10 Ways to Keep a Basketball Game Close

I Feel Your Pain

It is no fun to lose a basketball game when your team doesn’t play together. It hurts more when your team gets blown out. When you play a game you want your team to have a chance to win. Remember, any team can be beat and you only need to up one point to win.

Here are 10 ways your team can keep a basketball game close:

Focus on playing hard, aggressive defensive.

The mystery of every game is how your team is going to shoot the basketball. Your effert on defense is something that you do have control over. No matter if you play zone or man-to-man the effort should never be in question.
Limit turnovers.

Take care of the basketball because every possesion is important. Make passes that are accurate and catchable.
Pass to open teammates.

Pass the basketball ahead to open teammates. This will put pressure on the defense and can lead to easy scores. Work on getting in range for a bank shot.
Screen for ball handlers and scorers.

Help your point guard by screening his defender. This will help keep your point guard fresh for the later stages of the game. More importantly it will help the point guard from turning over the ball.
Shoot open shots.

Don’t just throw up shots! Unless you are Steph Curry, shoot 3 pointers when they are open. Taking good shots will increase your chance of making shots. And unless you are down by 3 with the clock running down, go for the lay up.
Play great team defense.

How else are you going to keep the game close? If you can limit the other teams shot attempts, you can give yourself a chance to win. Never leave your teammate by himself to guard a tough opponent. As a team you have to stop people from scoring. Think of your team as protectors of the basket.
Always run back to protect your basket.

Your main concern should be to stop lay-ups. Running back on defense is a great way to keep the other team off the scoreboard. This requires huslte and team work.
Get to the free throw line.

Every point counts so why not hit the ones where you can take your time. In most rec-basketball leagues the clock always runs and only stops in the final 2 minutes of the 2nd half. When playing better teams this is a great way to keep the game close.
Trap the point guard.

Harrasing the other teams point guard can lead to steals and turnovers. Even great ball handlers have a tough time dribbling between 2 defenders. Pick the point guard up at full court from time to time but always pick up at half court. Most point guards think their hanlde will save them from steals. While they’re dribbling other players are not getting the ball thus less scoring.
Learn and use pick-n-role often.

The pick n role is a great way to keep the defense guessing. The key is the use of the screen. The ball handler should rub shoulders with his screener. This can lead to mismatches which can be taken advantage of.