Basketball, fast paced game played on a court, by two five player teams. The object of the game is to score more points than the other team by putting a ball through hoop. The two hoops are at each end of the court, and connected to a backboard. One of the most popular sports in the world, basketball is played by men and women of all ages and ability levels in more than 200 countries.
A basketball team is instructed by a coach. The team consists of five players—two guards, two forwards, and one center—all play offense and defense. The guards—the point guard (known  as the 1 guard) and the shooting guard (2 guard)—make up the back court. The point guard is generally the leader of the team on the court, acting as an on court coach. The point guard must have exceptional ball handling and passing skills. The shooting guard is generally a good ball handler and good shooting and scoring. The small forward, the power forward, and the center make up the front court. The small forward (3 player) is usually a strong scorer from both near the basket and at a distance. This player must have good skills, including rebounding, ball handling, and passing. The power forward (4 player), who must be big and strong, primarily concentrates on defense and rebounding. The center (5 player) is usually the tallest player on the team, serving as the cornerstone of most play. Good centers score points on offense and block shots on defense. Although there are specific positions, players can play anywhere on the court, according to the team's strategy.
    Playing offense is perhaps the most prominent part of playing basketball, as it allows players to demonstrate and improve upon individual skills necessary to being successful. Many of basketball's best players have exceptional talents on offense. Basic offensive skills are passing, ball handling, shooting, and rebounding. Passing the basketball is the fastest and most efficient way to advance the ball up the court. A team that passes well will be able to take open shots. There are five types of passes: chest, in which the ball is thrown from chest height; bounce, in which the ball is bounced to the teammate; overhead, where the ball is thrown over the head; baseball style, in which the ball is thrown like a baseball; and behind-the-back, in which the player throws the ball  one hand whipping the ball around the back. All of these passing styles are used during the course of a game.
    Many of basketball's best players are also adept at ball handling. To be a good ball handler, a player must watch the action on the court, keeping the eyes straight ahead and not focused down on the floor. The player must also keep the ball low, protecting it from defenders and bouncing it no higher than the waist. Good ball handlers can use either hand to dribble effectively and can change directions quickly.

    Defense is just as important to winning basketball games as offense. The goal of defense is simple: to stop the opposition from scoring. The more times a team stops an opponent from scoring, the more likely it is that a victory will be secured. The basic defensive technique involves guarding the opponent while keeping both feet at least shoulder width apart, with one foot slightly ahead of the other and the knees bent. When defending, a player's weight should be placed on the balls of the feet to ensure quick movement in any direction.
    General defensive positioning involves skilled movement. A defensive player should take short, quick shuffle steps when moving side-to-side. Crossing one foot over another is improper defensive technique. Defenders want to force opponents away from the basket and limit the ability to dribble the ball toward the basket. Good defenders use quickness to steal or intercept the ball and try not to foul. One part of playing strong defense is blocking the opposition's attempted shot, because good shot blocking teams make opponents hesitate about shooting. When defending an opponent who doesn't have the ball, the general rule is to stay between that player and the basket being defended. Good defenders also play team defense, working together and verbally communicating among themselves to ensure that the offense doesn't obtain an easy shot.
    Basketball is one of my favorite sports and I hope you will be able to enjoy it as much as i do.

Information and pictures found on Microsoft Encarta 2001