failed to win the gold medal since 1994, and in the Olympics since 2000.

In the 2006 WC competition held in Saitama, Japan, the team came in third place, winning a bronze medal. The 2004 Athens Olympics produced the same result. The 2002 WC tournament held in Indianapolis, IN, was disastrous, as a team split by internal dissension stumbled to a sixth-place finish, the worst showing in history by an American squad in international competition.

This turn of events has engendered an orgy of hand wringing and harsh criticism as fans and commentators have taken turns ripping the “lazy” players for not dominating foreign competition. Suffice it to say that there is no dearth of proposed “solutions” to “fix” the problem. The 2007 WC tournament to qualify for the 2008 Olympics is scheduled to be held in Las Vegas, NV, Aug. 22 through Sept. 2. Time will tell what will happen.

There is a consistent theme here — the world has caught up. Long gone are the days when a group of NBA players could just show up and easily batter international opponents. That era ended after the first Dream Team, led by Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan, performed in the 1992 Olympics perhaps the greatest collection of talent on one team in any sport in history. Now, the international teams, who feature a more pass-oriented, free-flowing version of the game, smell weakness and are more than eager to heap more indignities on the heads of the American players.

All of this leads to a boatload of speculation as to whether the finest basketball is actually played in the NBA. There are some prominent sports figures who have indicated their partiality for the European-style game. Due to the fact that American teams have been handily thrashed in international competition for the better part of a decade, one would have to be very foolish to dismiss this notion.

Of particular significance is the fact that the team that wins the NBA championship is known as the “World Champion.” Is that title appropriate? Shouldn’t the championship team have to prove that it’s the best team in the world?

Why not hold a true World Championship series between the NBA and Euroleague champions? The ‘PR’ value, along with international interest in such a match would be tremendous, and the games themselves would serve to settle for once and for all which side of the Atlantic the best basketball is played on.

Matthew Paolini is Citybook.com’s compliance officer for the Miami, FL business Yellow Pages division.