Editing Basketball (section)

===Violations===
<!-- Please be careful not to include too much detail when editing this section; see talk page for more info. -->
{{Main|Violation (basketball)}}

The ball may be advanced toward the basket by being shot, passed between players, thrown, tapped, rolled or dribbled (bouncing the ball while running).

The ball must stay within the court; the last team to touch the ball before it travels [[out of bounds]] forfeits possession. The ball is out of bounds if it touches a boundary line, or touches any player or object that is out of bounds.

There are limits placed on the steps a player may take without dribbling, which commonly results in an infraction known as [[traveling (basketball)|traveling]]. Nor may a player stop their dribble and then resume dribbling. A dribble that touches both hands is considered stopping the dribble, giving this infraction the name [[double dribble]]. Within a dribble, the player cannot carry the ball by placing their hand on the bottom of the ball; doing so is known as [[Carrying (basketball)|carrying the ball]]. A team, once having established ball control in the front half of their court, may not return the ball to the backcourt and be the first to touch it. A violation of these rules results in loss of possession.

The ball may not be kicked, nor be struck with the fist. For the offense, a violation of these rules results in loss of possession; for the defense, most leagues reset the shot clock and the offensive team is given possession of the ball out of bounds.

There are limits imposed on the time taken before progressing the ball past halfway (8 seconds in FIBA and the NBA; 10 seconds in NCAA and high school for both sexes), before attempting a shot (24 seconds in FIBA, the NBA, and [[U Sports]] (Canadian universities) play for both sexes, and 30 seconds in NCAA play for both sexes), holding the ball while closely guarded (5 seconds), and remaining in the restricted area known as the free-throw lane, (or the "[[key (basketball)|key]]") (3 seconds). These rules are designed to promote more offense.

There are also limits on how players may [[block (basketball)|block]] an opponent's field goal attempt or help a teammate's field goal attempt. [[Goaltending]] is a defender's touching of a ball that is on a downward flight toward the basket, while the related violation of [[basket interference]] is the touching of a ball that is on the rim or above the basket, or by a player reaching through the basket from below. Goaltending and basket interference committed by a defender result in awarding the basket to the offense, while basket interference committed by an offensive player results in cancelling the basket if one is scored. The defense gains possession in all cases of goaltending or basket interference.