How Is Basketball Scored?
A Complete Guide to Points, Fouls, Shot Clock & FIBA vs NBA Rules
Last updated: March 1, 2026
Basketball is scored by putting the ball through the opponent's hoop. A free throw is worth 1 point, a field goal inside the three-point arc is worth 2 points, and a field goal from beyond the arc is worth 3 points. The team with the most points at the end of regulation (or overtime) wins. A standard FIBA game consists of 4 quarters x 10 minutes, while the NBA uses 4 quarters x 12 minutes. If the score is tied at the end of the 4th quarter, the game goes to 5-minute overtime periods until a winner is decided.
Basic Scoring: Free Throws, Two-Pointers & Three-Pointers
Every basket in basketball falls into one of three categories based on where the shooter was standing and the game situation:
Free Throw — 1 Point
A free throw is an uncontested shot taken from the free throw line (4.6 m / 15 ft from the backboard). Free throws are awarded after certain fouls. The shooter must release the ball within 5 seconds after the referee hands it to them. Other players line up along the lane and cannot enter the paint until the ball leaves the shooter's hand.
Two-Point Field Goal — 2 Points
Any field goal scored from inside the three-point arc counts as 2 points. This includes layups, dunks, hook shots, mid-range jumpers, and tip-ins. The shooter's feet must be completely inside (or on) the three-point line at the moment of release for the shot to count as a two-pointer.
Three-Point Field Goal — 3 Points
A shot made from beyond the three-point arc is worth 3 points. The shooter must have both feet completely behind the line at the moment of release. If the shooter's toe is touching the line, it counts as a two-pointer.
The And-One Scenario
If a player is fouled while making a successful shot, the basket counts AND the player receives one additional free throw (the "and-one"). If the shot is a two-pointer, the player scores 2 + 1 = 3 points. If the shot is a three-pointer, the player scores 3 + 1 = 4 points — the maximum possible from a single play.
Missed Shot + Foul
If a player is fouled while shooting and the shot misses, the player is awarded free throws equal to the value of the attempted shot: 2 free throws for a two-point attempt, 3 free throws for a three-point attempt.
Game Structure: Quarters, Halftime & Timeouts
A basketball game is divided into 4 quarters separated by breaks:
| Phase | FIBA | NBA |
|---|---|---|
| Quarter length | 10 minutes | 12 minutes |
| Break between Q1-Q2 | 2 minutes | 130 seconds |
| Halftime (Q2-Q3) | 15 minutes | 15 minutes |
| Break between Q3-Q4 | 2 minutes | 130 seconds |
Game Clock
The game clock counts down from the quarter length (10:00 or 12:00) to 0:00. The clock stops on every whistle — dead balls, fouls, out-of-bounds, timeouts, and free throws. This means a 40-minute FIBA game typically takes about 90 minutes of real time.
Timeouts
Timeouts are breaks requested by the coach to strategize, rest players, or stop the opponent's momentum.
FIBA rules: Each team gets 2 timeouts in the first half, 3 timeouts in the second half, and 1 timeout per overtime period. Each timeout lasts 60 seconds.
NBA rules: Each team gets 7 timeouts per game (no half-specific limits), with each timeout lasting 75 seconds. Additionally, there are mandatory TV timeouts at certain points in each quarter.
Possession Arrow
In FIBA, jump balls after the opening tip are replaced by alternating possession — the team that did not win the opening tip gets the next disputed ball, then it alternates. The possession arrow on the scorer's table shows which team gets the next alternating possession.
Shot Clock: The 24-Second Rule
The shot clock is a countdown timer that limits how long the offensive team can hold the ball before attempting a shot. It prevents stalling and forces teams to play actively.
Basic Rule
The offensive team has 24 seconds to attempt a shot that hits the rim (or goes in). If the shot clock expires before a shot hits the rim, the referee signals a shot clock violation and the ball is turned over to the defending team.
14-Second Reset
In certain situations, the shot clock resets to 14 seconds instead of the full 24:
- Offensive rebound: If the offensive team grabs a rebound off their own missed shot, the shot clock resets to 14 (not 24). This rule was introduced by FIBA in 2014 and adopted by the NBA in 2018.
- Defensive foul or violation in the backcourt: If the defense commits a foul and the offensive team retains possession with fewer than 14 seconds on the shot clock, it resets to 14.
Shot Clock Resets to 24
The shot clock fully resets to 24 seconds when:
- Possession changes (turnover, steal, made basket)
- The ball goes out of bounds off the defending team
- A foul is committed by the defending team (if more than 14 seconds remain)
- A jump ball situation occurs
Relationship to Game Clock
The shot clock is independent from the game clock but cannot exceed it. If the game clock shows 15 seconds remaining in the quarter and the shot clock would normally reset to 24, it instead matches the game clock at 15 seconds. The shot clock is turned off when there are fewer than 24 seconds left in any quarter or overtime period (FIBA) — the game clock itself acts as the shot clock.
Foul System: Personal, Team, Technical & Unsportsmanlike
Fouls are a fundamental part of basketball. The penalty system escalates based on the number of fouls accumulated by individual players and by the team as a whole.
Personal Fouls
A personal foul is called when a player makes illegal physical contact with an opponent — holding, pushing, charging, tripping, or illegal use of hands. Each player's personal fouls are tracked individually.
Disqualification threshold:
- FIBA: 5 personal fouls = disqualification (the player must leave the game permanently)
- NBA: 6 personal fouls = disqualification
Team Fouls & the Bonus
All personal fouls also count as team fouls for the quarter. When a team accumulates a certain number of fouls in a quarter, the opposing team enters the bonus (also called the "penalty situation").
FIBA: The bonus begins at 5 team fouls per quarter. From the 5th team foul onward, every foul (even non-shooting fouls) awards 2 free throws to the opponent.
