y in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, as players such as Julius "Dr. J" Erving, Larry Bird , Magic Johnson , and Michael Jordan captured the public's imagination. The first disruption of play in league history occurred in the 1998-1999 season, when owners and players clashed over a number of issues, including league revenue and player salaries. The owners locked out the players, preventing them from reporting to training camps. In January 1999 the lockout ended, and an abbreviated season began in February.Basketball, is a fast-paced game played on a rectangular court by two teams of five players. The primary objective of the game is to score more points than the opposition by putting a round ball through a circular band, called a rim. The two rims are at each end of the court, placed 10 ft (3.1 m) above the ground and connected to a backboard, a rectangular board generally 4 by 6 ft (1.2 by 1.8 m). Most basketball courts measure 84 ft (25.6 m) long and 50 ft (15.2 m) wide. Professional courts are slightly larger. Other court dimensions vary, such as the distance of the 3-point line (from beyond which a score counts for 3 points) from the basket. The 3-point line in high school and college games is 19 ft 9 in (6 m) from the basket, while in international play it is 21 ft 6 in (6.6 m) and in the National Basketball Association (NBA) it extends as far as 23 ft 9 in (7.2 m). The rims, or baskets, are 18 in (45.7 cm) in diameter. A white, nylon-mesh net hangs from each basket. The standard basketball is generally orange or brown, with an outer cover of leather or nylon. In men's play, a basketball is 29.5 to 30 in (74.9 to 76.2 cm) in circumference. In women's play the basketball is slightly smaller, 28.5 to 29 in (72.4 to 73.7 cm) in circumference.A basketball team consists of five players-two guards, two forwards, and one center. The point guard must have exceptional ball-handling and passing skills. The shooting guard is generally a good ball...
