Good Defense is an inevitable part of any win in basketball game. When starting to intensify your skills with basketball there are a number of factors in defense that you must focus on.
Keep your body low
Keeping your body low will help you manage and balance your body weight effectively. The key is to keep your head low. Most players want to stand erect but coaches want you to crouch. So how low should you be crouching? Well, the good rule of thumb is to crouch lower than the person you are guarding. This will help you move more readily than the other player.
Hand Positions
There are apparently several hand positions that you must pay attention to. Letting your hands up would undoubtedly deflect a shot or pass. Positioning your hands at your sides could greatly help with defense against dribbling, passing, and faking the ball. Additionally, this is easy to do and would help retain your balance.
Get into the bubble
There is this thing we call the bubble, which basically relate to the sphere of movement players have. To be able to play good defense, you have to enter into his bubble and make the most out of this space. The efficiency of movement lies in the skill of intimidation. For example, if you can make the other player worry that you would interfere his next move or you would steal the ball in his next dribble, he would be intimidated and therefore hesitate. Once this occurs, he is likely to decrease actions in the play, which will limit his offensive moves. This will then create an effect of lower scores.
Just be close enough
Basketball isn't merely a game of balls and moves, it is also affected by the mental battles that occur between the minds of the individuals playing. Be a constant irritation to your opponent because this will affect his ball handling. Be mindful that you don't always have to be standing next to your opponent. Just be close enough so as to worry him all the time and distract him.
Determine to become a good defensive player
Some people just seem to have the talents and skills necessary for basketball. Some have to toil their way through it and really maximize and take to heart all the trainings. Which ever group you fit into, your success all lies in the determination to win the game and to be a good basketball Player. Any trace of hesitation can work against you.
