In basketball, the point of the game is to get the ball through the goal from various spots on the floor. To standardize the goal across the many arenas it plays in, the NBA has set standards and regulations for the basketball goals its players use during the game. These regulations have been generally adopted throughout the world as the standard for basketball goals.
Backboard
One of the most essential parts of the basketball goal is the backboard. Players use the backboard to "bank" their shots into the hoop from difficult angles.
A standard backboard in the NBA is made of transparent material, such as hard plastic. Backboards were, for a long time, made of glass, but as dunking became more common, backboards routinely broke, causing a safety hazard as well as significant delays in the game.
Standard backboards measure 6 feet wide by 3 1/2 feet tall and usually have some sort of padding along the bottom and sides to protect players as they jump. A white rectangle outline is painted above the rim to assist players in shooting and measures 24 inches wide by 18 inches tall.
Hoop
The hoop (or ring) is the actual piece of equipment that players try to shoot the ball through. It measures 18 inches wide, enough room for a standard-size basketball to fit exactly in the middle with exactly 1.625 inches on all sides. This allows for a small margin of error in shooting accuracy.
Basketball rings are now attached to the backboard using a spring-loaded base. This is another precaution put in place to prevent backboards from breaking, as the springs allow the rim to tilt downward several inches as the players grasp the ring during a dunk.
The hoop and backboard are positioned so the ring is exactly 10 feet off the ground.
Net
The net is an essential part of the basketball game that most people don't think much about. Without the net, the ball would normally pass straight through the ring without stopping. Not only would this make it more difficult to predict where the ball was going to land, thus causing unnecessary delays, but it would also give the new offensive team the opportunity to move the ball back up the floor before the defense was ready.
The net temporarily "checks" the ball as it passes through the ring, making it much easier to retrieve. Some playgrounds and outdoor courts feature a metal net, but NBA standards require a net made of nylon material.
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