Basketball Game Terms Part 3
These basketball game terms
and jargon are part of sport gamerisms, Define Your

Game!
Basketball part 3 completes basketball gamerisms provided for
basketball players and fans who fantasize about playing pro hoops.
Basketball Game Terms: P
- Paint:
the free throw lane.
- Palming: act
of securing the ball in the palm of a hand
resulting in a violation if performed during dribbling.
- Passing Lane:
refers to passing area between defenders in
order to move the ball to a teammate.
- Period:
portion of playing time to complete a game,
example=NBA rules allow for four 12 minute periods.
- Perimeter
& Perimeter Shot: term for location
behind free throw circle in the forecourt used to put outside shots in
play.
- Personal Foul:
when there is physical contact between
challengers, a foul is sure to follow.
- Pick and Roll:
jargon for this player movement=set screen,
pivot, move towards basket to receive pass.
- Picked Off:
term for a successful screen that prohibited a
defender from reaching the opposing player in control of the ball.
- Pick-up Games:
basketball game terms for 'let's play' among
a group of amateur players.
- Pivot
Foot: refers to either the right or left foot that is
stationary on the
floor when a player has ball possession. When 'doing the pivot dance',
be sure the pivot foot remains stationary while 'step dancing' with the
other foot. If a player moves the pivot foot, then he/she is considered
to be traveling and a foul called that results in lost ball possession.
- Pivot Man:
basketball game terms that refer to the team's
center. Can also be Pivot Woman, yes?
- Playmaker:
jargon for player who is a huge asset to the
team in that he/she sets up and plans the strategic moves of the team.
- Point:
refers to either the point guard playing position or points scored.
Foul shots put 1 point on the scoreboard; field goals inside the
three-point line=2 points and outside the three point boundary=3 points.
- Point Guard:
player whose duties are moving the ball up the
court and running offense.
- Post:
term for location either near the basket or foul
line, but outside the free throw lane.
- Power Forward:
skillful player who can ably score and grab
rebounds.
- Press: the pressure is on
the ball carrier by the opposing
defense team.
Basketball Game Terms: R
- Rebound:
attaining the ball after a shot on offense or
defense.
- Referee:
game official who monitors and calls all
violations, field goals, fouls and issues penalties.
- Reject:
basketball game terms for motion to block a shot.
- Release:
term for exact time that the ball is released from
the shooter's hands.
- Restraining
Circle: term for area where no other player can enter
while a free
throw attempt is being made until the ball strikes the backboard, rim
or net. The same rules applies when a player from each team are going
for a jump ball.
- Reverse Dunk: a backward
dunk, over the shooter's head.
- Reverse Lay
Up: let's do another lay up as the first one
was blocked. See lay up.
- Rim:
term for 18-inch ring that holds the net and is
attached to the backboard.
- Roll:
a rapid strategic move by the challenger that avoids
a defender and rolls on down to the basket.
- Rookie:
jargon for a 'green player' in his/her first pro
season.
- Roster:
view of the team players.
- Runner:
this player is on the run and taking a shot.
- Running
Jumper: and this player is still running, but
taking a jump shot.
Basketball Game Terms: S
- Scoop Shot: underhand
shot made by a scooping motion
advancing to the basket.
- Scorer:
game official who monitors and records points, field goals, free throws
and all fouls for every player and team. The scorer also updates the
referees about changes.
- Screen:
refers to a blocking move by an
offensive player either by standing beside or behind a defender in
order to free up a teammate to shoot, receive a pass, or drive in to
score.
- Shooter's Roll:
skillful move that bounces softly off the
rim and in to score.
- Shooting
Guard: term for a skillful shooter who often
scores 3-pointers.
- Shooting
Range: the point or distance that a player makes
his/her shots.
- Shot
Clock: this clock counts down from the 24 seconds in NBA
play as to
when a team must shoot and hit the intended rim or basket.
- Sidelines:
boundary lines running from baseline to baseline.
- Sixth Man:
basketball game terms for the best sub that a
team plays.
- Sky Hook:
jargon for a shot that is released from above the
level of the rim.
- Small Forward:
term for an agile, shorter player who can
make awesome jump shots.
- Square Up:
stare that basket, line up the ball and shoot.
- Starting
Lineup: the best of the team, these 5 players
start the game.
- Steal:
term for getting the ball from an opposing player.
Now watcha going to do?
- Strong Side:
this is the area where the ball and the action
takes place.
- Substitute:
a player is out and the sub is in to play.
- Swing Man:
jargon for versatile player who can play 2
positions.
- Swish:
jargon for a shot that scores without the ball
hitting the rim or backboard—a thing of beauty!
- Switch:
term for exchanging defensive assignments with a
teammate.
Basketball Game Terms: T
- Z
- T:
abbreviation for time out or technical foul.
- Team
Foul: is called on the player and the team. If the team
goes over the
limit of these fouls, the opposing team wins free throw(s).
- Technical
Foul: term for a foul called that is not physical in
nature, but rather
called because of verbal abuse or cursing usually towards
officials--just plain bad mouthing. Opposing team is given a free throw
or throw-in. Anyone who has watched basketball knows that a coach or
other team member along with players have and can receive this type of
foul.
- Ten-second
Line: refers to the center line when the
10-second rule is ongoing.
- Ten-second
Rule: refers to rule where the team in possession of the
ball must take
it to the centerline in 10 seconds or take the foul.
- Three-point
Line: semi-circle marking out from the basket
center.
- Three-point
Play: term for the 2-step success of a two
point field score then a free throw.
- Three Pointer:
a field goal shot behind the three-point
line, worth three points.
- Three-second
rule: 3 seconds is all you get within the free throw lane and that
includes your feet, or you suffer a three-second violation.
- Throw-in:
5 seconds is all you get to move the ball inbound. Throw-ins result
after a ball lands out-of-bounds or a personal foul has been called not
requiring free throw(s).
- Timeline:
the line that divides the two halves of the court.

- Tip in:
tap that rebound and tip it in.
- Tip-off:
refers to jump ball that starts the game action.
- Top of the
Key: location near the free throw circle just
behind the free throw line.
- Trail
Official: game official who monitors the ball as it
moves up court after a possession turnover.
- Trailer:
this player scoots behind his/her teammates on a
fast break.
- Transition:
term for strategic move to focus on offense
rather than defense when team has ball possession in their backcourt.
- Trap:
basketball game terms for rapid double-teaming of the
ball carrier.
- Traveling:
occurs when a player illegally moves his/her feet while in possession
of the ball. Examples are moving 3 steps without a dribble, lifting the
pivot foot before dribbling/jumping and landing without releasing the
ball. The penalty for traveling is loss of possession.
- Triple
Double: occurs when any player achieves double digit
statistics in a
single game in three statistical categories (i.e. 10 points and 10
rebounds and 10 assists). Well done!
- Triple Threat:
positioning that will allow a player to
pass, shoot or pivot.
- Turnaround Jumper: quick move by a player whose back is to
the basket. This 3-step 'dance' is pivot, jump and shoot.
- Turnover:
basketball game terms for loss of possession.
- Two-shot Foul:
opposing team wins 2 free throws after this
foul is called.
- Upset:
the bigger, better team just lost to a supposedly
second-rate team or underdog.
- Weak Side:
the area of the court where the ball is not;
therefore, not much action here.
- Zone: defense
where players are assigned an area to guard
as opposed to a single opposing player.
From
Basketball Game Terms, you can go to Golf Game Terms
Other Sports Clicks
Baseball
Trivia Facts
Football
Game Terms
Hockey Quiz
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