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How to play real basketball with friends


Fun Ways to Play Basketball with Your Friends

One of the most fun things to do when enjoying time away from work is to participate in sports and other activities with your friends or family. One of the cheapest and easiest sports to play is basketball. This sport required a very minimal amount of equipment and has a lot of variations which can be played to keep things interesting. This article will seek to outline a few fun and creative ways that you can play basketball with your friends, family, neighbors, or whoever else is around. You might as well have fun while you exercise and enjoy the company of others. Although minimal equipment is required, a custom basketball mouthguard is highly recommended as it will keep your teeth safe from accidental damage. Use these fun ideas to make your basketball time fun, unique, and ultimately rewarding. 

Court

One of the most classic ways to play basketball with your friends is to just play on a court with a ball. This could either come in the form of an organized basketball league or even just a weekly pick game with your friends at the court. One of the best things about practicing and playing on an actual court is that it is the best way to actually prepare for a real game setting, and will help you get used to the height of the nets, and also the feel of dribbling on a real court. There is a reason that the pros practice on a real court so that they can be as prepared as possible for a big moment in the game when it inevitably comes. If you want to prepare and play like the pros, then try playing some ball on a real court. 

Pool

If you like to play basketball, but also like to enjoy the pool, then why not consider getting a basketball net for your pool, to play some hoops while you relax in the refreshing water. Experts recommend Best Pool Basketball Hoop: Deck, Above-Ground, Floating and Swimming to find a product that will allow you to set up your pool basketball net correctly. If this is an idea which piques your interest, then do some research online to find some ways to make it happen. There is nothing better than sinking a fadeaway into the deep end of a pool, try for yourself. 

Driveway

A great place to start playing basketball with your friends without spending too much time or money is to just get a net for your driveway. This is an incredibly affordable option and will allow you to stay close to home, while still enjoying your favorite sport with friends. 

Hopefully, this article has been helpful and informative regarding the different ways in which you can have fun playing basketball with your friends in some new and unique ways. There is nothing wrong with playing some good old fashioned b-ball the regular way, but why would you NOT want to experiment with some new and creative ways to enjoy this classic sport? Use the aforementioned tips and tricks to have a basketball experience that is truly fun, unique, and will be talked about by your friends for years to come.  

14 Fun Basketball Games For All Ages, With Instructions – Backyard Sidekick

I’ve played basketball my entire life, and over the years I’ve compiled a list of the most fun basketball games that anyone can play. These fun basketball games are a good way to keep from getting bored while shooting at the hoop, but will still improve your skills as you play.

Top 14 Fun Basketball Games:

  1. Knock Out
  2. Horse
  3. Basketball Golf
  4. Sharks And Minnows
  5. Around The World
  6. Firing Squad
  7. Fox In The Hen House
  8. Basketball Pirate
  9. Dribble Knock Out
  10. Red Light Green Light
  11. Home Run
  12. Basketball Tag
  13. Buzzer Beater
  14. All Star Shoot Out

Of course, you can always fall back on the team setup games like 2 vs 2 classic style basketball. But here are some popular basketball games that will keep you having fun on the court for hours on end.

1. Knock Out

Knock is one of the most popular fun basketball games and is at the top of the list for a reason. This game requires two basketballs and at least 2 or more players. If you’re playing in your driveway or not on an official court, you will need to designate a free throw line to shoot from.

Here are the rules:

  • Players line up at the free throw line
  • The first two players get a basketball
  • The first person at the line shoots for a basket
  • If he makes it, he passes the ball to the next in line and gets in the back of the line
  • If the first shooter misses the basket, the second shooter has a chance to ‘knock them out’ by making their basket before shooter 1
  • The first shooter may rebound his ball and try for a basket again from anywhere on the court
  • If shooter 1 makes the basket before the shooter behind them, they pass the ball to the next player in line and get in the back of the line
  • Game continues until only one player is left

As you play you will notice it can get pretty hectic down by the hoop as the players are trying to make a basket. Normally, you are not allowed to touch another players ball. But we like to add a rule where you can hit another players ball further from the hoop with your own ball. Only your ball can touch another players ball.

