What are points from ‘inside the paint’ in the NBA?

Every sport has their own particular vernacular from soccer’s: nutmegs, box-to-box players, howlers through to baseball’s Baltimore chop and walk-offs. Basketball is no exception and for the uninitiated, match commentary can sound like double-dutch at times with the action being coloured with talk of shots from downtown, alley-oops and toilet bowl baskets.

Scoring from ‘In the Paint’ is another common and highly used basketball terminology, so what and where exactly is the paint and the origin of the expression?

The term comes about with many courts having the area inside the three point line and close to the basket painted in a different colour scheme from the surrounding area of the court.

The key measures from the baseline below the basket all the way to the free throw line, which is 15 feet away. In the NBA the key is 16 feet wide, but that measurement changes with different levels of play.

Points scored inside the paint are usually high percentage shots like layups, dunks and post-ups and outsourcing your opponent in the paint is usually an indicator of team success and efficiency.