Part 1
The History of Basketball 篮球运动的历史

    Basketball. The world's greatest sport ever. But of course, it hasn't been around since the world began. No, somebody had to have invented it. And that somebody would be James Naismith.

    Born in Almonte, Ontario, Canada, this Canadian Gym Teacher and Physician would soon be the founder of basketball. It all started in December of 1891. Naismith was teaching in Springfield, Massachusetts and was asked by Luther H. Gulick, the Headmaster of the school for Christian Works to make a new sport. The main idea of the sport was mainly to be played inside when it was too cold to go outside. The new sport also had to keep athletes in their top conditions between the baseball and football season. Naismith began to work. The first game-ball was a soccer ball.

    The first baskets were peach baskets that Naismith cleverly thought of hanging on the wall. From there, the legacy of basketball began. Originally, there was 9 men to each team, but the objective was still the same; to pass the ball to other players on your team and put the ball in the opposing team's net, or basket back then. From there, basketball caught on like a wildfire.

    During 1885 highschools and colleges began to adopt the game, and by 1898, the first Pro League was founded. After the first game played, Naismith drafted 13 rules and regulations, but many more were yet to come. The hoops we know today were invented in 1906. They were steel, with a net hanging from it's rim.

    篮球作为世界上最伟大的运动之一，并不是凭空而来，它一定有自己的发明者。这个发明者，就是James Naismith。James 出生于加拿大的安大略，他曾是一个体育教师。在1891年他在马塞诸塞教授体育的时候，学校的校长让他为基督教的活动想出一种运动，而这种运动一定要在室内进行，因为室外很冷。这种运动，按照校长的要求，一定要使运动员保持棒球和足球比赛时的激情。于是，他就开始思考这项运动。经过思考，他想出了一种方法：在墙上挂网子，然后把球扔向这个用网子做的篮子里。从此，篮球得以产生。本来，每个队伍有9个队员，但是规则是：把球传向自己队伍的队员，然后设法投向对方的筐子里。从此，篮球就很快传播开来。1885年，高中和大学都开始采用这种运动方式，到1898年，第一个篮球联盟成立。第一次比赛后，James设计了13个比赛规则。篮球筐子的边缘框架是在1906年设计的，材料是钢。

    Dr. James Naismith is known world-wide as the inventor of basketball. He was born in 1861 in Ramsay township, near Almonte, Ontario, Canada. The concept of basketball was born from Naismith's school days in the area where he played a simple child's game known as duck-on-a-rock outside his one-room schoolhouse. The game involved attempting to knock a "duck" off the top of a large rock by tossing another rock at it. Naismith went on to attend McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

    James 作为世界闻名的篮球发明家，出生于1861年的Ramsay小镇，位于加拿大的安大略。他发明篮球的点子是来自他小时候玩的一种游戏，叫“duck-on-a-rock”。这种游戏就是用一块石头把另一块石头打掉。James 后来转去了魁北克的Montreal大学教授课程。

    James Naismith devised a set of thirteen rules of basketball:

1. The ball may be thrown in any direction with one or both hands.

2. The ball may be batted in any direction with one or both hands, but never with the fist.

3. A player cannot run with the ball. The player must throw it from the spot on which he catches it, allowance to be made for a man running at good speed.

4. The ball must be held in or between the hands. The arms or body must not be used for holding it.

5. No shouldering, holding, pushing, striking or tripping in any way of an opponent. The first infringement of this rule by any person shall count as a foul; the second shall disqualify him until the next goal is made or, if there was evident intent to injure the person, for the whole of the game. No substitution shall be allowed.

6. A foul is striking at the ball with the fist, violations of Rules 3 and 4 and such as described in Rule 5.

7. If either side make three consecutive fouls it shall count as a goal for the opponents (consecutive means without the opponents in the meantime making a foul).

8. Goal shall be made when the ball is thrown or batted from the ground into the basket and stays there, providing those defending the goal do not touch or disturb the goal. If the ball rests on the edge and the opponents move the basket, it shall count as a goal.

9. When the ball goes out of bounds, it shall be thrown into the field and played by the first person touching it. In case of dispute the umpire shall throw it straight into the field. The thrower-in is allowed five seconds. If he holds it longer, it shall go to the opponent. If any side persists in delaying the game, the umpire shall call a foul on them.

