Basketball

Basketball is a team sport, the objective being to shoot a ball through a horizontally positioned basket to score points. A regulation basketball hoop consists of a rim 18 inches in diameter and 10 feet high mounted to a backboard. A team can score a field goal by shooting the ball through the basket during regular play. The National Basketball Association (NBA) is one of the major sports leagues, of which USA and Canada are the members.

Basketball has evolved many commonly used techniques of shooting, passing, dribbling, and rebounding, as well as specialized player positions and offensive and defensive structures and techniques. Typically, the tallest members of a team will play "center," "power forward" or "small forward" positions, while shorter players or those who possess the best ball handling skills and speed play "point guard" or "shooting guard." A field goal scores two points for the shooting team if a player is touching or closer to the basket than the three-point line, and three points if the player is behind the three-point line. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins, but additional time may be issued when the game ends with a draw. The ball can be advanced on the court by bouncing it while walking or running or throwing it to a team mate.

It is a violation to move without dribbling the ball, to carry it, or to hold the ball with both hands then resume dribbling. Numerous violations are called "fouls." Disruptive physical contact, a personal foul is penalized, and a free throw is usually awarded to an offensive player if he is fouled while shooting the ball. A technical foul may also be issued when certain infractions occur, most commonly for unsportsmanlike conduct on the part of a player or coach. A technical foul gives the opposing team a free throw, and the opposing team also retains possession of the ball. While competitive basketball is carefully regulated, numerous variations of basketball have developed for casual play. Competitive basketball is primarily an indoor sport played on a carefully marked and maintained basketball court, but less regulated variations are often played outdoors in both inner city and remote areas.

From February 3 to March 25, the Miami Heat were a spectacle to watch on the court, as they blew out teams and made dramatic late-game comebacks against others. The driving force behind the Heat's 27-game adventure was LeBron James, who's well on his way to capturing his fourth career MVP award. According to NBA.com's stats database, James averaged 27 points, eight assists and 8.1 rebounds per contest over the course of the Heat's winning streak (Nathan, 2013). As James chases championship No. 2, the Heat's winning streak will serve as a preview of what fans should expect to see from him through the months of April, May and June. At first glance, LeBron James' performance against the Philadelphia 76ers on February 23 doesn't look all that impressive. Although, James didn't carry the offensive load for the Heat, as Dwyane Wade posted a game-high 33 points, leading the Heat to a 114-90 victory (Nathan, 2013). What James showed against the Sixers was that he can have a profound impact on any given game even if he doesn't score copious amounts of points. LeBron James recorded the 35th triple-double of his career in the win over the Sixers, posting a line of 16 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. Not only that, but James was efficient on the offensive end. Converting on seven of 12 shots, James proved once again that he's the most unstoppable force in basketball.

 

 

 

 

References:

 

Matt, M. (2013). Top 10 moments of miami heat 27 game winning streak. Retrieved from http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/eye-on-basketball/21960502/top-10-moments-of-the-miami-heat-27-game-winning-streak

 

Nathan, A. (2013). Ranking lebron\. Retrieved from http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1588606-ranking-lebrons-best-games-during-heat-win-streak