NBA Rules

There are hundreds, if not thousands of different rules that govern the way that ball is played in the National Basketball Association. These rules cover everything from court size to the duties of the officials. If you're somewhat unfamiliar with the game, however, here is a brief overview of how it is played without putting too much emphasis on the details.

Each player that is in control of the ball must continually dribble the ball. Dribbling means the ball has to be in constant motion between the floor of the gym and the player's hand. In other words the ball is bounced off the floor of the court. To stop dribbling and take a few steps would be a penalty that is known as traveling. You can either carry the ball yourself while dribbling it or pass it to your teammates. That is how you move the ball down the court and towards the basket.

If the ball happens to go out of bounds whenever you're playing, the last team that touched the ball is at fault. The opposing team would gain control of the ball and throw it into their teammates from the spot at which the ball exited the court. There are several other violations, such as illegal contact which would result in a penalty.