What Is the Paint in Basketball? The Definitive Guide
If you play basketball long enough, there are things you will inevitably hear. Some of these things include “and one!”, “Keep shooting!” and “go hard in the paint!”
But what exactly is the paint in basketball?
The paint is the rectangular area under the basket that stretches from the baseline to the free-throw line, which is connected by two lane lines. Each lane line has hash marks to show players where to stand during free throws. The paint is often a different color than the rest of the basketball court.
The paint is central to many basketball rules and is a huge part of how the game operates. Your favorite team might even run its offense through the paint. If you would like to learn more about the paint in basketball and why it’s so important, continue reading below!
The 3-Second Rule, Fouls, and Violations
The paint is home to several rules that govern player positioning. There are three rules/violations to watch for in the paint: the three-second rule, lane violations, and fouls in the restricted zone.
The three-second rule (also called “3-in-the-key”) prevents players from staying in the paint for extended periods of time. The rule allows players to have both feet in the paint for up to three seconds.
The three-second count resets whenever the player moves both feet out of the paint. In all basketball leagues, offensive players are subject to the three-second rule. The penalty for violating this rule is a loss of possession.
In the National Basketball Association (NBA), there is also a defensive three-second rule. The penalty for defensive 3-in-the-key is a free throw for the offensive team, who keeps possession after the free throw.
Basketball leagues introduced the three-second rule in 1936. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) did this in response to the overwhelming play of Kentucky Wildcats center Leroy Edwards.
According to a letter from his college head coach, Edwards was “deadly” under the basket and teams resorted to violent fouls and clogging the paint in an attempt to stop Edwards.
Edwards played just one college season, winning the National Player of the Year award, and outscoring eight of the 21 opponents that Kentucky faced.
The lane violation rule also applies during foul shots, as part of the benefit of shooting a free throw is the ability to take an unguarded shot for a chance at one point.
Entering the paint before the ball leaves the shooter’s hands results in a lane violation. When an offensive player commits a lane violation, they negate the free throw, and it may not be re-shot.
This means that your made free throw can be nullified if your teammate steps in the lane too early. When a defender commits a lane violation, the shooting team may re-attempt the free throw, if missed, or decline the penalty, if the shooter makes their free throw.
Last but not least, the restricted zone is a semicircle under the goal. This area is important because it protects offensive players driving to the basket.
A restricted zone violation occurs when a defensive player attempts to draw a charging foul while standing in the semicircle. This violation results in a personal foul on the defensive player – even if they’re standing with their feet planted to take a charge.
Dimensions of the Paint in Basketball
The paint is a rectangle that stretches from the baseline, underneath the basket, to the free-throw line. Universally, the free-throw line is 15’ from the backboard and 18’ 10” from the baseline.
For college and high school competitions, the paint is 12’ wide, matching the length of the free-throw line. Under the NBA and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) rules, the paint is 16’ wide, extending 2’ past the free-throw line on both sides.
The free throw circle is 12’ in diameter. The restricted zone arc is 4’ in diameter and is located under the basket.
In 1951, the paint in basketball was widened from 6’ to 12’ in an attempt to limit George Mikan’s dominance. In turn, Mikan had to stay further from the basket to avoid three-second violations.
In 1964, the NBA elected to widen its lane again, this time to 16’, due to Wilt Chamberlain’s dominance (Chamberlain was just two years removed from averaging 50.4 points and 25.7 rebounds per basketball game).
The NBA introduced the restricted arc in 1997.
FIBA was the last governing body to make changes to the lane. Until 2010, each international basketball court had a trapezoidal painted area – with the paint widening as you approach the baseline. FIBA courts now have the same painted area as the NBA.
The final important aspect of the painted area is the hash marks along each lane line. These marks are set 3’ apart from one another and players stand beside them during free throw attempts.
Usually, the defensive team’s best players stand on the hash marks closest to the goal, with offensive players standing on the marks next-closest to the goal.
The mark closest to the goal is called the “low block.” It takes this name because, on many courts, this mark is painted in the shape of a small rectangle. The low block is the closest a player can stand to the goal during a free throw.
What Is the Post in Basketball?
The post is a section of the paint where players can “post up.” Posting up occurs when an offensive player positions himself with his back to the basket, with his defender behind him.
Posting up involves players using their bodies as barriers to their defenders, thus creating space to catch passes. The post is split up into two parts: low post and high post.
