The point guard (PG), also called the one or the point, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position and is usually the shortest player on the court. Point guards are expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that it gets to the right player at the right time. Above all, the point guard must understand and accept their coach's game plan; in this way, the position can be compared to the position of quarterback in gridiron football. They must also be able to adapt to what the defense is allowing and must control the pace of the game.
The center (C), or the centre, also known as the five, the big or the pivot, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is almost always the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well. In the NBA, the center is typically close to 7 feet (2.13 m) tall; centers in the WNBA are typically above 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m). Centers traditionally play close to the basket in the low post. The two tallest players in NBA history, Manute Bol and Gheorghe Mureșan, were both centers, each standing 7 feet 7 inches (2.31 m) tall.
The shooting guard (SG), also known as the two, two guard or off guard, is one of the five traditional positions in a regulation basketball game. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for their team and steal the ball on defense. Some teams ask their shooting guards to bring up the ball as well; these players are known colloquially as combo guards. A player who can switch between playing shooting guard and small forward is known as a swingman. In the NBA, shooting guards usually range from 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) to 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) while in the WNBA, shooting guards tend to be between 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) and 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m).
In basketball, a player may attempt to score a basket by leaping straight into the air, the elbow of the shooting hand cocked, ball in hand above the head, and launching the ball in a high arc towards the basket for a jump shot. Although early critics thought the leap might lead to indecision in the air, the jump shot replaced the earlier, less quickly released set shot, and eventually transformed the game because it is the easiest shot to make from a distance and more difficult for a defender to block. Variations on the simple jump shot include the "turnaround jumper" ; the "fadeaway" ; and the "leaning jumper". With the "hook shot," a player is turned sideways with the shooting arm away from the basket outstretched so that with a sweep he can launch the ball over his head. Since a defender must leap to block a jumper, the shooter may use a pump fake to get the defender in the air at the wrong time and so have a clear shot. If the shooter leaps into the defender, a foul is called on the defensive player, whereas the shooter is awarded two or three free throws according to the value of a missed attempt, or a single free throw.
The pick and roll in basketball is an offensive play in which a player sets a screen (pick) for a teammate handling the ball and then moves toward the basket (rolls) to receive a pass. In the NBA, the play came into vogue in the 1990s and has developed into the league's most common offensive action. There are, however, many ways in which the defense can also counter the offensive screen.
In basketball, there are five players on court per team, each assigned to positions. Historically, these players have been assigned to positions defined by the role they play on the court, from a strategic point of view. The three main positions are guard, forward, and center, with the standard team featuring two guards, two forwards, and a center. Over time, as more specialized roles developed, each of the guards and forwards came to be differentiated, and today each of the five positions is known by a unique name and number: point guard (PG) or 1, the shooting guard (SG) or 2, the small forward (SF) or 3, the power forward (PF) or 4, and the center (C) or 5 "post position".
Box-and-one defense is a type of defense used in basketball. The box-and-one defense is a hybrid between a man-to-man defense and a zone defense.
This glossary of basketball terms is a list of definitions of terms used in the game of basketball. Like any other major sport, basketball features its own extensive vocabulary of unique words and phrases used by players, coaches, sports journalists, commentators, and fans.
Wardell Stephen Curry II is an American professional basketball player and point guard for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Near-unanimously considered the greatest shooter of all time, Curry is credited with revolutionizing the sport by inspiring teams and players at all levels to more prominently utilize the three-point shot. He is a four-time NBA champion, a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), an NBA Finals MVP, an NBA All-Star Game MVP, an NBA Clutch Player of the Year, and the inaugural NBA Western Conference finals MVP. He is also a two-time NBA scoring champion, a ten-time NBA All-Star, and a ten-time All-NBA selection. Internationally, he has won two gold medals at the FIBA World Cup and a gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics as part of the U.S. men's national team.
Nellie Ball is an offensive strategy in basketball developed by NBA head coach Don "Nellie" Nelson. It is a fast-paced run-and-gun offense relying on smaller, more athletic players who can create mismatches by outrunning their opponents. A true center is usually not needed to run this type of offense. A large volume of three-point attempts is also a feature of Nellie Ball. This offense is most effective against teams that do not have the athleticism or shooting ability to keep up with the fast pace.
In basketball, small ball is a style of play that sacrifices height, physical strength and low post offense/defense in favor of a lineup of smaller players for speed, agility and increased scoring. It is closely tied to the concepts of pace and space, which pushes the speed of the offense and spreads out the defense with extra shooters on the court. Many small ball lineups feature a non-traditional center who offers skills that are not normally found from players at that position. Teams often move a physically dominant player who would typically play the small forward position into the power forward position. Examples of players who have been used in this role include Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, and LeBron James. That individual would play alongside either a traditional power forward, or alongside a center.
Seth Adham Curry is an American professional basketball player for the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for one year at Liberty University before transferring to Duke. He is the son of former NBA player Dell Curry and the younger brother of NBA player Stephen Curry. He currently ranks eighth in NBA history in career three-point field goal percentage.
Basketball is a ball game and team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules. Since being developed by James Naismith as a non-contact game that almost anyone can play, basketball has undergone many different rule variations, eventually evolving into the NBA-style game known today. Basketball is one of the most popular and widely viewed sports in the world.
The Splash Brothers are a former duo of American professional basketball players, guards Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, who played together for the Golden State Warriors in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 2011 to 2024. Considered among the greatest shooters in NBA history, and one of the greatest backcourts of all time, they combined to set various NBA records for three-point field goals by a pair of teammates, and each won the Three-Point Contest. They were NBA All-Stars and together won four NBA championships and appeared in six NBA Finals with the Warriors.
The Death Lineup was a lineup of basketball players on the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 2014 to 2019. Developed under head coach Steve Kerr, it began during their 2014–15 run that led to an NBA championship. Unlike typical small-ball units, this group of Warriors was versatile enough to defend larger opponents, while also aiming to create mismatches on offense with their shooting and playmaking skills.
Jordan Anthony Poole is an American professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Poole played college basketball for the Michigan Wolverines. At Michigan, he was a member of the 2017–18 team that won the 2018 Big Ten tournament and advanced to that season's national championship game.
The 2022 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 2021–22 season and conclusion of the season's playoffs. In this best-of-seven playoff series, the Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors defeated the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics in six games, winning their fourth championship in eight years. Golden State's Stephen Curry was named the Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the first time in his career.
The three-point revolution or the 3-point revolution refers to the rapid strategic growth of National Basketball Association (NBA) offenses and defenses towards attempting three-point field goals, beginning in the mid-2010s and progressing to the present day. After the introduction of the three point line to the NBA in 1979, NBA teams averaged 2.8 attempts per game. By the 2018–19 season, NBA teams averaged 32.0 attempts per game. Basketball figureheads such as Stephen Curry, Steve Kerr, James Harden, Daryl Morey and Mike D'Antoni are all credited with helping precipitate the NBA Three-Point Revolution.
The men's national basketball team of the United States competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, and won the gold medal. They qualified for the Olympics as one of the top two FIBA Basketball World Cup finishers from the Americas in 2023. It was the fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal for the Americans, who defeated France in the gold-medal game for the second straight Olympics.