Here’s a video explaining how to play knock out and some example play.

2. Horse

Horse requires one basketball and at least two players or more. This is a game of shooting skill. You won’t need to be on an official court and you won’t need any other special equipment.

How to play:

  • Find out who will be shooting first, flip a coin or play rock paper scissors
  • The first shooter picks any location on the court to shoot from
  • If player 1 makes their basket, they remain shooter 1 and all other players must make the same shot from the same location
  • If shooter 1 misses their basket, the second shooter will now get to shoot from anywhere on the court
  • If you miss a shot made by an original shooter you get a letter, the first letter being ‘H’
  • When you have enough letters to spell out ‘Horse’ you are out of the game
  • The game continues until only one player is remaining

For shorter games we will often play ‘Pig’. It follows the same rules just with less letters for a quicker game. We also like to add moves into the mix. For example, if shooter one does a layup, the rest of the shooters must also do a layup.

This can get a little ridiculous, but can also make the game much more fun. Try spinning around three times and then taking a shot, if you make it now the rest of the players must also spin around three times and sink a basket, or get a letter.

3. Basketball Golf

Basketball golf is fun game that helps you get better at shooting from different locations around a basketball court. You will need one basketball and at least 2 or more players. Start by picking ‘holes’ or locations the players will need to shoot from on the court. Set a smaller amount of ‘holes’ for quicker games.

Here’s how you play:

  • The first player starts on the first ‘hole’ and shoots for a basket
  • If a player makes the basket, it counts as one shot
  • If a player misses, they must try for a basket again wherever they rebound the ball
  • Every shot a player takes counts as one ‘stroke’ or one shot until they make a basket
  • Then player 2 goes and so one through all the ‘holes’ or shooting locations that were set before hand
  • The player with the lowest score at the end wins

This game can get a bit frustrating for players that have a bad ‘hole’ and can’t seem to make a basket. So sometimes we implement a 4 or 5 shot max at the holes to keep the game interesting and the scores closer together. If a player misses 4 times on the same hole, they move on to the next hole without incurring any more ‘strokes’ or shots.

4. Sharks And Minnows

Sharks and minnows is fun basketball game that doesn’t even require that you have a hoop. You will want four or more players and enough basketballs for at least half the amount of players you have. This game works best on a court with a half court marking, but can be played anywhere.

How to play:

  • Start with 1 or 2 players as sharks
  • The sharks stand at half court without a basketball
  • The rest of the players start at one end of the court and have to dribble a basketball to the other end, they are the minnows
  • The sharks will try to steal a basketball or knock it out of bounds
  • If a minnow loses their basketball before crossing the court, they will be sharks in the next round
  • Once all the minnows became sharks or made it to the other end of the court, the next round will begin
  • The minnows will have to dribble back to the other end of the court avoiding the sharks again
  • The game ends when there are no more minnows left

We like to pick the last two minnows to be sharks if we start another game of sharks and minnows. Kids love this game and will spend hours playing. You can implement your own ‘house rules’ for example, sharks must stay within 10 feet of half court.

5. Around The World

Around the world can be played alone with just a basketball and a hoop. This is a shooting skill game and is usually done behind the three point line, but you can mark wherever you want the shots to be taken yourself.

How to play:

  • Player will start to the side of the basket behind the three point line and take the first shot
  • Once that shot is made the player moves to a 45 degree angle from the basket for another shot
  • The third shot is taken directly in front of the basket
  • The player continues until they have made it all the way around the perimeter of the three point line and back to the starting position
  • If the player misses a shot, they must start back at the beginning

To make this game more fun, we don’t start back at the beginning when we miss a shot. Instead we keep shooting at that point until a basket is made. If you have more than one person, try having another player start on the other end of the three point arch and see who can make their way around the arch and back first. If you have more than 2 people, try the firing squad variation instead.

