Understanding Basketball Positions
Sports
Dec 28, 2001, 21:13
By Kelly Reynolds Staff
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Basketball is a sport that is played with five persons on each team and has a primary objective of scoring more points than the opposing basketball team. Although every member on a basketball team must work together as one unit, each player must also focus on his specified basketball position. Each basketball team consists of a point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, and a center.
The most important offensive basketball position is the point guard. Usually the smallest person on the basketball team, the point guard calls both the offensive and defensive plays while on the basketball court. A point guard is also generally the best passer on the basketball team since it is his job to get the ball to his teammates so that they may score points.
Assisting the point guard on the basketball court is the shooting guard. Only averaging slightly taller in height than the point guard, the shooting guard helps the point guard up the floor if the team is being pressed. Generally, a shooting guard will also be called upon to shoot from the outside during the course of a basketball game.
In a basketball game the small forward must accept many roles. Usually the high scorer of the basketball game, the small forward must also be able to defend any forward or guard on the opposing team. As one of the highest jumpers and fastest players, the small forward must be able to play both close to the basketball hoop and on the perimeter at virtually the same time.
Devoting most of his time to rebounding and defense, the power forward focuses on the physical components of the basketball game. In order to excel at these duties, a power forward is required to spend much of his time as close to the basketball hoop as possible.
Usually played by the biggest person on the basketball team, the center is important to the offense and defense. Offensively, the center must be able to push his way to the basketball hoop in order to score or set the shot up for another player. Defensively, the center is responsible for setting the rhythm of the entire basketball team.
Basketball is one of the few sports that require the athletes to play both offensive and defensive roles at the same time. While the point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, and center all have specific roles that they must play offensively and defensively, the most important position any one person holds during a basketball game is being part of a team.
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