10 common mistakes to avoid in basketball.

Hi guys, making another basketball post on what mistakes that are commonly made and could easily be avoided.

10) Not squaring up when you take a shot. Read my other blog post on correct shooting form.

9) Not knowing where your other teammates are. Be sure to always have location of teammates in the back of your mind, whether you are on offense or defense, whether you have the ball or not. This will help you when you have the ball, because then you can dish a pass out to teammates if you get in a tight spot or are trapped between defenders. If you are defending, you can play much tighter defense man to man, knowing whether there is help ready under the basket (another teammate can help cover a player who has gotten past you).

8) Making lazy fouls. Stay active, be ready to help your teammates, and stand straight up with hands above the shoulders when blocking a shot.

7) Arguing with the referee. Do not anger a ref who made (in your opinion) a bad call. Instead, just ignore these calls, and compliment him on calls that you think were good.

6) Being a poor sport. Do not be a poor sport, make sure you stay positive even when your team is not playing well. This keeps the game fun for both teams.

5) Being a ball hog. If you have defenders on you when you have the ball, and you see a teammate that is in a better position than you, and is open, make sure to pass him the ball. Shooting in this position can hurt your team, there are exceptions like number 4.

4) Taking a fade-away shot. Never take fade-away shots, if you are close enough to the basket that you can make the shot with a fade- away, you might as well jump straight up, even toward the basket. This is a good way to draw the foul and ultimately score points on the free throws.

3) Standing while dribbling. Always have spring in your step, and remember to keep low to avoid turnovers, and to stay in control of the ball.

2) Getting lazy. It is better to go all out for only a couple of minutes than having players stay in for long periods of time, but not pushing themselves. Bursting can break down even a really good team, and this will definitely help your team.

1) Expecting a loss. Never have a negative mindset for a basketball game. Always expect the win, and realize that success comes to those who fail. Remember your mistakes, and learn how to fix them. Help your team.