10. The umpire shall be judge of the men and shall note the fouls and notify the referee when three consecutive fouls have been made. He shall have the power to disqualify men according to Rule 5.

11. The referee shall be the judge of the ball and decide when it is in play in bounds, to which side it belongs, and shall keep the time. He shall decide when a goal has been made and keep account of the goals with any other duties that are usually performed by a referee.

12. The time shall be two 15-minute halves with five minutes' rest between.

13. The side making the most goals in that time shall be declared the winners.

篮球比赛基本规则：

30秒钟规则

---进攻球队在场上控球时必须在30秒钟内投篮出手(NBA比赛为24秒，全美大学体育联合会比赛中为35秒)。

10秒钟规则

---球队从后场控制球开始，必须在10秒钟内使球进入前场(对方的半场)。

5秒钟规则

---持球后，球员必须在5秒钟之内掷界外球出手。FIBA规则规定罚球也必须在5秒钟内出手(NBA规则中为10秒)。

3秒钟规则

---与对方发生身体接触而产生的犯规，比如与裁判发生争执等情况。

侵人犯规

---与对方发生身体接触而产生的犯规行为。

技术犯规

---队员或教练员因表现恶劣而被判犯规，比如与裁判发生争执等情况。

取消比赛资格的犯规

---球员做出的不体现运动员精神的犯规动作，比如打人。发生此类情况后，球员应立即被罚出场外。

队员5次犯规

---无论是侵人犯规，还是技术犯规，一名球员犯规共5次(NBA规定为6次)必须离开球场，不得再进行比赛。

违例

---既不属于侵人犯规，也不属于技术犯规的违反规则的行为。主要的违例行为是：非法运球；带球走；3秒违例；使球出界。

队员出界

---球员带球或球本身触及界线或蚧线以外区域，即属球出界。在球触线或线外区域之前，球在空中不算出界。 

干扰球

---投篮的球向篮下落时，双方队员都不得触球。当球在球篮里的时候，防守队员不得触球。

被紧密盯防的选手

---被防守队员紧密盯防的球员必须在5秒钟之内传球，运球或投篮，否则其队将失去控球权(NBA规则中无此规定)。

球回后场

---球队如已将球从后场移至前场，该球队球员便不能再将球移过中线，运回后场。

Part 2
History of ABA and NBA     ABA和NBA的历史

    The ABA, a former professional basketball league, lived for nine seasons (1967-1976). At the time of its inception, the NBA only had 10 teams. NBA expansion was needed but, due to enormous financial demands, wasn't happening. So, the ABA was formed.

    The ABA had major style. The basketball was wild, with patriotic red white and blue colors, as thought of by George Mikan, the first ABA commissioner. The players were wild as well, showcasing cool moves, fashionable (often ridiculously so) clothes and a bad attitude (in a good way). Many NBA stars first played in the ABA - Julius Erving, Moses Malone, Connie Hawkins, Artis Gilmore, George Gervin and Dan Issel, to name an impressive handful.

    Other ABA stars were: Rick Barry, Spencer Haywood, Bobby Jones, Maurice Lucas, Billy Cunningham and Steve Jones. The ABA coaches list includes such stars as Larry Brown, Hubie Brown, K.C. Jones, Lou Carnesecca, Al Bianchi and Doug Moe.

    The ABA brought cool nicknames: Bad News. Slick. Dr. J. The Iceman. Fatty. The American Basketball Association had all the flair everyone wanted the NBA to have. ABA games were more wild. Lots of running. Fast breaks everywhere. The ABA had runners and gunners - guys would fly up and down the court, attacking the basket one minute and firing 3-pointers the next (yes, the ABA had the 3-point basket while the NBA did not). The 3-point line tended to force defenders to step out and guard respectable outside shooters, opening up the lane for drives.

    The NBA only had the two-point shot, so defenses tended to huddle closer to the basket, encouraging outside shots and not allowing as much to develop close to the basket. Also, there was no fouling out in the ABA. So, while NBA stars would sometimes be forced to sit down due to foul trouble, ABA stars were on the court as much as their bodies and coaches would allow.

