Basketball rules for new NBA fans: shot clock, fouls, free throws and violations

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If you have just started watching the NBA, the whistles can feel constant and the clock seems to stop every few seconds. Most of it follows a small set of rules that repeat all game. Once you know them, you can follow almost every stoppage and understand why coaches are shouting at referees.

The basics of a game

Four quarters of 12 minutes, with a longer break at half-time. If the score is level at the end, teams play five-minute overtime periods until someone wins.
Five players per side on the court, with unlimited substitutions during stoppages.
Scoring: a basket from outside the three-point arc is worth three, any other field goal is worth two, and each free throw is worth one.
The game clock stops on whistles, fouls, timeouts and when the ball goes out of bounds, which is why the last two minutes can take a quarter of an hour.

The shot clock

The NBA uses a 24-second shot clock. The team with the ball must attempt a shot that hits the rim before it runs out, or it loses possession.

If a shot hits the rim and the offence gets the rebound, the clock resets to 14 seconds rather than 24.
If the defence gets the ball, a fresh 24 seconds starts for the other team.
Watch the small clock above the backboard late in possessions. A team chasing a lead often uses most of it; a team behind wants to shoot early.

Time and court violations

A violation is a non-contact mistake. The usual penalty is simply losing the ball.

Travelling: moving your feet illegally while holding the ball, such as taking extra steps without dribbling.
Double dribble: dribbling, stopping, then dribbling again, or dribbling with both hands at once.
Eight seconds: the offence must bring the ball past the half-way line within eight seconds.
Backcourt: once the offence has crossed half-way, it cannot take the ball back into its own half.
Three seconds in the key: an attacking player cannot stand in the painted lane for more than three seconds at a time.
Defensive three seconds: an NBA-specific rule that stops a defender camping in the lane for more than three seconds unless he is actively guarding someone. The penalty is a technical free throw.
Goaltending: blocking a shot on its way down towards the basket, or touching it above the rim. The basket counts anyway.
Out of bounds: the last team to touch the ball before it leaves the court loses it.

Personal fouls

A foul is illegal contact. Common ones are reaching in on a dribbler, blocking someone by moving into his path, pushing on a rebound, or hitting a shooter's arm.

Blocking or charging: if a defender gets set in position before the attacker arrives, the attacker is called for a charge. If the defender is still moving, it is usually a block on the defender. The arc under the basket marks a zone where a defender cannot draw a charge in most situations.
Six personal fouls and a player is out of the game. That is why stars sit on the bench when they pick up early fouls.
Technical fouls punish unsporting behaviour such as arguing too hard. Two in one game means ejection.
Flagrant fouls cover unnecessary or excessive contact and bring free throws plus possession.

Free throws and the bonus

Free throws are unguarded shots from the line 15 feet from the basket.

A shooter fouled while missing gets two free throws, or three if he was attempting a three.
A shooter fouled while scoring keeps the basket and gets one extra free throw, the and-one.
Each team can commit four team fouls per quarter without giving away free throws on non-shooting fouls. From the fifth, the opponent is in the bonus and shoots two.
In the last two minutes of a quarter, a team that has not reached the limit gets one non-shooting foul without penalty; the next one gives up free throws.

That is why trailing teams foul on purpose late on: it stops the clock.

Timeouts and challenges

Teams have a limited number of timeouts and use them to stop runs, draw up a play or advance the ball late in a game. Each coach can also challenge certain calls once per game, and keeps the challenge if it succeeds. Exact timeout counts and replay rules have been adjusted over the years, so check the official NBA rulebook for the current version. Which rule still confuses you when you watch? Ask in the comments and other fans will help.