Do you like basketball?

[ConnorLowe]

I like it, but don't really understand it properly.

I tried to play the latest NBA game on my mates XBOX, I ended up just trying to score from my own half as I don't no what I'm doing!

[Galant]

Love it - both to play and watch (San Antonio Spurs all the way!). A few of us in Lancashire picked it up when we were about 13/14 years old. Used ropes to hoist a backboard and hoop up a tree and played on the front street. That was until people complained about the noise of the "bouncing balls". That summer a bunch of us petitioned the council and called on the local newspapers and at the end of the summer one of the many tennis courts in the local park had been converted into a basketball court. It lasted about one year when, due to it not generating enough revenue and someone having broken in and vandalised the net, the courts were removed, the tennis court put back, and eventually moved to a different park on the other side of town.

We went back to playing on the street or on local school courts.

Don't know why I shared all that. But anyway, yes, I do like basketball.

[wasabi]

I'm 5ft9 and white so....

[jelaniz]

I do!

I found that watching some NBA games and even playing some games from the 2k series helped me understand the sport much better.

[Zak33]

I like it, but don't really understand it properly.

I tried to play the latest NBA game on my mates XBOX, I ended up just trying to score from my own half as I don't no what I'm doing!

ignoring consoles.. lets talk real

5 players per side

the hoop is 10 foot up and the ball has to go through it from top to bottom

on the floor, both ends under the hoop is a kinda rectangle shaped line drawing with a circle at it's top ....



throw the ball from in it and get it through the hoop.. score 2

get it in from outside that.. get 3

if you get fouled you get to stand on the foul line, right in front of the half hoop, dead centre of the circle at top of the rectangle shape.. you only get 1 point for each you score like that

Sounds easy... hard as nails.

you can throw the ball to your team mates, and even roll it on the floot... none of which work as well as dribbling.....

dribbling is bouncing the ball while running/walking..... strolling like a DUDE....

if you take more than one step while HOLDING the ball.. ie not bouncing it.. you get fouled. it's called TRAVELLING

Dont do it.

ironically this includes holding it... jumping to shoot... not shooting.. and landing.. still holding it.

to dribble you must NOT have your hand UNDER the ball.. bounce it.

Once you're over the half way... dont pass it back. It's a foul

Don't ever block a ball on it's way down into the net. you go to prison... stop it earlier on it's way UP.....

Don't sit back behind your halfway mark.. no camping push forward. Different times for each championship.

It's one of the finest sports in the world. Tactical, ... very fast... exciting.. and glorious.

Kicks hell out of football...

[ik9000]

yeah, used to play at school. Spent a while watching NBA on TV too. It's a great game, lots of pace. You have to be quite fit to really play it for long periods. A simply intro book will talk you through the rules. The trickiest bit is the whole professional vs personal vs other kinds of fouls, but it's not as mad as trying to get some of the rules of rugby.

REally good post, but you need to clarify about going past half way line, and not being able to take the ball back across it - you can pass backwards in the opponents half, just not go back beyond the centre line.

Shot clock to make a shot once you go into the opponents half. This applies to the team, even if they're passing it round. This is the source of much of the countdown music you hear on NBA games (the shot clock ticking down). If you haven't made a shot then it's a foul and possession moves to the other team.

Differences between free throws and penalty shots... I can't remember all the details of this, but there are some IIRC. And to do with who can enter the key to get the rebound in each case...

[Zak33]

I loved it... played loads

not many sports with so much potential adrenaline for all team members all of the time

and the noise of boots on a polished floor is awesome

and no rain

win

just needs weapons and it's perfect!

[ik9000]

I loved it... played loads

not many sports with so much potential adrenaline for all team members all of the time

and the noise of boots on a polished floor is awesome

and no rain

win

just needs weapons and it's perfect!

you mean something like this?

[circuitmonkey]

Love it, haven't played in years.
Was a the turning point that got me into sports during school; It was finally a sport that I liked, was good at, and got picked first.
I went on to play for my local town and even bugged my parents to install a hoop in the drive
I even played a few games during university but haven't picked up a ball since. That was until last year when I was helping a friend train before setting of for a women's all services competition in the US. I still had a fairly decent shot but could no longer get above the hoop

[Dwevan]

I've only played a few times, but Id love to play a bit more, unfortunately I don't have the best physical credentials, I am a bit too short
rules are tricky however

[smashshuttle1]

I've tried the game ...but can't seem to throw the ball upwards to the net...i think the ball is too heavy ..don't really enjoy it !

[legitfromtheman]

You can begin to pick up the rules and tactics after watching a few games being played. Its all the different lengths of time-out's that i dont really understand.

[sashimi]

NBA. That's was my first word to come to basketball world.
And I absorbed into that EA games until going out and became a member of provincial team.
It was my golden time.

[Kevin33]

I like it, but I'm afraid to get hurt. So, I'd prefer to some gentle exercises, say, billiards

[Bradeh]

I love basketball because it's a sport where you can play anywhere and with anyone, can even easily DIY a hoop if you really had it. It's really fun.

[Akosiipatriick]

i love basketball. i used to play basketball but now i dont have much free time