NBA Rules – Rule 5: Scoring and Timing

As with everything, the National Basketball Association has its specific rules when it comes to scoring and timing. The player has to obey basketball rules to score points for their team. If the timing is off, or if the player is in the wrong position, all of the efforts are wasted.

Scoring

NBA officials keep a running score of every action done during the game. A digital or analog clock (or both), is used to keep the time of all the game proceedings including substitutions, points scored by each team, time outs, etc.

Free Throw

Free Throws are awarded after violations made by the opposing team. A successful free throw attempt is worth one point, however, an unsuccessful free throw attempt can be worth two points if the ball is tapped by an offensive player and goes through the net.

Free Throw Line Extended

A free throw line extended is an imaginary line, which is an extension of the free-throw line. If a player attempts to shoot at the opponent’s basket, the opposing team gets possession of the ball and inbound it at the free-throw line extended. A field goal accidentally scored into the opponent’s net, counts as a point for the opposing player nearest the player who caused the ball to enter the basket.

Field Goal

A successful field goal attempt can be worth two or three points. It depends on where the shot was made. If the player has at least one foot outside the three-point line, the basket counts as three points. If the player is inside the three-point line or at the three-point line, the shot is worth two points.

Timing

The NBA regulation play consists of four twelve-minute periods, but there can be an overtime period that lasts 5 minutes. There are breaks between periods; three minutes and thirty seconds after the first and the second period and two minutes and thirty seconds between the third and the fourth period. If the game is not broadcasted internationally, all of the breaks last two minutes and thirty seconds. If any of the players are disqualified, the team has 30 seconds to substitute the player.

Game Clock

The game clock shows how much time there is before the period ends. During the last minute of each period, the game clock shows tenths of a second, making the last moments more dramatic. After each period, the basketball official uses his whistle and the horn sounds. If any of these sounds are made before the game clock expires, the time has to be added to the game.

End of Play

If a player makes a field goal attempt and the ball is in the air when the time expires, the game isn’t ended until the goal is missed, made, or touched by an offensive player. If any of the players is fouled when the ball flies to the basket, the period can’t be ended, until the foul is penalized.

Overtime

When there is a tie, the game is prolonged by overtime periods. Each of the overtime periods lasts five minutes.

Shot Clock

The shot clock shows the time remaining for the team to make a field goal attempt. Traditionally, it starts with twenty-four seconds and is reset when the team possession changes. If the offensive team gains possession after missed free throw attempt or unsuccessful field goal attempt in which the ball touches the rim, or when the offensive team inbounds the ball in the frontcourt, the shot clock is set for 14 seconds.

Timeouts

The team’s head coach along with the players can ask for a timeout to substitute players or to talk out the strategy. One team can take a maximum of seven timeouts in one game and two timeouts during the overtime period. Both teams are obliged to call a mandatory timeout, there have to be two of them in each period. If both teams fail to do so, then an Official Scorer will order a timeout during the dead ball.

Timeouts can be asked by a player who is stationed near the midcourt line, except during throw-ins in the last two minutes of a game or the last two minutes of overtime periods.

Timeout can’t be taken during a live ball, with two exceptions, if the player who is asking for a timeout is in the possession of the ball, or when a player is injured. When a team is asking for a timeout for an injured player, they can do it whenever they want and they will still be left with the same number of timeouts. However, if the team asks for a timeout and they have no left, the same team will be given a technical foul and the play will be resumed by a throw-in made by the opposing team.

Defensive Team

If the defensive team makes a timeout request, the offensive team has to immediately put the ball down at the sideline nearest where the ball was during the signal.

Suspension of Play

Officials can suspend play at any given time. Official suspension of play happens when a player is injured and is visibly bleeding. There has to be admitted Infection Control, which has to occur in thirty seconds. After that, the coach of the injured player can ask for time out to substitute them.

If play is suspended, when the ball is in the air, there is no way to establish which team would be in possession. The game is resumed by a jump ball, between any two opponents at the center circle, no matter who was the nearest.

Time-In

The game clock is started after a jump ball when the ball is tapped by a player. The same rule applies to starting the game after a missed free throw or out-of-bounds throw-in, the game is on when the ball is touched by any player in the playing area.

Last Words

Rules are important in basketball because they keep the game fair and even. They also provide a framework for how each team should play, which helps ensure that every player has an equal opportunity to succeed on the court. The rules of basketball have been set by officials from all over the world who work hard to make sure that their sport is safe and enjoyable for everyone involved. Rules may seem restrictive at first glance but when you get into it, there’s no denying just how necessary they really are!