• Assist -- You will often see in a players stats a certain number of assists. These are passes that subsequently result in a goal being scored
  • Back Court -- The defensive zone for each team.
  • Defensive rebound -- A rebound caught by defenders.
  • Double Team -- When two defenders mark one attacker, usually their best player.
  • Drive -- An attacking move at full speed.
  • Dunk Shot -- A dunk is the spectacular scoring maneuver when a player jumps high, reaches above the ring, and stuffs the ball down through the hoop.
  • Fake -- To fake is to feint a pass or move.
  • Free Throw -- An uncontested shot from the free throw line, taken by a player who has been fouled. It is worth one point only.
  • Game Clock -- This is a clock that runs whenever the ball is in play, and stops whenever the ball goes out of bounds or when a foul is committed.
  • Goal Tending -- An illegal move by a defender of striking the ball on its downward flight to the basket. Two points are awarded.
  • Jump Ball -- A jump ball is the method by which the game is started. The ball is tossed up between two players, who try and tap it down to their teammates.
  • Paint -- When a player takes a shot from within 'the paint' it means they are shooting from inside the key, which these days is often painted a different color.
  • Personal Foul -- Personal fouls are fouls committed by a player, and after five of these (or six in the NBA) the player has to sit out the game. A replacement is allowed to enter the game.
  • Pick / Screen -- An offensive maneuver using one player to block for another, without making contact, by placing themselves between the defender and their own teammate who has the ball.
  • Shot Clock -- A 30-second clock (or 24 in the NBA) which limits the time a team may have possession of the ball without shooting. If a shot is not put up in this time then possession passes to the other team.
  • Substitution / Sub -- When a player on court is substituted which one from the bench. This can occur whenever there is a break in play, on direction of the referees.
  • Time Out -- A time out is when play is stopped on request of the coach, which gives each team a chance to discuss tactics.
  • Traveling -- Taking more than 1 1/2 steps without dribbling, which results in a penalty free to the opposing team.