A new sports season is starting this week to help fill up our evenings and weekends! Say hello to the 2019 NBA Basketball Season!

We’ve got football to take up our Monday nights, Thursday nights, and all day Sunday–and then later, we’ll get a special Saturday edition of Thursday Night Football. Hockey Season 2019 NHL started last month to fill in the remaining days of the week, there are hockey games pretty much every day. Most hockey fans live in the NFC North area, though, because it’s cold enough there for people to play hockey almost year-round. For the rest of of the country, basketball will help fill in the non-football days.

So what are the rules?
Basketball is pretty similar to football in that you’re not supposed to touch the ball with your feet. The only difference is that a basketball can touch the ground and it’s still in play! Mind-blowing!

How many players are there?
So many.

Why is there a hoop on the goal post?
That’s where the basketball goes, that’s how the teams get points.

Are the field goals the same as in football?
Yes, they are exactly the same, except the player throws the ball instead of kicking it.

What about penalties?
You’ve still got your standard roughing the passer, but it basketball, everyone is both a quarterback and a receiver. No one is a running back because that would be traveling. There are special fake penalties like “offsides” and, just like in hockey, these are penalties that the refs call when the game is going too fast and they need to slow it down.

Why are there those confusing lines on the court?
Nothing to worry about at all, those are just for decoration.

How many NBA teams are there?
omg A LOT seriously.

The 2019 season kicks off on Tuesday when the New Orleans Pelicans take on the Toronto Raptors of Canada and the Los Angeles Lakers vs the Los Angeles Clippers. LA Fight! The Lakers and Clippers are playing in the updated Oakland Raiders Coliseum, which has transitioned from part-baseball field to part-basketball court.