The low post is a portion of the paint in basketball near the low block. This area is close enough for players to take close-range/high percentage shots – usually a hook, up-and-under, or dunk attempt.
The high post is the general area between the highest hash mark and the free-throw line. The high post is a useful spot for setting screens, taking jump shots, or passing/handing off the ball to an open teammate.
When you hear the term “post player,” it’s usually in reference to a center or power forward. The post is advantageous for bigger players. In the low post, a tall player can use their size to get as close to the rim as possible when they shoot.
In the high post, taller players can either shoot over shorter defenders or scour the basketball court for good passing opportunities.
Kevin McHale and Hakeem Olajuwon are among the most skilled post players in basketball history. Both McHale and Olajuwon used a variety of shoulder fakes, head fakes, spins, and pivot moves to create shots in the high and low post.
While frontcourt players are more likely to use the post, guards who are big or athletic enough are effective in the post as well. Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant could post up outside of the paint and take turnaround, fadeaway jump shots.
They were so explosive that during these shots they could create enough space in the air to get a good look at the goal. In today’s basketball game, Russell Westbrook is a guard who likes to post up.
Westbrook is one of the most athletic players in basketball history, so he can use similar moves to Jordan and Bryant to create shots from the post.
What Is the Key in Basketball?
While used interchangeably with the “paint” or “lane,” the key differs slightly from the other terms. The key is the area that includes the painted rectangle and a circle around the free-throw line.
Now you might be wondering – where did the name “key” come from? Originally, the distance between the lane lines (the lines that connect the baseline to the free-throw line) was shorter than the free throw circle’s diameter.
With the paint being narrower than the circle, the ensuing shape matched that of a key.
In 1951, new rules widened the lane from 6’ to 12’. This matched the width of the circle. While the “key” is no longer shaped like a key, the name has stuck. If you watch basketball on TV, you’ll hear coaches and broadcasters routinely use the term “key. ”
What Is a Free Throw?
A free throw, also known as a foul shot, is an unguarded shot awarded to an offensive player after a foul. Free throws are taken from the foul line, which is parallel to the baseline and located at the end of the paint.
On a standard basketball court, the foul line is 18′ 10″ from the baseline and 15′ from the backboard.
During a trip to the free-throw line, a player can take one, two, or three foul shots. The number of free-throw attempts depends on the foul:
1 Free Throw: Awarded on a shooting foul during a field goal attempt that the shooter makes. The offense may also receive one foul shot if the opposing team commits a defensive non-shooting foul while in the single bonus. In the NBA, a defensive three-second violation also results in one free throw for the offense.
2 Free Throws: Awarded on a shooting foul during a two-point field goal attempt that is missed. The offense may also receive two foul shots if the opposing team commits a technical foul, flagrant foul, or a defensive non-shooting foul while in the double-bonus.
3 Free Throws: Awarded on a shooting foul during a three-point field goal attempt that the shooter misses.
The free-throw line covers the diameter of the free-throw circle and is for jump balls to determine possession after a held ball situation.
Importance of Owning the Paint
The paint is vital in basketball. Teams create gameplans around it, players master moves in it, and basketball rules govern what happens in it.
Even with the three-point shot rising in popularity and low post scorers becoming less common, the paint will always be important in basketball.
Your team must own the paint to win rebounding battles and prevent open layups. If you can consistently win the paint, you’ll consistently win games.
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In The Paint Basketball
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Table of Contents
The Paint
How Big Is the Paint in Basketball?
History and Rules
Gameplay
FAQ
The Paint
The paint in basketball is a rectangular area on the court extending from the foul line to the baseline with perpendicular lane lines enclosing the shape. It is also known as the “foul lane'' or “the key,” for short.
The paint gets its name from the shading done on courts to denote its shape. Attached to the paint are the blocks where players line up for free throws. The low blocks are a common spot for players to post up.
Different leagues have slightly different shapes and markings for the paint. The NBA and FIBA have a restricted area within the paint, but the NCAA does not. This arc denotes where a player is unable to draw a charge from. There is also a dotted semicircle within the paint for leagues that do not use alternating possessions, like the NBA.
How Big Is the Paint in Basketball?
The size of the paint varies among basketball leagues. In the NBA and the WNBA, the paint is 16 feet wide and 19 feet long, with the foul line painted 15 feet from the backboard. In NCAA play, the paint is the same length, with the foul line in the same position, but it is narrower, at 12 feet wide.