    ABA basketball was fun basketball.

    The NBA, however, had all the money. And therefore, it could advertise, bringing fans and media coverage. The ABA lacked funds, and therefore lacked the means to draw fans and receive the attention it deserved.

    The ABA was definitely not as good as the NBA when it was first created. Occasional ABA vs. NBA games were played, and NBA teams dominated. Over time, the quality of the ABA talent pool increased dramatically. While it's no longer a big deal for current NBA teams to draft high school players, NBA teams never did that years ago. ABA teams did, and therefore got the jump on a lot of talent that would have gone to the NBA if given the choice. In the later years of the ABA, ABA teams usually beat NBA teams in inter-league competition.

    Despite the rise in quality of the American Basketball Association teams as time went on, the NBA still had all the fame and fortune. The ABA was struggling. The league managed to prove itself in many ways - competitive, exciting games, and top notch basketball stars, but it was unable to prove itself as a business. The logical solution - merge with the NBA.

    The ABA - NBA merger took place in 1976, with four successful ABA teams - the San Antonio Spurs, New York Nets, Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers - joining the NBA. The rest of the ABA shut down for good.

    Almost half of the players in the first NBA All-Star game after the merger were former ABA players.

    ABA， 以前的专业篮球队，有九年的历史。在创建初期，只有十个队伍。NBA的扩张虽然是有必要的，但是由于当时的巨大财政短缺，没有成立，所以，只成立了ABA。

    NBA是National Basketball Association的缩写（国家篮球协会）。成立于1946年6月6日。成立时叫BAA，即全美篮协会（Basketball Association of America），是由十一家冰球馆和体育馆的老板为了让体育馆在冰球比赛以外的时间，不至于闲置而共同发起成立的。BAA 成立时共11支球队：纽约尼克斯队、波士顿凯尔特人队、华盛顿国会队、芝加哥牡鹿队、克利夫兰叛逆者队、底特律猎鹰队、费城武士队、匹兹保铁人队、普罗维登斯蒸气队、圣路易斯轰炸机队和多伦多爱斯基摩人队。1949年BAA吞并了当时的另外一个联盟（NBL），并改名为NBA 。1949-50赛季，NBA共17支球队。1976年NBA吞并了美国篮球协会（ABA），球队增加到22支。

    1980年达拉斯小牛队加入NBA。1988年，夏洛特黄蜂队和迈阿密热火队加入NBA。1990年奥兰多魔术队和明尼苏达森林狼队加入NBA。1995年两支加拿大球队加入NBA，多伦多猛龙队和温哥华灰熊队，使NBA的球队达到29支。

Part3
News on NBA     NBA新闻

BUCKS WIN NBA DRAFT LOTTERY

    Ticker reports: Milwaukee Bucks general manager Larry Harris could hardly control himself.

    Harris was filled with nervous excitement Tuesday night after the Bucks bucked the odds and won the NBA draft lottery - and the top overall pick in the draft - at NBA Entertainment Studios.

    The Bucks went 30-52 this season and had a 6.3 percent chance of winning the lottery, a probability surpassed by five teams. However, the ping-pong balls bounced their way for the first time in 11 years.

    Ticker reports: The Bucks won over the league-worst Atlanta Hawks (13-69), who had a 25 percent chance of winning but will have the second pick, and the Portland Trail Blazers (27-55), who also crashed into the top three. It is the 13th time in 15 years that the team with the worst record has not received the top pick. Upon being interviewed by ESPN, Harris' hands were visibly shaking as he displayed a pair of good luck charms contributed by Bucks' fans - a fishing lure and a woman's wrist band. "I'm really nervous because I didn't expect to win," he said.

    Ticker reports: The Trail Blazers had the NBA's fifth-worst record but could get well in a hurry. In addition to the third pick, they have a nucleus of good young players led by power forward Zach Randolph and nearly $40 million coming off their salary cap. "There's certainly going to be a good player there (at No. 3)," Blazers president Steve Patterson said. "This gives us a lot of flexibility." Bumped out of the top three were the New Orleans Hornets (18-64), who will pick fourth, and the Charlotte Bobcats (18-64), who will select fifth. The rest of the lottery order is Utah (26-56), Toronto (33-49), New York (33-49), Golden State (34-48), the Los Angeles Lakers (34-48), Orlando (36-46), the Los Angeles Clippers (37-45), Charlotte from Cleveland (42-40) and Minnesota (44-38).

