Basketball for dummies

HAVING NOW personally guided the Steelers to another breathtaking Super Bowl triumph, I've turned to a little R&R  by checking in briefly on pro basketball games. To be sure, I know little about how the game is played and am satisfied to be an occasional witness at the entry level. I'm not even sure where the back court or front court is, and the rabid announcers never explain their technical references.   But I must ask:   Why must a pro basketball game be interrupted every 120 seconds for a three-minute  timeout in which all of the players stand in a tight circle at the bench and nod  in agreement about something?  As a livelier supplement to the game, I've come up with an idea called Roundball Roulette.  Turn off the game, walk to the kitchen for a glass of water  (or whatever)  and return to resume watching the game.  You may be surprised to discover how often you see a commercial instead of players running up and down the floor.  If you get three commercial breaks out of five, you win the leftover popcorn from the football season.