50 Idioms for Basketball With Meanings & Sentences
Idioms for Basketball
1. Full-court press
Meaning: Intense pressure or effort applied in a situation.
In a Sentence: The manager put a full-court press on the team to meet the deadline.
Other Ways to Say: All-out effort, Maximum pressure.
2. Slam dunk
Meaning: To forcefully dunk the basketball through the hoop, usually with one hand.
In a Sentence: The crowd erupted with cheers as LeBron James executed a perfect slam dunk.
Other Ways to Say: Dunk, Jam.
3. Alley-oop
Meaning: A play where one player throws the ball near the basket and another jumps to catch and score.
In a Sentence: The alley-oop pass led to a spectacular finish above the rim.
Other Ways to Say: Lob play, Assist dunk.
4. Pick and roll
Meaning: An offensive play where one player sets a screen for a teammate handling the ball and then moves towards the basket.
In a Sentence: The pick and roll between Steph Curry and Draymond Green led to an easy basket for the Golden State Warriors.
Other Ways to Say: Screen and roll, Screen play.
5. In the paint
Meaning: Refers to the area near the basket on the court.
In a Sentence: The center dominated in the paint with aggressive moves.
Other Ways to Say: Inside, Key area.
6. Nothing but net
Meaning: A shot that goes into the basket without touching the rim or backboard.
In a Sentence: His three-pointer was nothing but net.
Other Ways to Say: Perfect shot, Clean swish.
7. Hoop dreams
Meaning: Dreams of becoming a successful basketball player.
In a Sentence: He practiced every day chasing his hoop dreams.
Other Ways to Say: Basketball ambition, NBA goal.
8. Fast break
Meaning: A quick transition from defense to offense.
In a Sentence: The team scored on a fast break after a turnover.
Other Ways to Say: Quick counter, Transition offense.
9. Sixth man
Meaning: A key substitute player who brings energy off the bench.
In a Sentence: Jordan Clarkson played the role of sixth man perfectly this season.
Other Ways to Say: Top substitute, Key reserve.
10. Buzzer beater
Meaning: A shot made just before the game or quarter ends.
In a Sentence: The crowd went wild after his stunning buzzer beater.
Other Ways to Say: Last-second shot, Game winner.
11. Triple-double
Meaning: A performance where a player reaches double digits in three statistical categories.
In a Sentence: Luka Dončić recorded a triple-double in last night’s win.
Other Ways to Say: All-around performance, Complete game.
12. Shot clock violation
Meaning: A rule violation when a team fails to attempt a shot in the allotted time.
In a Sentence: The possession ended in a shot clock violation due to strong defense.
Other Ways to Say: Time-out offense, Delayed play.
13. Full-court game
Meaning: A game played across the entire basketball court.
In a Sentence: We played a full-court game for better conditioning.
Other Ways to Say: Complete match, End-to-end play.
14. Hack-a-player
Meaning: A strategy of intentionally fouling a poor free-throw shooter.
In a Sentence: The coach used hack-a-player to disrupt their rhythm.
Other Ways to Say: Intentional foul, Disruption strategy.
15. Behind the arc
Meaning: Refers to shots taken beyond the three-point line.
In a Sentence: Curry hit six shots from behind the arc.
Other Ways to Say: Beyond the three, Long-range shot.
16. Dribble out the clock
Meaning: To maintain possession and use up the remaining game time.
In a Sentence: The team dribbled out the clock to seal the win.
Other Ways to Say: Kill the clock, Run down time.
17. Jump ball
Meaning: The method of starting the game or resolving possession disputes.
In a Sentence: The game began with a jump ball at center court.
Other Ways to Say: Tip-off, Opening play.
18. Bench warmer
Meaning: A player who spends most of the game sitting on the bench.
In a Sentence: He started as a bench warmer but worked his way into the lineup.
Other Ways to Say: Reserve player, Sub.
19. No-look pass
Meaning: A pass made without looking at the receiver.
In a Sentence: His no-look pass stunned the defense and wowed the crowd.
Other Ways to Say: Blind pass, Trick assist.
20. On fire
Meaning: Performing exceptionally well, especially when scoring continuously.
In a Sentence: The shooter was on fire, hitting five threes in a row.
Other Ways to Say: In the zone, Unstoppable.
21. Airball
Meaning: A shot that misses the rim, backboard, and net completely.
In a Sentence: The crowd jeered after the airball from the free throw line.
Other Ways to Say: Complete miss, Bad shot.
22. Box out
Meaning: To position oneself to grab a rebound.
In a Sentence: He boxed out perfectly and secured the rebound.
Other Ways to Say: Clear space, Rebound position.
23. Cut to the basket
Meaning: Move quickly toward the basket to receive a pass.
In a Sentence: The player cut to the basket and scored an easy layup.
Other Ways to Say: Drive in, Attack the rim.
24. Ice in the veins
Meaning: Showing calm under pressure.
In a Sentence: He had ice in his veins when he hit the game-winner.
Other Ways to Say: Cool under pressure, Fearless.
25. Take it to the hole
Meaning: Drive toward the basket aggressively.
In a Sentence: He took it to the hole and scored over the defender.
Other Ways to Say: Drive to the basket, Attack the rim.