History and Rules
In basketball, certain rules apply to the paint. Violating these rules can lead to a technical foul or turnover, depending on which team possesses the ball.
NBA Basketball Paint Violations
Unless actively guarding a player, defensive players are forbidden from standing inside the paint for more than three seconds. This deters having a player in a zone scheme who just stands underneath the basket. This violation results in a technical foul. Offensive players are also not allowed to stay in the paint for more than three seconds, and this infraction results in a turnover.
NCAA Basketball Paint Violations
In NCAA basketball, there is no defensive three-second violation. This allows teams to use a zone scheme on defense, which typically features a defender roaming the middle of the paint. However, there are still offensive three-second violations in NCAA basketball, with the same rules as the NBA.
FIBA Basketball Paint
Similar to NCAA basketball, FIBA basketball does not penalize defensive players for standing in the paint for more than three seconds. Consistent with most other leagues worldwide, FIBA rules state that an offensive player may not stand in the paint for more than three seconds.
Gameplay
Since players are more likely to make shots closer to the basket, a common statistic noted is points in the paint (PITP). The NBA also records an advanced statistic called paint touches, which averages a player’s number of possessions in the paint per game. Teams that can outscore their opponent inside typically have a better chance of winning the basketball game.
FAQ
What is the paint in basketball?
The paint itself is the rectangular colored area directly surrounding the basket. It has four hash marks extending from it for players to line up on during free throws. The paint’s width varies depending on the league; in the NBA, the lane is 16 feet, and in college, it is 12 feet.
What is the purpose of the paint in basketball?
The paint allows referees to more easily officiate the game by making a colored area where they can clearly enforce certain rules. The paint is also a reference for players to position themselves both on offense and defense. Plays are drawn up where players need to be in certain spots on the court, and the paint is an easy reference point.
What are the rules of being in the paint?
There are rules regarding how long a player can stand still in the paint. In the NBA, defensive and offensive players are only allowed to stay inside the paint for a maximum of three seconds before exiting the paint. However, players may exit and then immediately re-enter the paint as often as they want. An exception to this rule is that defensive players can stay as long as they want if they are within arm's length of an offensive player. In NCAA and high school basketball, only offensive players are prohibited from standing in the paint for more than three seconds. These rules are in place to deter players from standing in the paint for an entire possession and not moving around the court.
In basketball, what does it mean to “go hard in the paint”?
The phrase “going hard in the paint” is a common term in basketball, which is used to define a situation where a player is advancing aggressively towards the basket in an attempt to score, by necessity passing through the paint. In basketball, being “in the paint” refers to when a player positions themselves in the area of the court known as the paint, which is the shaded rectangular area surrounding the basket. The paint is also known as the lane, key, and free throw lane.
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How to play paintball and what is paintball
What is paintball
Many beginners who have never played paintball try to learn more about it before their first game. The information in this article will help you learn the theoretical foundations of the game. We hope that the information will be useful to you, and, going to the paintball club, you will feel more confident.
Paintball (English paintball [paintball] paint-paint, ball-ball) literally "a ball of paint"
Paintball game is an extreme game consisting of short game periods during which players from two teams shoot at each other with special pneumatic weapons (paintball markers).
Shots at enemy players are made with paintballs with paint (gelatin shell with water-soluble paint inside).
If the ball is successfully fired and hits the enemy, the shell of the ball breaks, leaving traces of paint on the player. Depending on the type of game and the agreements between the players, according to the rules, if there is paint on the player’s clothes or head, such a player is recognized as hit and leaves the playing field. In sports paintball, a player is considered hit if there is a trace of paint after hitting any part of the body or paintball marker. In other types of paintball, players can play according to the rules, according to which, the player is hit if there is paint in the body or head of the player.
Paintball equipment
To play paintball, you must wear special protective equipment. It is used both to protect against the power of the fired balls, and to protect against paint.
Professional paintball suit
Special paintball suits are used by professional players to protect against paint and impacts of balls hitting the player.
In paintball clubs, amateur players receive a light camouflage suit for rent. It allows you to play both in hot weather and in the cold season and is worn over the client's own clothes (including outerwear).
Clothing is of great importance, because how quickly and easily you will move around the field depends on how vulnerable you will be to the enemy. We advise you to choose sportswear appropriate for the season and the weather.
You also need to pay attention to the fact that during an active game you have to run a lot, jump, which invariably leads to increased sweating. It is desirable that clothing has good regulation of air and moisture.
