New Basketball
We're some friends who like playing basketball and inventing fun game experiments and constraints.
Patterned after New Games (see: The New Games Book), New Basketball is about trying new collaborative dynamics that emphasize particular rules or elements of gameplay, add new ones, or otherwise aim to reinvent the game.
Our favorite inventions so far:
No Dribbling
Rules
A very simple constraint: you can pass…you can even bounce pass…but you cannot dribble!
No Dribbling
Rules
A very simple constraint: you can pass…you can even bounce pass…but you cannot dribble!
(It's okay if the ball bounces when it's loose / you're still gathering possession, otherwise…nope!)
Game Notes
This was one of the most fun; it really puts the focus on passing and running to get open.
We found adding a shot clock (e.g. count to seven; must shoot before then) is useful for keeping the pace quick!
Stay Outta the Paint!
Rules
No players are allowed to enter the paint (i.e. the key / the area defined by the free throw line and interior rectangle).
Stay Outta the Paint!
Rules
No players are allowed to enter the paint (i.e. the key / the area defined by the free throw line and interior rectangle).
Offense, defense, doesn't matter, stay outta there!
You can jump across the corners, but if anyone on your team enters this area, it's an automatic turnover.
Game Notes
This one was interesting but also a bit frustrating haha.
Quantum Entangled Double Half Court
Rules
We experimented with the following constraints:
Quantum Entangled Double Half Court
Rules
We experimented with the following constraints:
- 2 on 2, but made up of two simultaneous 1 on 1 games on adjacent half courts
- you can pass at any time to your teammate on the other court, and either of you scoring counts for your team's total score
- you can only jump to the other court if your teammate simultaneously jumps across in the other direction
Games Notes
This is so far one of the more creative weird ones we tried!
It was pretty fun, but feels like it'd be better with some tweaks, and also with more people for added chaos :)
Speculative ones yet to try:
Bank Rim Swish
Rules
A variant on 21 (or simpler base game of your choice), but with special scoring — different depending on if your shot hits the rim, backboard, or is a pure swish.
Bank Rim Swish
Rules
A variant on 21 (or simpler base game of your choice), but with special scoring — different depending on if your shot hits the rim, backboard, or is a pure swish.
Thinking something like:
- Shots that hit the rim (or rim + backboard) = regular 2s and 3s
- Bank shots (backboard only; no rim) = 2x multiplier
- Swishes (nothin' but net!) = 5x multiplier
Game played to 99 or some similarly high number!
Others we didn't invent but found fun:
5-3-1
Rules
First player shoots a 3-pointer (worth 5 points), and, make or miss, shoots from wherever they collect the rebound, without dribbling (worth 3 points), then finally shoots a layup (worth 1 point).
5-3-1
Rules
First player shoots a 3-pointer (worth 5 points), and, make or miss, shoots from wherever they collect the rebound, without dribbling (worth 3 points), then finally shoots a layup (worth 1 point).
If player one makes all three shots, they get to go again, otherwise the next player goes and they add to their score. If a player misses all three shots in a round, they go back to zero.
First player to 100 points wins!
Reference
Found via this Reddit post.
> It’s fun because you can have a streak of like 50 points in one turn but then lose it all by choking on a layup and going to zero
Join us?
We play Fridays in Brooklyn, a mix of Old Basketball (21, 1:1, 2:2, etc.) and New Basketball.
Reach out if you'd like to join and play sometime!
New Basketball