Basketball

Olympic basketball is 5-on-5 full-court war under FIBA rules: 40-minute games, a closer three-point line, and no defensive three-seconds, allowing giants to camp in the paint while goaltending is legal once the ball hits the rim. National pride peaks as NBA superstars face international giants, and the physicality is higher than the NBA (more hand-checking allowed), with the women's tournament dominated by the USA (every gold since 1996) and the "Euro-step" and "pick-and-roll" as the primary offensive engines.