Paintball shoes are also important. It must match the weather conditions. If the game is played in a forest or on a dirt site, then first of all, it must be waterproof, not afraid of dirt. At the same time, it should be comfortable to run and jump. Players come to the paintball club with their shoes to play.
It's a good idea to bring a spare set of clothes and shoes to change into after the game, as your clothes are likely to get wet during the game, just like after a good workout in the gym.
Also in the paintball club, players receive gloves, head scarves, bandanas, protective vests for women and children.
PAINTBALL EQUIPMENT
As noted above, special paintball equipment is used to play paintball.
Paintball marker - the main weapon in paintball. It consists of the following main parts:
Marker
Barrel
Feeder (magazine or container containing paintballs)
Air cylinder (container containing compressed air-gas mixture).
Before the game, the technician fills the air cylinders of the markers with compressed air. Paintballs are loaded into the feeder, usually for one or more rounds. During the game, refueling with air and balloons is carried out.
Simplistically, the marker works as follows: when the trigger is pressed under the action of compressed air pressure, the ball is fired and it flies out of the barrel.
Paintballs consist of a shell based on edible gelatin and water-soluble paint. Even if the paint gets under the suit and stains the player's clothes, it can be easily washed off. In addition, the paint consists of natural ingredients and does not harm the environment or human health.
Paintball court
As a rule, paintball is played on the equipped territory, most often it is a paintball club. On its sites along the perimeter it should be closed with nets up to 3-5 meters high. The sites themselves can be of various types: in the open air and under the roof of various objects (buildings, hangars).
Sites may have natural shelters (if forest) and artificial shelters may be installed. These are inflatable or wooden structures.
WHICH NAME IS THE CORRECT GAME
Sometimes alternative names are used: paintball, pinball, paintball. If we are talking about the game, then these are just synonyms and they are all basically correct. Previously, such spelling as "paintball" was most often used. However, the name "paintball" is now widely used as an established name for an interesting and exciting sport, recreation and just entertainment.
WHAT TYPES OF PAINTBALL ARE THERE
There are the following variations of the game
Sports paintball (sport paintball)
Tactical paintball (tactical paintball)
Sports paintball is a professional sport. Teams consist of 5 players. Sites must meet certain requirements. Inflatable structures are used as shelters. There are restrictions on the parameters of the markers (the length of the barrel, the speed of the ball, etc. are determined). Regional, national and international tournaments and championships are held.
Tactical paintball - there are no restrictions on the markers used, the number of players in teams. This type of game can be played on various types of terrain. The use of pyrotechnics, paintball grenades, smoke devices, and even paintball artillery and real armored vehicles is allowed. Tactical paintball has big games and big paintball maneuvers. Hundreds and even thousands of players can take part in them.
Welcome to the MFP paintball club!
In our paintball club we are glad to see you in any weather, at any time of the day! If you are bored - come to us, our cheerful judges and staff will help you have a great time! If you do not have your own team, sign up and come, perhaps here you will find new friends and like-minded people to play and not only! We are waiting for you! Come to ours and you can play, celebrate an important event or just relax and have fun!
At all sites of the MFP paintball club you will always be met by attentive and caring staff who will make your stay enjoyable and unforgettable. We are glad to see you in any weather, at any time convenient for you.
CALL AND SIGN UP! Administrator phone +7 (495) 517-26-87
Book a game
How to play paintball for beginners: features of tactics
"You can see more fresh news about paintball and the GUARDIA club in our social networks. "
Written by Guards at . Posted on Blog
Paintball came to our country relatively recently, rapidly winning the hearts of new fans. The children's game of "war" has turned into a serious hobby for adults, giving an outlet to the accumulated energy and emotions, allowing you to get a good portion of adrenaline and excitement. This game has gained great popularity in corporate events. It involves organized team actions, has its own tactics and strategy. A good club can offer a variety of scenarios for the development of paramilitary events. Two teams usually take part in the fighting, with any number of players - the more, the more interesting. The minimum composition of each starts with six people - this is already considered a full-fledged team. How does the first day of a person who decides to play paintball begin? Arriving at the paint club, a beginner meets with an instructor who, before the game, begins instructing the teams participating in the upcoming battle. If you have arrived as a ready-made team, you will have to choose a captain who decides all organizational issues and directs the conduct of the battle. If you are alone, they will help you choose a team. Then you should definitely inspect the playground, assess the conditions, the location of the shelters.
