2021 Simplified Rules

NFBA RULES 2020-21

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The NFBA is a league founded in 1977 that strives to be a SIMULATION of NBA ball, not a mere game. To this end, it has a few rules to make the Strat game play truer to the NBA.

In the NFBA, players mostly play the same positions they played in the NBA, at a tempo that reflects the range of NBA team tempos, and they do not put up unlimited shot attempts and unlimited three-point attempts to amass 40-, 50- and 60-point games with regularity, as happens in other Strat leagues.

The main purpose of the NFBA is to HAVE FUN, while playing a simulation of NBA basketball. Keep in mind that this is a fantasy league: play fairly by the rules, but don't get too caught up in the "competitive" aspects of the game. Don't try to "get an edge" by fudging rules, or looking for loopholes in the game that make no basketball sense, but can be exploited because of Strat's weaknesses, etc.

The NFBA concentrates on five main areas in making Strat a better NBA game:

1) Player positioning

2) Shot limits

3) Fastbreak tempo

4) Posting up perimeter players

5) 3-Point shots

SUMMARY OF MAIN NFBA RULES FOR 2017-18

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Follow these 5 main rules, and your games will be truer to the NBA:

PLAYER POSITIONING

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-- Players can play all of their time in a game at their main rated position.

 -- Players can play more than their rated time at a secondary position. We have a 10/5 rule for minutes at an “off” position: +10 more if rated for 10+ minutes there, +5 more otherwise.

Exceptions to the above: 1) Players at SG/SF will be allowed to be used interchangeably (ie they can play all of their maximum minutes at either position) as long as they are rated 2+ minutes at both the SG and the SF position

2) Players at PF/C will be allowed to be used interchangeably (ie they can play all of their maximum minutes at either position) as long as they are rated 2+ minutes at both the PF and the C position

-- Players cannot be positioned OFFENSIVELY at a position where they are rated for 1 or 0 minutes. (One-minute ratings are "for emergency use only", according to Strat.)

SHOT LIMITS

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The number of shots a player can take is moderated, to keep them close to NBA levels. This rule controls extreme cases: Just move the ball around on offense for most of the game and you should have no problems.

The following are the number of shot attempts (treating two FTA as equal to one FGA) that players are allowed in a game:

                       Rating            Attempts

                       --------             ------------

            0           18

            1           22

            2           26

            3           30

[The limits start at 18 and increase by 4 for each rating].

A pass cannot be voluntarily directed to a player who has reached his shot limit. (The one exception: Anyone can receive a pass on a play called in a timeout).

Also, if there is only one rated (1+) shooter in the game, a pass to ANY player MUST always go to someone else.

In the first half, a player is limited to HALF of the attempts he is allowed in the game.

Limits on shot attempts are removed in the last 2 minutes of regulation and throughout overtime.

FASTBREAK TEMPO

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All teams must fastbreak between 16 minutes and 36 minutes.

Rationale: All of Strat's NBA teams are designed to run for at least 1/3 of the game. Having a cap at 36 minutes keeps our league average close to the Strat average for all teams. Our fastbreak range of 16 to 36 minutes helps to ensure that players will use their halfcourt and fastbreak columns in a realistic mix.

PERIMETER PLAYERS POSTING UP

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The amount of time that a perimeter players (PG, SG, SF) can post up is 24 minutes, total, for each team.

3-POINT SHOTS

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The number of "optional" 3-point shots each player can take is shown on the rosters. If a player has no number shown, he cannot optionally take a 3-point shot (until near the end of the game).

Players also will automatically take 3-point shots.

Whenever the only choices are "3-point shot" and "Outside shot", you must press "Let computer suggest" to see if the shot taken is a 3. Basically, it is to check if the player's foot is behind the 3-point line.

However, anyone can take an optional 3-point shot in the last 2 minutes of regulation and throughout overtime.

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The above are the main NFBA adjustments to Strat's rules for computer basketball. For a more detailed explanation of NFBA rules and procedures, and for some less important rules, see the file "NFBA Constitution". Anything not specifically covered in these rules will be fairly handled by the NFBA commissioner. Good luck, and enjoy the NFBA's 41st season!