26. Ball hog
Meaning: A player who rarely passes the ball and tries to take all the shots.
In a Sentence: Jake is such a ball hog that no one else got a chance to shoot during the game.
Other Ways to Say: Selfish player, Shot taker only.
27. On the rebound
Meaning: Recovering quickly after a missed opportunity or failure.
In a Sentence: After losing the tournament, the team was on the rebound with intense training sessions.
Other Ways to Say: Bouncing back, Regaining strength.
28. Give and go
Meaning: A play where a player passes the ball and immediately moves to receive it back.
In a Sentence: The give and go strategy caught the defense off guard, leading to an easy layup.
Other Ways to Say: Pass and cut, Quick return pass.
29. Run the floor
Meaning: To move quickly up and down the court during transitions.
In a Sentence: Our team excels because we know how to run the floor efficiently.
Other Ways to Say: Fast break, Sprint the court.
30. In the paint
Meaning: Refers to playing close to the basket in the painted area.
In a Sentence: He’s unstoppable when he gets the ball in the paint.
Other Ways to Say: Under the basket, Low post area.
31. Nothing but net
Meaning: A shot that goes into the basket cleanly without touching the rim or backboard.
In a Sentence: His three-pointer was nothing but net and brought the crowd to their feet.
Other Ways to Say: Perfect shot, Swish.
32. Take it to the hoop
Meaning: To drive toward the basket and attempt to score.
In a Sentence: Coach yelled at Mike to take it to the hoop instead of hesitating.
Other Ways to Say: Drive to the basket, Attack the rim.
33. Dribble past
Meaning: To maneuver around a defender using dribbling.
In a Sentence: She easily dribbled past two defenders to score.
Other Ways to Say: Get around, Beat the defender.
34. Post up
Meaning: To position oneself near the basket to receive the ball and score.
In a Sentence: The center posted up and demanded the ball under the hoop.
Other Ways to Say: Back down, Low post position.
35. Play full-court press
Meaning: A defensive strategy that applies pressure across the entire court.
In a Sentence: They used a full-court press to overwhelm the opponent early in the game.
Other Ways to Say: Full pressure defense, Intense man-to-man.
36. Drain a shot
Meaning: To make a successful shot, especially from a distance.
In a Sentence: He drained the shot from downtown and gave his team the lead.
Other Ways to Say: Nail it, Sink the basket.
37. Triple-double
Meaning: Achieving double digits in three statistical categories in one game.
In a Sentence: Luka Doncic recorded a triple-double with 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists.
Other Ways to Say: Stat-filled game, All-round performance.
38. Hoop dreams
Meaning: Aspirations of becoming a professional basketball player.
In a Sentence: Growing up in the Bronx, he lived his life chasing hoop dreams.
Other Ways to Say: Basketball goals, Pro ambitions.
39. Come off the bench
Meaning: A substitute player entering the game.
In a Sentence: She came off the bench and instantly made an impact.
Other Ways to Say: Substitute, Backup player.
40. He’s on fire
Meaning: A player who is making several consecutive successful plays.
In a Sentence: After hitting five straight threes, everyone said, “He’s on fire!”.
Other Ways to Say: Hot streak, Scorching the court.
41. Ice in his veins
Meaning: Remaining calm and performing well under pressure.
In a Sentence: He had ice in his veins as he sank both free throws with 2 seconds left.
Other Ways to Say: Clutch, Nerves of steel.
42. Go coast to coast
Meaning: To travel the entire length of the court and score.
In a Sentence: He grabbed the rebound and went coast to coast for a layup.
Other Ways to Say: End-to-end run, Solo play.
43. Benchwarmer
Meaning: A player who rarely gets playing time.
In a Sentence: Despite being a benchwarmer most of the season, he stayed motivated.
Other Ways to Say: Reserve, Non-starter.
44. Crossover
Meaning: A quick dribble move used to fake out a defender.
In a Sentence: His crossover left the defender stumbling in the wrong direction.
Other Ways to Say: Dribble fake, Quick move.
45. Crash the boards
Meaning: To aggressively go after rebounds.
In a Sentence: Our forwards were told to crash the boards every possession.
Other Ways to Say: Fight for rebounds, Rebounding hard.
46. Alley-oop
Meaning: A play where one player throws the ball near the basket and another jumps to catch and score it in one motion.
In a Sentence: The alley-oop dunk electrified the whole arena.
Other Ways to Say: Lob play, Aerial assist.
47. Behind the arc
Meaning: Refers to shooting beyond the three-point line.
In a Sentence: She’s deadly from behind the arc.
Other Ways to Say: Beyond the three, Long-range.
48. Sixth man
Meaning: The best player who is not a starter but comes off the bench.
In a Sentence: As the team’s sixth man, he brings energy and scoring.
Other Ways to Say: Top sub, Star reserve.
49. Step-back jumper
Meaning: A shot taken after stepping back from the defender to create space.
In a Sentence: His step-back jumper is nearly impossible to block.
Other Ways to Say: Fadeaway, Retreat shot.
50. Final buzzer
Meaning: The sound that signals the end of the game.
In a Sentence: The crowd held their breath until the final buzzer.
Other Ways to Say: Game-ending whistle, End of play.