Here’s a video of some guys playing around the world with their own variation of shooting locations.

6. Firing Squad

Firing squad is a lot like around the world but you will need more than two people and a basketball for each player. The setup is the same as around the world though, you will need to designate where shots will be taken in an arch around the hoop, usually the three point line, or closer for kids.

How to play:

  • Each player starts with a ball and starts at one of the shooting points
  • The game will start and everyone will be able to shoot at the hoop all at the same time
  • You are not allowed to touch another players basketball
  • The game is over when a player makes at least one basket from each of the shooting positions

To add some competition to this game we allow hitting another players ball only with your own ball in your hands. Once the game starts, under the hoop becomes a mad house of players retrieving their ball.

7. Fox In The Hen House

This game is similar to sharks and minnows but can involve shooting if you’d like. You will need at least 3 players and a basketball for every player except one.

Here’s how to play:

  • Start with every player except one dribbling a basketball on the court (the chickens)
  • The fox then runs out and tries to steal or knock the ball away from the chickens
  • If a chicken loses their ball they will then become a fox
  • The last chicken left is the winner and will become the fox for the next game

We like to add a little variation to this game where the chicken has a redemption shot at the hoop. If they can sink a basket from wherever the fox got them out, they can remain a chicken.

8. Basketball Pirate

You will need at least four players and three basketballs. This game works better with more players though, more than 6 players is best. Select one pirate for every four players you have.

Here’s how to play:

  • All the non-pirate players will start by dribbling the ball on the court
  • The pirates will run out and try to steal a ball from another player
  • If the pirate steals the ball or knocks it away from a player, those players switch roles now. The player dribbling now becomes a pirate and the pirate will now dribble the ball
  • When a player becomes a pirate they must run to the sidelines before attempting to steal a ball from another player
  • This game can last as long as you’d like
  • The winner is the player who was a pirate the least

Sometimes to keep the games shorter, we’ll play pirates until there is only one player left who has not been a pirate yet. That player is the winner.

9. Dribble Knock Out

Dribble knock out is fun game that will test your hand eye coordination and dribbling skills. You will need at least two players and a basketball for every player, but you won’t need a basketball hoop. This game is sometimes referred to as ‘Island’.

How to play:

  • Designate an area for the game to be played in (half court, inside the paint, etc.)
  • Each player will start by dribbling their ball
  • Players will try to steal or knock out of bounds the other players ball while still maintaining their own dribble
  • If a players ball is knocked out of bounds, they are out for the rest of the game
  • The game ends when one player is left still dribbling

We like to start with a full court area and shrink the court as players are knocked out. For example, more than six players will use the entire court, once there are six players left we shrink to half court. Once there are three players left we shrink to inside the paint. If a ball leaves the designated area, it is considered out of bounds. This shrinking court helps speed up the game a bit.

To play the ‘Island’ version of this game, set up cones in a circle. Players and their basketball must stay inside the circle or they are out of bounds.

10. Red Light Green Light

This is a well known game for kids to play in the yard as a group, but with a basketball it can help train dribbling skills and body control. You will need at least three players and a basketball for every player. Select one player to be the traffic light.

How to play:

  • All the players except the traffic light stands at one end of the court, and the traffic light stands at the other
  • The traffic light will face away from the other players and yell red light or green light
  • When the traffic light yells green light, the players will dribble to the other end of the court
  • When the traffic light yells red light, the players must stop dribbling and stop moving wherever they are
  • When the traffic light yells red light, the traffic light will turn to face the other players and call out any who they saw still moving or dribbling
  • If a player gets caught by the traffic lights they are out
  • The game ends when a player reaches the other end of the court
  • The winner gets to be the traffic light for the next game

We like to allow a player that gets caught by the traffic light, to simply start over from the beginning. That way no one is left out sitting on the side, but is still fair to the players who didn’t get caught.

