| assist |
James won the MVP award with 28 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. |
a pass to a teammate that leads directly to a goal |
| backboard |
My shot came off the backboard and down through the hoop for a 3-point goal. |
a board behind the basket, off which the ball may rebound |
| basket |
In the early days, peach baskets were nailed to the walls and used as goals. |
1. a container used to hold or carry things
2. a net fixed on a hoop used as the goal |
| block |
He stepped in front of our player to block his run, and the referee ruled it a foul. |
to stop the movement of an opponent, or stop an opponent's pass or shot |
| bounce |
Players must bounce the ball on the floor as they run. |
to rebound after hitting a surface |
| bounce pass |
The crowd cheered when Mario threw a perfect no-look bounce pass. |
a pass that bounces off the floor before it reaches the receiver |
| chest pass |
Michael threw a quick chest pass, ran forward, and received a bounce pass back. |
a two-handed pass thrown from chest height |
| double-dribbling |
Young players still learning the game often get fouled for double-dribbling. |
violation of dribbling the ball with two hands, or stopping and restarting the dribble |
| draft |
Every team studies the players in the draft and decides which ones they'll try to recruit. |
the annual process by which NBA teams select local or foreign players for their teams |
| dribble |
He dribbled past two defenders and then shot for goal. |
To bounce the ball repeatedly with one hand while running or walking |
| drive |
Yao Ming is very difficult to stop when he drives to the basket. |
A fast, strong dribble directly to the basket in an effort to score |
| exceed |
A team that exceeds the time-limit on the shot clock loses possession of the ball. |
to go beyond what is allowed |
| foul |
Larry's already had four fouls, so if he commits another one he'll be out of the game. |
a violation resulting from illegal contact with an opposing player |
| free throw |
Rodney practises his free throws for an hour every day. |
a free shot taken from the free throw line as the result of a foul |
| game clock |
The coach called a time-out, and the game clock stopped while he talked to his players. |
a scoreboard clock that shows the time remaining in each period of a game |
| guarding |
Guarding is a man-on-man defensive tactic used to counter dangerous players. |
following an opponent to stop him from driving, shooting or passing easily |
| hoop |
The ball has to go through the hoop from above to score a goal. |
the round metal rim from which a basketball net is suspended |
| jump shot |
A jump shot is much harder to block than a set shot. |
a shot taken while a player is jumping through the air |
| lay up |
The best players spend a lot of time working on skills to improve their lay ups. |
a shot taken close to the basket that is usually banked off the backboard and into the basket |
| MVP |
Michael was awarded MVP many times during his career. |
'most valuable player' award, given to the best player in a game |
| no-look pass |
Crowds love the no-look pass, but coaches warn players not to use it just to show off. |
a pass thrown without looking towards the receiver |
| overhead pass |
An overhead pass can get the ball to a teammate who's behind some opponents. |
a pass thrown from over the head, to clear a defender or for added power |
| overtime |
We won the game by outscoring our opponents in overtime. |
a five-minute extra period that is played when the game is tied after four quarters |
| personal foul |
Younger players often get over-excited and too aggressive and commit many personal fouls. |
a foul that involves illegal physical contact such as blocking, charging, elbowing or holding |
| possession |
The team whose player commits a violation loses possession of the ball. |
to be holding, or be in control of, the ball |
| rebound |
A lot of goals are scored from rebounds after an opponent's shot misses. |
get control of a ball that has come off the rim or backboard after a failed shot attempt |
| referees |
How many referees are usually on court during a game of basketball? |
officials who call violations and fouls, give penalties, signal field goals, and stop and start play |
| set shot |
Practising set shots is important because they are used to score from free throws. |
a shot taken with both feet on the floor in a set position |
| shoot |
Players earn more points if they shoot from outside the three-point line. |
to throw the ball in an attempt to score a goal |
| shot clock |
Players have to keep an eye on the shot clock while they are playing. |
a clock that shows the amount of time a team has left to take a shot |
| slam dunk |
Matt drove towards the basket, jumped high into the air and scored with a huge slam dunk. |
a high jump shot in which the ball is thrust down through the hoop |
| substitute |
The substitutes sat on the bench and watched as their teammates on the court kept playing. |
a player who comes into the game to replace a player on the court |
| technical foul |
Their coach got a technical foul for arguing with a referee. |
a foul called against a player or coach for unsportsmanlike conduct such as arguing with a referee |
| three-point line |
In the NBA, the three-point line is 23 feet 9 inches from the basket. |
a semi-circle painted on the court, from outside of which a successful shot earns three points |
| time-out |
Their coach indicated that he wanted a time-out, and the referee stopped the game. |
clock stoppage requested by a coach for a short meeting with the players |
| travelling |
Even professional players sometimes get penalized for travelling. |
the violation of moving with the ball without dribbling correctly |
| turnover |
Good players protect the ball to stop opposition players from making a turnover. |
a player loses the ball to a member of the other team without taking a shot |
| violation |
Two of the most common violations in junior basketball are double-dribbling and travelling. |
