Basketball is a sport that can see momentum change on any one single play or official's call. In order to keep momentum on your team's side or take it away from your opponent, it is best to have working knowledge of the rules of the game and to have an idea of what calls officials will make at key moments in the game.
Foul Calls
In many cases, foul calls are fairly clear. No player on the court may initiate physical contact with another. The offensive players usually have an advantage over the defensive players because they know where they are going while the defensive players must react to that movement. The player with the ball will try to get open or work the ball to an open player to create a shooting opportunity. No defensive player may make contact with the shooter's arms, head or upper body. If that happens during the shooting process, the shooter will be awarded free throws. If a player makes the shot he is taking from the field, he will get one free throw. If he misses a shot, he will get two shots if his shot came from inside the 3-point arc and three shots if it came from outside that marking on the court. If a team commits five fouls in a quarter at the professional level, the opponent will shoot free throws whether the foul called was a shooting foul or not. If an offensive player commits a foul, the defensive team will be awarded possession of the ball.
Violations
Referees will also make calls on rule violations throughout the game. A player cannot move with the ball without dribbling. That will result in a traveling call and possession for the opponent. Other violations include double-dribble, out of bounds, three-seconds in the lane, 24-seconds without a shot, over-and-back and a moving screen. All offensive violations result in possession for the defensive team while defensive violations result in a new possession for the offensive team.
Technical Fouls
The referees may award a technical foul if a player or a coach of one team argues vociferously about a call that was made. A player or coach may raise a question about a call and the official may choose to answer or not. After that, the conversation is supposed to cease. If players or coaches use abusive language or make physical contact with the official a technical foul call is made. Technical fouls can also be awarded for hanging on the rim after a dunk shot or entering the game improperly. Players are supposed to report in to the scoring bench and tell the scorer who they are going in for and wait for a stoppage in play before they are waved into the game by the official. If a player just goes straight from the bench to the court, that is an illegal entry and the referee can award a free throw to the opponent.
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