Basketball is a team game in which two teams of 12 players each face each other. However, only 5 of them can be on the court at the same time. Substitutions are made during breaks or with the referee's permission (each player can enter and exit multiple times). The team that scores more points wins - free throws are worth 1 point, a successful field goal is worth 2 points, and a shot made from beyond the 6.75-meter line is worth 3 points. The defending team in basketball can intercept the ball from the opponent or after an unsuccessful shot - however, if a rebounded ball would have gone into the basket, the points are counted as if it were a successful shot. There is no scoring limit.

For the past few years, games have been played in 4 quarters of 10 minutes each. Previously, two halves of 20 minutes each were played, but FIBA, the International Basketball Federation, has introduced numerous changes to make the game more dynamic and align the rules with those of the NBA, the professional basketball league in the USA, considered the best in the world. Basketball rules have been changing frequently in recent years, although they are not drastic changes - they involve things like the number of players on the bench, substitutions, free throws after technical fouls, and the duration of actions.

In basketball, the ball can be dribbled, passed, or shot, and without dribbling, a player can take only 2 steps. The ball cannot be kicked or punched. In case of a tie after 4 quarters, overtime is played, lasting 5 minutes (until one team has a point advantage). An interesting fact is how games start - unlike in other sports where each half starts with a different team, in basketball, the referee tosses the ball up and two players from each team fight for it, so in practice, the same team can start each quarter by winning the jump ball.

FIBA also manages 3x3 basketball competitions. This variation of basketball, originating from street games, is also an Olympic discipline and perhaps the fastest-growing variation of basketball. It is played by 2 teams of 3 players each. The court is smaller, and the game lasts for 10 minutes of pure playing time. In 3x3 basketball, the scoring system is completely different - the game is played to 21 points. If no team reaches that score after 10 minutes, the team with the most points wins (in case of a tie, there is overtime).

Basketball – popular competitions (Euroleague, EuroBasket)

The most prestigious medals in basketball are those won at the Olympic Games and the World Championships. Next in line is EuroBasket, the European basketball championship. Currently, it is held every 4 years. It is a tournament with a long tradition, with the first EuroBasket taking place in 1935. Throughout history, various numbers of teams have participated, but after the recent changes, a record number of teams, 24, now compete. In the past, basketball players from the USSR (14 titles plus 1 as Russia) and Yugoslavia (8 wins) dominated EuroBasket, but in modern times, the main competition is between Spain and France for the highest honors. Spain is the defending champion. The EuroBasket for women has been held since 1938, with the USSR team winning it 21 times (plus 3 golds for the Russian team). However, the defending champions are surprisingly the Belgian team.

For clubs in Europe, the most important competition is the Euroleague, the equivalent of the Champions League in football. The Euroleague has been running since 1958, with the most successful team being Real Madrid, who have won it 11 times and are the current defending champions. In the women's competition, Turkish teams are at the top, with Fenerbahce Istanbul's basketball team recently winning the Euroleague. However, the most successful team in the history of the Euroleague is Daugava Riga (18 wins; currently this somewhat forgotten team is called TTT Riga and plays in the Latvian league).

Basketball live – emotions and tradition

The year 1881 is considered the founding date of basketball, so it is a sport with quite a tradition. It is most popular in the USA (according to statistics, the Philippines are second in this regard), but on a global scale it is among the top 10 most popular sports. It is no wonder that the most important tournaments and cup competitions, world championships, EuroBasket or Euroleague are broadcast live on numerous channels in many countries - a clear schedule showing basketball broadcasts on TV and online can be checked on our website.

Basketball results – check on our website

Results from the most important competitions and tournaments can be found on many different websites, including ours. Here you can also track the history of the latest matches of specific teams, as well as their overall current form (recently played matches).