Leisure Kicks - The essencial sport and leisure guide

The object of the game is to outscore the other team by shooting the ball through the opponents' basket from above whilst preventing your opponent from doing the same to your basket. Shooting through the hoop is worth two points, or three points if taken from beyond the three-point arc, which is 6.25 metres (international) or 7.24 metres (NBA) from the basket. You can get one point by shooting successfully from the foul line. Players can move the ball by shooting, passing or dribbling – but the ball must always be bouncing whilst running.

Court Basketball (NBA and International rules)
Games are played in four quarters of 10 minutes (international) or 12 minutes (NBA), with five players on each team. Otherwise, the rules are as above.Street/Urban 

Street/Urban 
Tradition states that rules for ‘streetball’ have to be agreed before play – each court has different rules, so watch out! Usually only one half of the court is used with one-on-one or up to five players in each team. Each match is from a best of three games, lasting 20 minutes each; the first team to score 21 points in a game wins. Players themselves have to call foul, as there is no referee.  

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Learn the differences between NBA and FIBA basketball rules here