There are two ways to score points in basketball:
The team with the most points at the end of a basketball game is the winner. In basketball, teams mostly score points with field goals.
In this tutorial, we will learn what a field goal is, how it is made, and how many points it's worth.
A field goal in basketball is worth two or three points and requires a player to shoot the ball into his team's basket. Field goals can be made from anywhere on the court as long as the ball-handler is inbounds.
The term field goal is much less common than just saying shot. This is the technical term used in the rulebook and is mostly used by statisticians and analysts.
A field goal worth two points is called a two-pointer. Any shot that a player makes from on or within the three-point line is a two-pointer.
A field goal worth three points is called a three-pointer. Any shot that a player makes from outside the three-point line is a three-pointer.
For a field goal to count three things must happen:
A player must remain inbounds when shooting a field goal. Both feet must stay inbounds and if either foot touches the boundary lines, it will result in a turnover and the other team will get the ball.
The shot clock keeps track of how long a team can have possession of the ball. In the NBA, the shot clock lasts 24 seconds. In college basketball, the shot clock lasts 30 seconds. The shot clock will reset after any successful field goal is made.
A statistic you should know as a basketball fan is a player's field goal percentage. This stat will tell you how successful a player has been in the past at shooting from both inside and beyond the three-point line. In both college basketball and the NBA, a good field goal percentage is anything above 50%.