    The AP reports: Atlanta, which won a league-low 13 games and had the best chance of securing the No. 1 pick, will instead have the second choice. ``Now we have a clear picture of where we're going and what we're going to do,'' Hawks general manager Billy Knight said. ``We're comfortable with it. There is only one guess. They are only picking one name ahead of ours. They're going to do whatever they're going to do.'' Portland made the other big move in the lottery, jumping from No. 5 to third.

    The AP reports: The big losers were New Orleans, Charlotte and Utah, which all dropped two spots in the order. The Hornets had the second best chance to win the lottery but they slipped to No. 4. The Bobcats, who also had the rights to Cleveland's pick in the lottery, went from No. 3 to No. 5. Utah, which had the fourth worst record, fell to No. 6.

    The Ap reports: The lottery had its lighter moments. Buss broke up the nationally televised show when asked about the good-luck rock that Jackson gave her. ``It wasn't the rock I was looking for,'' she quipped before the results were announced.

ORLANDO MAGIC HIRE BRIAN HILL AS COACH

    The AP reports: The Orlando Magic reached back to their successful past Tuesday and hired Brian Hill as their new coach. Hill, an assistant with the New Jersey Nets the last two seasons, took the Magic to their only NBA Finals appearance in 1995. In three-plus seasons with Orlando, he won a franchise-leading 191 games against 104 losses, and his .647 winning percentage also is the best in team history. Introduced at a news conference to the ``Welcome Back, Kotter'' theme song, the 57-year-old Hill said he often thought of returning to Orlando despite an ugly parting in 1997. ``It's always kind of been in the back of my heart to get back to the Magic organization,'' said Hill, an assistant here for three years before being promoted to head coach. ``When you have something good and you leave it, and then you have substitutes, things to compare it to, you realize, 'That thing was pretty darn good.'''

MIAMI-MEMPHIS PRESEASON GAME IN PUERTO RICO

    Ticker reports: The NBA will return to Puerto Rico for the first time in two years when the Miami Heat face the Memphis Grizzlies on October 14 in San Juan, the league announced Tuesday. It will be the 22nd game organized by the NBA in Latin America since 1992 and the fifth preseason game held in Puerto Rico. "The 2005 Puerto Rico game is another example of the league's commitment to reaching fans around the world and serving the Latin America market," said Arturo Nunez, who is the vice president and managing director of the NBA Latin America and U.S. Hispanic. "We will continue reaching out to fans while increasing awareness and participation in the sport of basketball in Puerto Rico and throughout Latin America."

Part 4
Glossary of Basketball Terms 篮球词汇

Assist: A pass that immediately precedes and sets up a scored basket.
助杀，助攻。在篮球赛或冰球比赛中传球以使同队伙伴进球得分。

Backboard: The rectangular or fan-shaped board behind the basket.
篮板抬高的用于投篮的垂直板。

Backcourt: The half of the court that is opposite a team's offensive basket; the court a team is attempting to defend.
后半场，球队防守场地的一半。

Bounce pass: A pass that strikes the floor before it reaches the receiver.
反跳传球。

Carrying the ball: Also called "palming"; a violation committed by a dribbler that involves placing the dribbling hand under the ball and momentarily holding or carrying it while dribbling.
带球。

Center: Also called the "pivot player",  an offensive position typically played by a tall player who plays mainly in the key areas (at the post).
中锋。在一些团体运动项目中，如足球和篮球，占据场地或前锋线上中间位置的运动员。

Chest pass: A two-handed pass thrown from the passer's chest in a straight line to the chest area of the receiver.
直接向对方胸部传发的球。

Controlling the boards: Securing a majority of the rebounds.
保证大部分的回弹。

Conversion: A made basket or free throw.
(篮球)罚球得分。

Crossover dribble: A dribble in which the ball is moved from one hand to the other while the dribbler changes directions.
在球手带球的时候，球从一个手到另一个手的来回传动。

Cut: A quick movement by an offensive player to elude an opponent or to receive the ball.
削球击（球）使其向反方向旋转。

