The episode was inspired by a deleted scene from the first episode where Michael talks about a pick-up basketball game. For two days, the cast of "The Office" played actual basketball games, which were then spliced together to give the effect of one continuous game. In addition, several lines from the episode became fans and cast favorites. "Basketball" was viewed by an estimated 5.0 million viewers and received a 2.4/6% rating share among adults between the ages of 18 and 49. The episode received positive reviews from critics.