An overview of a great game. Review on Basketball

Okay. I admit it. I'm addicted to basketball. Although I'm not extremely good at it (and I'm trying my best to be modest :P), I'm still a pretty good player.

I'm not going to fill you in on the origins of basketball because quite frankly they are of no interest to me. Besides, you can check it out in some other reviews in this section. Basketball is just a great sport, whether played indoors or outdoors, and develops skills of communication, ball-handling, hand-eye coordination and stamina. And add to all of this: TEAMWORK (the most important skill in basketball, unless you're playing 1-on-1). Notice that there's no ''I'' in teamwork (our Coach told us that...haha)

There are three main components of basketball: passing, dribbling and shooting (in the order which they should be used). Passing is the most important component because being a 5-man game, it is important to be able to find the open man to sink the shot. Dribbling is next on the list because good ball-handling and dribbling skills lets you get out of a corner easily or even fake past an opponent (it also comes in handy if you're a Point Guard). Shooting is next since a good shot can always come in handy - especially at the buzzer. Needless to say, I'm on the first level now (I'm only a pretty good shooter). Some guys (especially the Centers) prefer to call rebounding a skill (and it is a skill) because it requires an extra effort through boxing out and jumping and such. I don't mind agreeing with that.

There are 5 positions that you can play in Basketball: Point Guard (PG), Shooting Guard (SG), Center (C), Power Forward (PF) and Small Forward (SF). The hardest role is probably the PG's because they have to run the plays and ensure that the ball gets in the correct hand at the correct time. They also need to have a good shooting range (as the guards need) because generally PGs and SGs are the shortest guys on court and therefore need that range to make up for their height. Yes, height is a very important factor in basketball, in case you hadn't noticed.

The SG is basically an accomplice to the PG, and his/her job is basically to dribble and shoot. They are also important because they have to run some plays (especially the 2-guard or 3-guard plays). The SG is generally a little taller than a PG and therefore needs to have good penetration, too. The two Forwards need to be taller than the Guards and have a good penetration (getting close to the basket). They should also have a moderate shooting skill (i.e. from inside the arc). They should have a good jump shot, good fakes and a great layup. Forwards don't need to be as quick as the Guards across the floor, but having that is a great skill (take Kevin Garnett on the Minnesota T'wolves, for example).

Finally, we come to the Centers. The largest guys on court, in the NBA they get as tall as 7'6'' (seven and a half feet! That's Yao Ming). They are also ''bulky'' and are required to take up room on the court. Generally, Centers set up inside the paint, closer to the basket so they do not need to possess a shooting skill as such. However, they should have a good hook shot and a layup shot, as well as skills that promote rebounding. A good 3-point shot always helps as it can be a buzzer beater at any time (a la Vlade Divac of the Sacramento Kings).

However, when one is just playing social/informal basketball (i.e. street basketball) all this does not need to be taken in to account. There are hundreds of rules in the official basketball rule-book and I doubt that the players are aware of every single one of them. Basketball can just be a sport that one plays for fun and to be with friends (if you tune down the aggression). I'll put down a couple of things that you should possess, to be a good basketball player below, but by no means be driven away from the game.

Basketball is a game that should be developed in India extensively because it is a game that influences many good skills. It is also good for our country physically because it also promotes physical growth.

BASKETBALL SKILLS

Dribbling: One should be able to dribble the ball without looking down at it as that allows one to simultaneously look for the open man. One should also be able to switch hands, go through the legs and behind the back with the basketball as this can allow better penetration.

Passing: Passes should be crisp and quick and generally one of the two best passes should be used (chest pass and bounce pass). Baseball throws should be used only in fast breaks. Chest passes should be aimed at the chest of the receiver while bounce passes should be bounced 2/3 of the way to the receiver, ideally.

Shooting: This is everyone's favorite forte because if one tries hard and practices hard, they can become a good shooter. Generally, one should ensure they bend down on the knees, jump and put backspin on the ball. Backspin is the most important component because then, even if the ball is not going in right through the net, it has a chance of spinning back.

MY STATS (in case you wanna know the minimal reqs!!!)

Height: 5'6''

Weight: 130 lbs

3-point shooting: 60%

Free throw shooting: 60%

Field goal shooting: 65%

Dribbling skills: moderate

Passing skills: moderate

Speed: above average

Position: PG/SG

That's about it. This may be a little too long. If you have any other questions, just email me.

~ the antipop ~

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