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Text reads: The Mysteries of Life with Tim and Moby

A robot, Moby, is coaching the BrainPOP basketball team. A boy, Tim, is sitting on the bench and pleads with Moby to let him play.

TIM: Put me in, Coach. I, I, I got game.

MOBY: Beep.

Moby chooses a different player to get in the game.

TIM: C'mon, I haven't played all season.

Tim reads a typed letter that's posted on Coach Moby's clipboard.

TIM: Dear Tim and Moby, Can you give me some tips on how to play basketball? Thanks, Bethany.

Moby laughs.

TIM: I am qualified! I've watched plenty of games. Basketball is a team sport in which players score points by throwing a ball through the opposing team's basket, or hoop.

A player shoots the basketball into the basket while the opposing team's player tries to prevent him from making the shot.

TIM: With its fast-paced action and high-flying moves, it's one of the most popular sports in the world.

Images show two kids playing basketball, a professional player shooting a basket, and a crowd cheering at a game.

TIM: It all started back in 1891, in a gym in Springfield, Massachusetts. Dr. James Naismith, a physical education teacher, was looking for a way to keep his students active while they were stuck inside for the winter.

An image shows James Naismith.

TIM: So he nailed a peach basket to the wall, gave his students a soccer ball, and came up with the rules for a new game.

An image shows students playing the game Naismith created.

MOBY: Beep.

TIM: Yeah, there've been a few changes since then. For one thing, the game has developed its own special equipment and gear.

An image shows a basketball uniform, a sneaker, a regulation basketball, and a hoop with a net.

A referee blows his whistle at Tim.

TIM: Okay, okay, on to the rules. A typical game runs between forty and forty-eight minutes. Depending on the league and the level of play, it's broken into four quarters or two halves.

An image shows a BrainPOP scoreboard. The scores for the home team and the visitors light up on the scoreboard as well as the time remaining in the game.

TIM: But the clock stops during timeouts, fouls, and when the ball goes out of bounds, so a complete game can last two or three hours.

Images show a timeout, a player committing a foul, and a ball going out of bounds.

TIM: The playing surface is called a court. It usually has wooden floors, and a ten-foot-high basket at either end.

An image shows a basketball court and its measurements and a close-up image of the basket.

TIM: Five players from each team move back and forth, switching between offense and defense.

Animations show how the offense and defense teams move across the court.

MOBY: Beep?

TIM: The team with the ball is on offense; they try to put the ball through the other team's hoop.

An animation shows the offense team with the ball.

TIM: Meanwhile, the defense tries to prevent them from scoring.

An animation shows the defense team trying to block the offense.

TIM: If the offense scores, the other team gets the ball.

An animation shows the other team getting the ball.

MOBY: Beep.

An animation shows a player bouncing a basketball while she runs.

TIM: Right, that's called dribbling. The player with the ball can walk or run anywhere on the court, as long as she keeps bouncing the ball.

An animation shows the player crossing the court while continuing to bounce the ball.

TIM: The other way to move the ball is by passing, or throwing it to a teammate.

An animation shows a player throwing the ball to an android player. He catches it after it hits him on the head.

TIM: If a player gets close enough to the opponent's basket, she can try to score points by shooting the ball through the hoop.

An animation shows a player scoring a basket. Then, on the scoreboard, two points go to the Home team.

TIM: A shot made from any spot inside this arc gets two points.

Arrows indicate the arcs on each end of the court. These curved lines mark off the areas for scoring two points.

TIM: That's called the three-point line, because any shot made from behind that line is worth three points instead of two.

An image shows the three-point lines on each end of the court. An animation shows a player making a three-point shot. The scoreboard adds three points to the Home team’s score.

TIM: Defensively, a player can do a lot to prevent the other team from scoring. She can try to block a shot or steal the ball. Or she can try to disrupt the other team's rhythm, and its ability to take good shots.

Images illustrate the defensive plays Tim describes.

TIM: But if she's not careful, she might get called for a personal foul for illegal physical contact.

An animation shows a defense player touching the arm of the offense player, resulting in a foul being called.

TIM: The fouled player might be awarded free throws.

An animation shows a player making a free throw. Then the scoreboard adds one point to the Visitors team’s score.

TIM: In that case, the game stops as she takes one-point shots from the foul line.

An image shows where the foul lines are on the court.

A referee blows his whistle.

MOBY: Beep.

TIM: Be nice. The referees are there to make sure everyone plays by the rules. It's their job to call fouls, as well as other violations like traveling, double dribbling, goaltending, twenty-four second…

MOBY: Beep!

TIM: Sorry. Anyway, in addition to all these rules, the way the game is played has evolved over the years. Today's coaches draw up complex offensive plays and defensive formations.

An image shows a coach drawing plays and formations on a diagram of the court.

TIM: Players now have specific positions according to their sizes and skills. The tallest players fill the center and forward positions, while faster players who are better shooters and dribblers play the guard positions.

An image shows taller and shorter players and their positions.

TIM: And exciting plays like the alley-oop and slam dunk have become highlights of the modern game!

An animation shows two teammates completing an alley-oop play.

MOBY: Beep!

Moby waves pom poms.

TIM: You're not the only one with basketball fever. Shooting hoops is now as popular as playing baseball.

An image shows fans at a basketball game.

TIM: Fans crowd in front of televisions and pack into arenas to watch both pro and college games!

Side by side images show players and fans at a pro and a college game.

TIM: And even though basketball was invented in the United States, the sport has really gone global. Stars from places like Europe and Asia play in the NBA, and many countries now have their own professional leagues.

An image shows two National Basketball Association players who came from Europe.

Moby points to Tim.

TIM: Really? You're finally putting me in?

Tim carries cups of water for the team.

TIM: I demand to be traded.

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