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| Cager |
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A basketball player; derived from the days when a wire mesh barrier surrounded the court to protect the fans from the players and vice versa.
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| Carry the Ball |
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To move with the ball without dribbling properly. See traveling.
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| Catch-and-Shoot |
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A play in which a player receives a pass and shoots it immediately without squaring up so that the defender cannot react in time. Used by teams with great perimeter shooters, such as the Indiana Pacers, who design a lot of these kinds of plays around Reggie Miller.
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| Center |
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A player who is generally in the center of the offense, usually the tallest player on a team, who takes the tip-off and is usually stationed in a post position on offense.
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| Center Circle |
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A 12-foot circle in the center of the court with a 4-foot jumping circle in its center, where a jump ball is held to start a period.
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| Center Line |
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A line midway between and parallel to the baselines that divides the court into halves. Also known as division line, midcourt line, ten-second line, and time line.
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| Center Official |
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When there are three referees working a game, the referee who is primarily responsible for action between the free throw line extended and the midcourt area marker. See also lead official; trail official.
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| Charging |
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An offensive foul committed when a player runs into a defender who has established position and is essentially motionless. If the defender hasn't established position, it is blocking, a defensive foul.
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| Chest Pass |
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A two-handed pass thrown from chest level.
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| Chucker |
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A player who never met a shot he didn't like.
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| Clear-Out |
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A play on which four offensive players position themselves on one side of the free throw line, thus clearing out the other side so the fifth player can go one-on-one against a defender.
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| Coast to Coast |
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The entire length of the court; used of a player's movement or a pass. E.g., "He took the rebound and went coast to coast for a lay-up at the other end."
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| Collapsing Defense |
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A defense, often some kind of zone, in which defenders converge on the opposing center whenever the ball is passed to him.
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| Collective Bargaining Agreement |
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The agreement between the NBA and the Players Association that governs all terms and conditions of employment of NBA players by NBA teams.
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| Corner |
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An area near the intersection of baseline and sideline.
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| Court |
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The playing area for a game of basketball, which varies in size, depending on the level of play. College and National Basketball Association courts are 94 feet long by 50 feet wide. The court used in international play is 91 feet, 10 inches, by 49 feet, 2 ¼ inches. The court is bounded by baselines and sidelines and is divided in half by a center line.
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| Court Vision |
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A player's ability to see everything on the court during play ‹ such as where his teammates and defenders are set up ‹ which enables him to make better choices in passing; a highly desirable quality in a point guard.
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| Cripple |
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A very easy shot, typically a lay-up with no defenders nearby.
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| Crossover Dribble |
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When a ball handler dribbles the ball across his body from one hand to the other. Also called "rocking the baby."
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| Cut |
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A quick change in direction, to elude a defender or find an open area on the floor. As a verb, to make a cut.
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| Cylinder |
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An area above the basket, outlined by the projection of the rim into space, where the ball cannot be touched by any player. See goaltending.
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