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fake or feint:     a deceptive move to throw a defender off balance and allow an offensive player to shoot or receive a pass; players use their eyes, head or any other part of the body to trick an opponent. fast break:     also called the run-and-shoot offense, it begins with a defensive rebound by a player who immediately sends an outlet pass toward midcourt to his waiting teammates; these teammates can sprint to their basket and quickly shoot before enough opponents catch up to stop them. field goal:     when the ball enters the basket from above during play; worth 2 points, or 3 points if the shooter was standing behind the 3-point line. Finals, NBA:     the annual championship series of the NBA's post-season. Final Four:     the 4 regional champions (West, East, Midwest and Southeast) remaining from the 64 college teams that compete in the annual NCAA Tournament; they play one another to determine the national champion. flagrant foul:     unnecessary or excessive contact against an opponent. floor:     the area of the court within the end lines and sidelines. floor violation:     a player's action that violates the rules but does not prevent an opponent's movement or cause him harm; penalized by a change in possession. forwards:     the 2 players on the court for a team who are usually smaller than the center and bigger than the guards; often a team's highest scorers. foul:     actions by players which break the rules but are not floor violations; penalized by a change in possession or free-throw opportunities; see personal foul or technical foul. foul lane:     the painted area 19' x 16' (12' in college) bordered by the end line and the foul line, outside which players must stand during a free-throw; also the area an offensive player cannot spend more than 3-seconds at a time in. foul line:     the line 15' from the backboard and parallel to the end line from which players shoot free-throws. 4-point play:     a 3-point shot followed by a successful free-throw. franchise:     a professional team. franchise player:     a star player around which a franchise is built. free agent, restricted:     an NBA player whose contract has expired and who has received a "qualifying offer" from his current club which provides a salary level predetermined by the collective bargaining agreement. While this player is free to negotiate an offer from a new team, his current team has a right of first refusal to match that offer, thereby obligating him to remain with his current team. free agent, unrestricted:     a player who has completed his 3rd NBA season (or 4th season, if his current team exercised its "option" to have him play for a 4th year) and is free to negotiate a contract with other NBA teams without his current team having a right of first refusal. free-throw:     an unguarded shot taken from the foul line by a player whose opponent committed a personal or technical foul; it is worth 1 point. free-throw line extended:     an imaginary line drawn from the free-throw line to the sideline to determine the location for certain throw-ins. frontcourt:     the area between the midcourt line and the end line closest to the offense's basket. full-court press:     when defenders start guarding the offense in the backcourt. game clock:     shows how much time remains in each of the four 12-minute quarters of an NBA game or two 20-minute halves of a college game. guards:     the 2 players on each team who are the smallest on the court; they usually handle setting up plays and passing to teammates closer to the basket. guarding:     the act of following an opponent around the court to prevent him from getting close to the basket, taking an open shot or making easy an pass, while avoiding illegal contact. half-court or set offense:     when a team takes the time to develop a play in its frontcourt, such as the give-and-go or a screening play; opposite of fast break. high percentage shot:     a shot that is likely to go in the basket, such as a layup. high post:     an imaginary area outside either side of the foul lane at the free-throw line extended. in the paint:     being in the foul lane area which is painted a different color. inbounds:     the area within the end lines and sidelines of the court; also the act of bringing the ball into this area by means of a throw-in. incidental contact:     minor contact usually overlooked by officials. inside shooting:     shots taken by a player near or under the basket. jump ball:    2 opposing players jump for a ball an official tosses above and between them, to tap it to their teammates and gain possession; used to start the game (tip-off) and all overtime periods, and sometimes to restart play. DTI Second to None DTI Sports, Inc. Basketball Division - 409 Puyallup Ave. Tacoma, WA 98421 1-800-743-4117 - Fax 1-253-627-7274 Sales         Webmaster