play basketball
basketball 表示“篮球运动”时是不可数名词，通常不加冠词，也不加复数。
They play basketball every Friday afternoon.
他们每周五下午打篮球。
篮球运动
basketballs — plural of basketball
篮球；两队各五名球员设法将球投入篮筐的运动。；两队各5名球员在球场上进行的比赛,通过将球投入高处的水平篮圈得分；篮球运动所用的球。；用于打篮球的充气球
A game played by two teams of five players who score points by throwing the ball through a high hoop on the opponent's side of a court.
两队各五名球员设法将球投入篮筐的运动。
A sport in which two opposing teams of five players strive to put a ball through a hoop.
两队各5名球员在球场上进行的比赛,通过将球投入高处的水平篮圈得分
a game played on a court by two opposing teams of 5 players; points are scored by throwing the ball through an elevated horizontal hoop
篮球运动所用的球。
The particular kind of ball used in the sport of basketball.
用于打篮球的充气球
an inflated ball used in playing basketball
My brother and I play basketball every Saturday morning at the local park.
我和哥哥每个星期六早上都在附近的公园打篮球。
用法提示：此处使用名词 basketball 表示篮球运动，与动词 play 搭配。
She watched a thrilling basketball game on television last night.
她昨晚在电视上看了一场激动人心的篮球比赛。
用法提示：此处使用名词 basketball 作为定语修饰 game，表示篮球比赛。
He bought a new basketball and practiced shooting hoops in the driveway.
他买了一个新篮球，在车道上练习投篮。
用法提示：此处使用名词 basketball 指代篮球本身，作为可数名词。
basketball 表示“篮球运动”时是不可数名词，通常不加冠词，也不加复数。
They play basketball every Friday afternoon.
他们每周五下午打篮球。
basketball 表示“篮球”这个具体的球时是可数名词，可以用 a/an 或 the；复数形式为 basketballs。
He bought a basketball for his younger brother.
他给弟弟买了一个篮球。
hoops 是 basketball 在美式口语中的常用同义词，常与 play 搭配，正式文体中应使用 basketball。
b-ball 比 hoops 更口语化、更俚语化，多见于闲聊、歌词或体育报道，正式写作不宜使用。
grammar · medium
易错句子I play the basketball every weekend.
正确表达I play basketball every weekend.
表示篮球运动时是不可数名词，前面不加冠词the；"play + 运动"结构中运动名称前通常不用冠词。
grammar · medium
易错句子I need to buy two basketball.
正确表达I need to buy two basketballs.
指具体的篮球（球）时可数，two后用复数形式basketballs。
grammar · medium
易错句子We watched a basketball's game.
正确表达We watched a basketball game.
名词作定语修饰另一名词时直接用原形，"篮球比赛"应为basketball game；名词所有格's表示所属关系而非类别。
basketball 指两队投篮进筐得分的运动；football 指用脚踢球、将球射入球门的运动，注意比赛场地和得分方式不同。
basketball 用手运球、投篮，球可触地；volleyball 用手击球过网，球不能落地，场地中间有网。
basketball 是投篮得分，比赛有篮筐；baseball 是用棒击球、跑垒得分，场地为菱形，需戴手套接球。
打篮球
We play basketball after school every Friday.
我们每周五放学后打篮球。
篮球比赛
Did you watch the basketball game last night?
你昨晚看篮球比赛了吗？
篮球队
She is the captain of our school basketball team.
她是我们学校篮球队的队长。
篮球场
The kids were playing on the outdoor basketball court.
孩子们在室外篮球场上打球。
篮球运动员
He wants to become a professional basketball player.
他想成为一名职业篮球运动员。
篮球筐
He hung a basketball hoop on the garage wall.
他在车库墙上挂了一个篮球筐。
复合词：basket（篮子） + ball（球）；同根词：baseball（棒球）、football（足球）
篮球是我最喜欢的运动，我喜欢他们在球场上来回运球的样子。
Many kids play basketball in the park after school.
许多孩子放学后在公园里打篮球。
我不是榜样。仅仅因为我会扣篮，并不意味着我就该抚养你的孩子。
He dunked the basketball and the crowd cheered.
他扣篮得分，观众欢呼起来。
Dictionary facts from DICTIONARY_API_DEV, ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.