NBA: The bonus begins at 5 team fouls per quarter (2 free throws). At 10 team fouls, the team enters the double bonus — but in practice, the NBA simplified this: from the 5th foul onward, the opponent shoots 2 free throws.
Technical Fouls
A technical foul is assessed for unsportsmanlike behavior that does not involve physical contact — arguing with officials, taunting, delay of game, or hanging on the rim. The opposing team receives 1 free throw (FIBA) or 1 free throw (NBA) plus possession of the ball. Two technical fouls result in automatic ejection.
Unsportsmanlike Foul (FIBA) / Flagrant Foul (NBA)
An unsportsmanlike foul (FIBA term) or flagrant foul (NBA term) is called for excessive or unnecessary contact — a hard foul with no legitimate attempt to play the ball. The penalty is 2 free throws + possession for the fouled team. Two unsportsmanlike fouls in one game result in automatic disqualification.
Overtime: When Regulation Isn't Enough
If the score is tied at the end of the 4th quarter, the game goes to overtime. There is no draw in basketball — overtime periods continue until one team has more points at the end of a period.
Overtime Format
| FIBA | NBA | |
|---|---|---|
| OT period length | 5 minutes | 5 minutes |
| Number of OT periods | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Break before OT | 2 minutes | 130 seconds |
Jump Ball
Each overtime period begins with a jump ball at center court (or alternating possession under FIBA rules, depending on the arrow).
Foul Reset
Team fouls are reset at the start of overtime. Each team begins overtime with 0 team fouls regardless of how many fouls they accumulated during regulation. However, personal fouls carry over — a player with 4 personal fouls in regulation still has 4 going into overtime and is one foul away from disqualification.
Timeouts in Overtime
FIBA: Each team receives 1 timeout per overtime period. Unused timeouts from regulation do NOT carry over. NBA: Each team receives 2 timeouts per overtime period.
Historic Overtimes
The longest NBA game in history was played on January 6, 1951 — Indianapolis Olympians vs. Rochester Royals — requiring 6 overtime periods (78 total minutes of play). Multiple-overtime games are rare but possible because the rule guarantees a winner.
FIBA vs NBA: Key Rule Differences
FIBA (International Basketball Federation) governs Olympic, World Cup, and most national-level basketball worldwide. The NBA has its own rulebook. While the core game is the same, several rules differ significantly:
| Rule | Fiba | Nba | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quarter Length | 10 minutes | 12 minutes | NBA games are 8 minutes longer in regulation (48 min vs 40 min), leading to higher scores on average. |
| Three-Point Line Distance | 6.75 m (22 ft 1.75 in) | 7.24 m (23 ft 9 in) at the top of the arc, 6.71 m (22 ft) in the corners | The NBA three-point line is further from the basket. Players transitioning between FIBA and NBA must adjust their shooting range. |
| Court Size | 28 m x 15 m (91.9 ft x 49.2 ft) | 28.65 m x 15.24 m (94 ft x 50 ft) | The NBA court is slightly larger. The difference is small but affects spacing and defensive schemes. |
| Personal Foul Limit | 5 fouls = disqualification | 6 fouls = disqualification | FIBA players foul out more quickly, making foul management more critical. Coaches must protect players with 3-4 fouls earlier. |
| Shot Clock Reset After Offensive Rebound | Resets to 14 seconds | Resets to 14 seconds (changed from 24 in 2018) | Both now use 14 seconds. This speeds up play after offensive rebounds and reduces second-chance stalling. |
| Goaltending / Basket Interference | Ball can be touched after hitting the rim (even if still above the cylinder). Once the ball touches the rim, it's live. | Ball cannot be touched while on or above the rim (the imaginary cylinder rule applies). Touching is basket interference. | A major difference. In FIBA, skilled players can tip the ball off the rim legally. In the NBA, the same play would be called basket interference and the basket disallowed (or awarded to the shooter). |
| Timeout Calling | Only the coach can call a timeout, and only during a dead ball | Players on the court can call a timeout during live play | NBA players can stop play to save a ball or avoid a violation. In FIBA, only coaches request timeouts during stoppages. |
Common Misconceptions About Basketball Scoring
"A dunk is worth more than a layup"
No. Both are two-point field goals. The visual spectacle of a dunk does not change its point value. A layup, a dunk, a hook shot, and a mid-range jumper all count as exactly 2 points if made inside the arc.
"The three-point line is the same everywhere"
No. The FIBA three-point line is at 6.75 m, while the NBA line is at 7.24 m from the center of the basket (and 6.71 m in the corners). College basketball (NCAA) uses 6.75 m (same as FIBA since 2019). High school basketball in the US uses 5.79 m (19 ft 9 in). The distance matters for shooting accuracy and strategy.
"You get 2 free throws for every foul"
Not automatically. Free throws are only awarded for shooting fouls (fouls committed against a player in the act of shooting) OR when the team is in the bonus. Non-shooting fouls before the bonus result in a throw-in (the fouled team gets the ball out of bounds), not free throws.
"Overtime always happens after a tie"
Only after regulation. If the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd quarter ends in a tie, the game simply continues to the next quarter. Overtime only occurs if the score is tied after the 4th quarter (or after a previous overtime period).
"The shot clock resets to 24 after every offensive rebound"
Not anymore. Since 2014 (FIBA) and 2018 (NBA), an offensive rebound resets the shot clock to 14 seconds, not 24. This rule change was designed to speed up the game and reduce stalling after offensive rebounds.
"A player fouled out of the game can return later"
No. Once a player reaches the foul limit (5 in FIBA, 6 in NBA), they are permanently disqualified from that game. They cannot return under any circumstances, even in overtime. A substitute takes their place.
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