Dead ball: Occurs whenever the whistle blows to stop play and after a field goal, but before the opponent gains possession of the ball.
在一方打出球，而另一方没有接住球之前，被口哨停止。

Defense: The team not in possession of the ball whose objective is to keep the opponent from scoring; also a specific pattern of play used by a defending team.
防守队员，试图阻止对方进球的球队或球队队员们。

Dribble: Process by which a player repeatedly bounces the ball off the floor so that it returns to his/her possession. It's the only legal means by which a player may move the ball across the court.
运球，不断地轻拍或踢从而使球或球状物移动

Drive: A quick dribble directly to the basket in an effort to score.
带球直接通过。

Elbow: Also called the "junction"; a term often used to indicate the area of the court where the free-throw line and side of the key meet.
指球场的一部分，在自由投球线和边界之间的地域。

Forward: An offensive position played to the sides of the basket near the key area and out toward the sideline along the baseline.
向前运行，因正常用途而向指定方向或顺序运动。

Foul: A violation resulting from illegal contact with an opposing player.
违反规则的动作。

Free throw: An unguarded shot taken from behind the free-throw line after a foul. If successful, the shot counts one point.
在自由投球区的后方投球，如果成功，还会多得一分。

Free-throw lane: Also called the "key" or "lane"; a 12-foot wide area extending from the baseline to the free-throw line. Players may not be in this area during a free-throw attempt.
跑道，在比赛中表明竞赛者界线的一组平行路线，尤其是游泳或田径运动中。

Front court: The half of the court (divided by the center line) that contains the offensive team's basket; the offensive half of the court.
前场。

Full-court press: A defensive tactic in which a team guards the opponents closely the full length of the court.
全场护球。

Guard: An offensive position played primarily at the perimeter, or away from the basket.
在球篮下方进行防卫，不让对方进球成功。

Held ball: Formerly called a "jump ball". When two players on opposite teams are in joint control of the ball.
对方两个球员联合护球。

Intentional foul: A personal foul that the official judges to be premeditated.
故意犯规。

Jump ball: The procedure for starting play at the beginning of a game or an overtime period. The official tosses the ball into the air between the two opponents positioned at the center-court circle; the two players jump up and try to tap the ball to a teammate.
跳起，接球，传球的整个过程。

Jump shot: A shot that is released after the shooter has jumped into the air.
击球者在击球以后才进行的击球动作。

Key: Also called the "free-throw lane" or "lane"; the area measuring 12 feet in width and extending from the free-throw line to the end line.
罚球区。球场两边的一区，位于底线和罚球线之间，包括罚球线上的跑球圈。

Layup: A shot taken close to the basket that is usually banked off the backboard towards the basket.
在球篮附近所进行的击球。

Offense: The team that has possession of the basketball. Also, a structured pattern of play that a team uses while attempting to score.
控制球的一方。

Overhead pass: A two-handed pass thrown from above the forehead.
过头传球。

Overtime: An extra period played to break a tie score at the end of a regulation game.
延长时间，加在固定比赛时间之后的比赛时间。

Pass: An intentional throw to a teammate.
传球。

Pivot: A footwork technique in which a player keeps one foot in contact with a "spot" on the floor while moving the other foot to adjust the position of the body or to evade a defensive player.
转动，旋转运动。在枢轴上或似乎在枢轴上转动的行为。

Point guard: An offensive position played by a guard who usually brings the ball up the court and initiates the offense.
在球场的某一点开始传球，来确保发球的成功。

Post: An offensive position played close to the basket along the key.
跑道上的起点。

Press: An aggressive defense that attempts to force the opponents to make errors by guarding them closely from either half court, three-quarter court or full court.
紧迫盯人。

Rebound: The act of gaining possession of the ball after a missed shot.
抢得篮板球，在球没有入篮而是从篮板或篮框弹出来之后重新获得球的控制权。

Scrimmage: An unofficial game between two teams, or five-on-five play between team members in a practice situation.
练习赛，一场练习课或非正式比赛，如在同一队的两个组间进行。

Three-point field goal: A made basket from a distance greater than 19 feet and nine inches during a high school or college game.
在一些大学或者高中里，大于一般球场的篮球场地。