If a team has six players on the court at the time of a live ball, what happens once the error is discovered?

When a team has six players on the court during a live ball situation, the rules of basketball dictate that this is a violation, as only five players are allowed on the court at any given time. Once the situation is discovered, the proper protocol requires that a technical foul be assessed to the offending team. This ensures that the game maintains its integrity and that teams do not gain unfair advantages by having additional players on the court.

The imposition of a technical foul serves to penalize the team for the infraction and allows the opposing team the opportunity to shoot free throws. This action reinforces the necessity for teams and coaches to monitor player substitutions closely to prevent such violations. The severity of the infraction inherently necessitates a penalty to maintain fair play.

Other options do not align with the established rules of basketball. For instance, allowing the game to continue without any penalties would undermine the regulation of player numbers on the court, violating the principles of fair play. Similarly, not charging a foul for an oversight would diminish the accountability required from teams and officials alike in enforcing the rules of the game. Lastly, the idea that no penalty would apply if the infraction was discovered after a scoring play is also inconsistent with the principle that maintaining the correct number of players must