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pass:     when a passer throws the ball to a teammate; used to start plays, move the ball downcourt, keep it away from defenders and get it to a shooter. passer:     the player who passes the ball to a teammate. period:     any quarter, half or overtime segment. perimeter:     the area beyond the foul circle away from the basket, including 3-point line, from which players take long-range shots. personal foul:     contact between players that may result in injury or provide one team with an unfair advantage; players may not push, hold, trip, hack, elbow, restrain or charge into an opponent; these are also counted as team fouls. picked off:     refers to a defender who has been successfully prevented from reaching the ball handler by an offensive screen. pick-up games:     impromptu games played among players who just met. pivot:     a center; also the foot that must remain touching the floor until a ball handler who has stopped dribbling is ready to pass or shoot. playmaker:     the point guard who generally sets up plays for his teammates. point-shaving:     an illegal practice where players intentionally win a game, but by fewer points than the point spread; led to 2 major college scandals (involved 32 of the biggest stars in the 1950s, then 22 colleges in 1961). point spread:     a device established by bookmakers to equalize 2 teams for betting purposes; e.g., if a team is considered to be 4 points better than another, the spread is 4 points; to win a bet on the favorite, that team would need to win by more than the spread (in this case, by more than 4 points); the margin of victory can be more important than whether a team wins or loses. possession:     to be holding or in control of the ball. possession arrow:     in college, used to determine which team's turn it is to inbounds the ball to begin a period or in a jump ball situation. post position:     the position of a player standing in the low post or high post. quadruple double:     a triple double with double-digits scored in 4 categories. rebound:     when a player grabs a ball that is coming off the rim or backboard after a shot attempt; see offensive rebound and defensive rebound. receiver:     the player who receives a pass from the ball handler. regulation game:     four 12-minute quarters in the NBA or two 20-minute halves in college; a game that ends without overtime periods. release:     the moment that the ball leaves a shooter's hands. rookie:     a player in his first NBA season. roster:     the list of players on a team. run:     occurs when one team scores several field goals in quick succession while its opponents score few or none. salary cap:     an annual dollar limit that a single team may pay all its players. scoring opportunity:     when a player gets open for a shot that is likely to score. screen or screener:     the offensive player who stands between a teammate and a defender to gives his teammate the chance to take an open shot. shot clock:     a clock that limits the time a team with the ball has to shoot it; 24 seconds in the NBA; in college, 35 seconds for men, 30 seconds for women. shooter:     a player who takes a shot at the basket. shooter's roll:     the ability to get even an inaccurate shot to bounce lightly off the rim and into the basket shooting range:     the distance from which a player is likely to make his shots. sidelines:     2 boundary lines that run the length of the court. sixth man:     the best substitute on a team; usually the first player to come off the bench to replace a starter. squaring up:     when a player's shoulders are facing the basket as he releases the ball for a shot; considered good shooting position. starting lineup:     the 5 starters who begin a game; usually a team's best players. substitute:     a player who comes into the game to replace a player on the court. swing man:     a player who can play both the guard and forward positions. team fouls:     each personal foul committed by a player is also counted against his team; when a team goes over the limit, its opponent is awarded free-throw opportunities. technical fouls or Ts:     procedural violations and misconduct that officials believe are detrimental to the game; penalized by a single free-throw opportunity to the non-offending team (2 free-throws and possession in college). 3-on-3:     a game played with only 3 players on the court for each team. 3-point play:     a 2-point field goal followed by a successful free-throw. 3-point shot:     a field goal worth 3 points because the shooter had both feet on the floor behind the 3-point line when he released the ball; also counts if one foot is behind the line while the other is in the air. throw-in:     the method by which a team with possession inbounds the ball. timeout:     when play is temporarily suspended by an official or at the request of a team to respond to an injured player or discuss strategy; there are full timeouts (100 or 60 seconds in NBA, 120 seconds in WNBA, 75 or 60 seconds in college) and 20-second timeouts (30 seconds in college). tip-off:     the initial jump ball that starts the game. transition:     the shift from offense to defense. traveling:     a floor violation when the ball handler takes too many steps without dribbling; also called walking. triple double:     when a player scores double-digits in 3 categories during one game (points, assists and rebounds are most common, but it can also be blocks or steals); a sign of great versatility. turnover:     when the offense loses possession through its own fault by passing the ball out of bounds or committing a floor violation. 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