An experienced instructor, briefly and most importantly quite intelligibly explains the rules of the upcoming game to beginners and experienced players. This is a prerequisite for the safety of participants.
The main thing that every newly arrived fighter must learn is the role of a judge. All commands and decisions of the referee are carried out quickly and unquestioningly. The referee decides who is hit, what to do with the neutral player, when to stop and restart the interrupted game. Helps to resolve all disputes. The basic rule of paint clubs around the world says: do not take off your mask on the field! This cannot be done if it is splashed with paint or fogged up and nothing is visible if the game is temporarily stopped. A gelatin ball, breaking on the face, can be harmful to health. It is forbidden to shoot outside the field, at a hit, neutral or blinded player, to make hard contact. For this threaten penalties, and even withdrawal from the game.
A player is considered to be hit if the colorful spot on the mask, parts of the body is more than a five-ruble coin, if he goes out of bounds, he declared himself hit, or he is presented with an out. Paintball - is not just a great weekend entertainment, it is a sports competition in which each participant can test their physical fitness, agility, speed in movement and quick reaction, accuracy in shooting. At the same time, it develops sociability, logic of thinking, the ability to coordinate actions, the ability to navigate the terrain. As in any battle, the strategy and tactics of combat play an important role, which should not be neglected and decided in advance. There are two basic tactics for conducting competitions - these are aggressive and defensive, rarely used in their pure form, they usually abruptly move from one stage to another. Taking into account that paintball is a team game in which the key to victory is cohesion and coordination of actions, it is important to distribute the roles of participants into attackers and defense before the battle begins. That allows you to take comfortable positions, cover and support each other.
The main mistakes of beginners
Beginners participating in such military-sports games for the first time usually cannot integrate into team activities, relying on themselves. They do not ask for help themselves and do not support their comrades with fire. Rushing to extremes, some are looking for a reliable shelter, wanting to hide from the enemy's balls, others "heroically" go on a frontal attack. At the same time, both of them run the risk of leaving the battle at the very beginning, since they become a good target. Not knowing how to coordinate their actions with the members of their team, on the first day they are often doomed to the role of a victim, since out of inexperience they are substituted almost constantly.
Some tips for beginners:
Never take off your mask on the battlefield if you are hot, the glass is fogged up or splashed with paint if the game is paused;
Before starting, try to study the scene of action in order to determine convenient hiding places for yourself and the enemy;
Be sure to review and study the marker. Take at least a few shots to test your accuracy, trajectory and speed of the ball;
Do not sit in one place for a long time, becoming a target for shooting;
Move frequently and chaotically from place to place, accompanying by shooting, so it seems that you are not alone, it is more difficult to aim at a running person;
Shoot often and a lot, since this is not a sniper rifle, then you need to shoot 3-4 balls - it is almost impossible to hit one;
Do not focus your eyes in one place, even if you see the enemy, look to the sides and behind, use peripheral vision;
Listen to the captain's commands, give information, ask for help.
This area is important because it protects offensive players driving to the basket.
In today’s basketball game, Russell Westbrook is a guard who likes to post up.
” 
It is also known as the “foul lane'' or “the key,” for short.
Violating these rules can lead to a technical foul or turnover, depending on which team possesses the ball. 
Consistent with most other leagues worldwide, FIBA rules state that an offensive player may not stand in the paint for more than three seconds. 
The paint is also a reference for players to position themselves both on offense and defense. Plays are drawn up where players need to be in certain spots on the court, and the paint is an easy reference point. 
In basketball, being “in the paint” refers to when a player positions themselves in the area of the court known as the paint, which is the shaded rectangular area surrounding the basket. The paint is also known as the lane, key, and free throw lane.
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Even if the paint gets under the suit and stains the player's clothes, it can be easily washed off. In addition, the paint consists of natural ingredients and does not harm the environment or human health. 
" 
If you have arrived as a ready-made team, you will have to choose a captain who decides all organizational issues and directs the conduct of the battle. If you are alone, they will help you choose a team. Then you should definitely inspect the playground, assess the conditions, the location of the shelters. 
A gelatin ball, breaking on the face, can be harmful to health. 
Taking into account that paintball is a team game in which the key to victory is cohesion and coordination of actions, it is important to distribute the roles of participants into attackers and defense before the battle begins. That allows you to take comfortable positions, cover and support each other. 
