1
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
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
篮球运动
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.
They play basketball every Friday afternoon.
他们每周五下午打篮球。
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。
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。
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。
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。
Not this
I play the basketball every weekend.
Use this
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。
Not this
I need to buy two basketball.
Use this
I need to buy two basketballs.
指具体的篮球（球）时可数，two后用复数形式basketballs。
Not this
We watched a basketball's game.
Use this
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。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
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。
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。
Use basketballs naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
把 basket（篮筐）和 ball（球）合成一词：把球投进篮筐的运动就是篮球。
语域：neutral 常见场景：sports commentary、school physical education、everyday conversation “basketball”属于中性常用词，正式和非正式场合都可以使用；若要区分“篮球运动”和“篮球（球）”，通常需根据上下文判断。
Words ending in '-all' (ball, call, fall, hall, tall, small) rhyme with the '-ball' in 'basketball' /ˈbæskətˌbɔl/. Note: 'basket' /ˈbæskɪt/ and 'ballot' /ˈbælət/ look similar to parts of 'basketball' but sound different.
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.