Basketball looks simple: put the ball through the hoop more often than the other team. Yet the NBA rules include shot clocks, fouls, violations and a three-point line that confuses many new fans. This beginner’s guide explains the most important NBA rules in plain English, so you can follow any game with ease.
NBA rules: the basics
Each team has five players on the court at a time. The aim is to score by shooting the ball through the opponent’s hoop, which sits 10 feet above the floor. The team with the most points at the end wins.
There are no draws in the NBA. If the scores are level at the end, the teams play five minutes of overtime. And if they are still level, they play another five minutes, until one team wins.
How long is an NBA game?
Under NBA rules, a game has four quarters of 12 minutes each, so 48 minutes in total. However, the clock stops often, for fouls, timeouts and when the ball goes out of play. As a result, a typical game lasts around two and a half hours in real time.
There is a short break after the first and third quarters, and a longer halftime break of 15 minutes.
How scoring works
There are three ways to score:
- Two points: a basket from inside the three-point line.
- Three points: a basket from behind the three-point line. The line sits 23 feet 9 inches from the hoop, or 22 feet in the corners.
- One point: each successful free throw, which players take after certain fouls.
The shot clock
One of the most important NBA rules is the 24-second shot clock. When a team gets the ball, it has 24 seconds to take a shot that at least hits the rim. If it fails, the other team gets the ball.
The NBA introduced the shot clock in 1954. Before that, teams could hold the ball for as long as they wanted, which often made games slow and dull.
Common violations
Violations are mistakes that give the ball to the other team. Here are the ones you will see most often:
- Travelling: taking too many steps without dribbling the ball.
- Double dribble: dribbling with both hands, or dribbling again after stopping.
- Eight-second rule: a team must bring the ball past halfway within eight seconds.
- Three-second rule: attacking players cannot stay in the painted area near the basket for more than three seconds.
- Goaltending: touching a shot on its way down towards the basket.
Fouls under NBA rules
NBA rules limit physical contact. When a player makes illegal contact, the referee calls a foul. If the fouled player was shooting, he usually gets free throws.
Each player can commit six personal fouls. After the sixth, he must leave the game, which fans call fouling out. Also, when a team commits too many fouls in one quarter, the other team gets free throws for every further foul.
Timeouts and challenges
Each team has a set number of timeouts per game. Coaches use them to stop the game, change tactics or give players a rest.
Coaches can also challenge one call per game using video replay. If the challenge succeeds, the team keeps it and can challenge again.
NBA rules vs international rules
NBA rules differ slightly from the international rules that FIBA uses. For example, FIBA games have four quarters of 10 minutes, and players foul out after five fouls. The FIBA three-point line is also a little closer to the basket.
Now you are ready to watch
With these NBA rules in mind, you can follow any game with confidence. Next, learn how the season fits together in our guide to the NBA season format. You can also read the full official rulebook on the NBA website, or explore more basketball guides.