Playing Field for One of the Best Sports of All Time

When we talk about basketball, people always argue about legends and recent plays; basketball is often dubbed to be one of the best sports of all time. Often being played by men, these are the grounds which they show their skills. You can always find a basketball court near your neighborhood or anywhere in populated places. The playing court is where you can play the game; this section elaborates the characteristics of the basketball court.

Materials

The court consists of a rectangular area with baskets at each end. There are variations of the court when playing professional or street. A usual composition of an indoor court is composed of polished maple wood or any variations of hardwoods. Outdoor courts are often made out of asphalt, blacktop, cement or similar materials.

There are baskets at both ends, usually made of metal hoops with a dangling net to support the ball going down. The hoops are then attached to a rectangular backboard.

Size

Shapes and sizes of basketball courts differ, but the standard NBA (National Basketball Association) court is 94 feet long and 50 feet wide and the baskets are 10 feet above the playing court. The playing court size on a street court usually varies and may not have an exact size, but are usually based on standard outdoor courts.

Free Throw Lane

On both ends of the playing court, there is a free throw lane, which measures 12 feet wide and 15 feet long. The distance of the lane to the three point arc line is 4.9 feet. And also, the bottom block from the baseline is 4 feet. This is where players get a free chance of scoring when fouled, usually getting 2 free shots depending on the foul.

Three point arc line

This line is 20 feet from the basket; this is often one of the most difficult shots in the game of basketball because of distance alone. On basketball courts, the distance varies from college range and international or court size, but still proves to be very challenging to get a score outside this arc line.

There is also another kind of playing court which is often used on the streets called half-court basketball. These are one of the most common courts that you can find in neighborhoods, often being a practice court. These are usually made up of the same materials being used on other outdoor and indoor courts.