Basketball in this context is not "kosarka" (the game), but: "the round,inflated ball, approximately 30 in. (76cm) in circumference used in this game", so: "(kosarkaska) lopta".

A common expression in basketball is "to shoot a ball" - ("shoot = to score a goal, point, etc., by propelling the ball, puck, etc".)

In basketball jargon, we also use the very same expression:
e.g. "Pucaj, Vlade, pucaj..." ("Shoot, Vlade, shoot..."), if we want a player to throw the ball and score a point.

"A dunk shot" is: "zakucavanje lopte" (= to slamn the dunk).

In soccer, (BE football): "The player shoots at the goal" would be translated as:
"Igrac puca na vrata (or: na gol)".

Hope this helps.


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-02-07 09:06:11 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Nije u pitanju sleng, vec sportski zargon u izuzetno ucestaloj upotrebi ( cesto idem na utakmice). Sem toga, Bensonov \"Srpsko-hrvatsko-engleski recnik\" upravo registruje ovakvu upotrebu reci \"pucati\", u kontekstu sporta, a na utakmicama se to stalno cuje. Gornji primer \"Igrac puca na vrata (gola)\" je iz Bensonovog recnika.
Nasa uloga kao prevodilaca nije da ulepsavamo prevod, vec da (postojeci) zargon prevodimo upravo (postojecim)zargonom.


This is not slang, but frequently used sports jargon (I often go to basketball matches). Besides, Benson\' s \"Serbo-Croatian-English Dictionary\" registers this very usage of the word \"pucati\" (\"shoot\") in the context of sport and one can often hear the word at basketball matches. The above example: \"The player shoots at the goal\" (\"Igrac PUCA na vrata\") was taken from the above said Benson\' s dictionary.
Our role as translators is not to embellish the translation, but to translate (the already existing) jargon by (the aready existing) jargon.

HTH

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-02-08 04:57:37 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Other examples:

- U poslednjem minutu utakmice, Rebraca je pucao na kos protivnickog tima (TV News);

- ... i Stojakovic je zapucao ka golu...

- Pucao je iz jedanaesterca i dao gol...

Is there anything more descriptive than the above expressions?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-02-08 21:42:00 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

\"slobodna bacanja\" - just \"free throws\" (\"shooting\" is possible, but unnecessary).

If you had a chance to watch a basketball match on TV, you would hear similar sentences.
This is simply colloquial and widely used sports jargon (especially if you watch a match on the spot, where the tension is high) no doubt about that.

Hope this helps.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-02-08 21:46:07 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

...(...is high), no doubt about that. - I should have put a comma. Sorry for the typo.

Best,

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-02-09 02:21:35 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

PRESTANI DA SUTIRAS (LOPTU)!

SHOOT - also \"SUTIRATI\", a common expression both in basketball and soccer.

to shoot a (basket)ball - sutirati loptu.

This is another possibility and perhaps the best solution, since
the word \"pucati\" depicts an outstandingly high tension in a game.

Reference: a basketball player

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-02-09 05:26:00 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

slam