"Basketball offenses" - NYT Mini Crossword Answer

Answer

FOULS

5 letters

Clue Analysis

Clue: "Basketball offenses"
Position: 8 Across
Length: 5 letters
Answer: FOULS

What are Basketball Fouls?

In basketball, fouls are rule violations that result in penalties. The word "offenses" in the clue refers to infractions or violations of the rules, not offensive plays.

Personal Fouls:

• Illegal contact with opponent
• Blocking, charging, holding
• Pushing, hitting, tripping
• Illegal use of hands

Technical Fouls:

• Unsportsmanlike conduct
• Arguing with referees
• Delay of game
• Excessive timeouts

Types of Basketball Fouls

Shooting Foul

Illegal contact while a player is attempting a shot, resulting in free throws.

Flagrant Foul

Excessive or unnecessary contact, often resulting in ejection from the game.

Offensive Foul

Illegal contact initiated by the player with the ball, such as charging.

Defensive Foul

Illegal contact by a defender, often resulting in free throws or possession change.

Foul Consequences

Basketball fouls have various consequences depending on the type and situation:

Free Throws

Shooting fouls and fouls in the penalty situation result in free throw attempts.

Possession Change

Non-shooting fouls may result in the opposing team gaining possession of the ball.

Player Disqualification

Players are ejected after accumulating 6 fouls (NBA) or 5 fouls (college).

Team Penalties

Teams enter the penalty situation after accumulating a certain number of fouls per period.

Famous Foul Situations

Hack-a-Shaq Strategy

Intentionally fouling poor free-throw shooters to force them to the line instead of allowing easier shots.

And-One Plays

When a player is fouled while making a shot, earning both the basket and a free throw attempt.

Fouling to Stop Clock

Strategic fouling in the final minutes to stop the clock and force free throws instead of easy baskets.

Crossword Context

The clue uses "offenses" in the sense of violations or infractions, not offensive strategies. FOULS appears in sports-themed crosswords with various clues:

• "Court violations"

• "Referee calls"

• "Sports infractions"

• "Rule violations"

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