11. Home Run

This is a team game and is best played with 6 or more players and 2 basketballs. Split up into two teams, a dribbling team and a shooting team. The dribbling team lines up at a corner of the court and the shooting team lines up at the free throw line.

How to play:

  • When the shooter yells ‘Go’ a player from the dribbling team will try to dribble the ball to half court and back to the corner
  • If the dribbler is successful (home run), they receive one point and the dribbler gets back in line
  • If the shooter makes a basket before the dribbler gets a home run, the dribbler is out and the next dribbler may begin
  • The shooter will shoot until they make a basket and then the next person in line will shoot

For younger players we sometimes get a few runs in before they make a basket. In cases like that, we like to allow the younger player to shoot closer to the basket to keep the game fun.

12. Basketball Tag

Basketball tag requires a court with lines. For example, three point line, half court, sideline etc. It’s best played with 6 or more players and a basket ball for every player except one or two. Although you can play with just two people, this game is a lot better with more than 6 people.

How to play:

  • All players start on a line (three point line, sideline, etc)
  • One or two players will not have a basketball and will be ‘It’
  • The other players will dribble their ball and avoid being tagged by whoever is ‘It’
  • If a player is tagged, steps off a line, or loses control of their ball, they are out for the rest of the game
  • The game ends when there is only one player left still dribbling

We don’t always go to a court with lines to play this game. Sometimes we play in the driveway and we’ll dry lines with driveway chalk. Honestly it’s more fun that way because the lines end up being wherever you want them. You could even make a Pac-Man maze if you’d like.

13. Buzzer Beater

Buzzer beater requires at least two players and as many basketballs as you can shoot in 10 seconds. If you have more basket balls available try changing the time limit to 30 seconds.

How to play:

  • The first shooter will line up at the three point line some basketballs nearby
  • When the timer starts, the shooter will try to make as many baskets as they can in under 10 seconds
  • Continue this for each player
  • The player with the most baskets wins

We like to mix up where the shooting line is, it doesn’t always have to be at the free throw line. Try playing buzzer beater at the three point line or half court. Sometime we implement a house rule that after the buzzer, you get to go for one layup that will count towards your score. That way you have an easy shot for at least one point.

14. All Star Shoot Out

All star shoot out can be played with 2 or more players and some cones or ground markers of some kind. Mark out 5 or more locations on the court the players will need to shoot from. Keep in mind skill level when marking locations.

How to play:

  • Each player will pick a shooting location to start from
  • When the game starts players will shoot from their location until they make a basket
  • After a player makes a basket they will move to the next shooting location
  • Players may not touch another players ball
  • The game ends when the first player makes a basket from every shooting location

We like to add that a player must then make a lay up after making a shot from every location to win. You could imagine that under the hoop can get pretty busy at times. So sometimes for fun, we’ll allow hitting another players ball with only your own ball in your hands.

If you’re looking to get a basketball hoop for yourself, you’ll need to decide between a portable hoop or a permanent hoop. Check out my Recommended Basketball hoops here

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December 2018

Greetings to all game lovers, big and small! New Year is coming, which means we have nice gifts for you. These include a collection of Christmas games about Santa Claus, Father Frost and the Snow Maiden. We hope everyone will enjoy throwing snowballs and sleigh rides during the New Year holidays, which have always been a real vacation for children, but for adults have turned into a full-fledged vacation.

November 2017

Having noticed the sinking of the best flash games into the depths of the site, we decided to help you play old forgotten but popular ones through the display of a new panel. It is not available on all monitors, but only starting with a resolution of 1280px, so as not to distract owners of small screens on the current page. Depending on the genres of the current game, we show different collections, so they differ on different pages.

And also our old and attentive visitors have noticed changes in the main and additional menus. All this is aimed at improving the usability of the site by avid players. We try to make it better (although someone rightly notes here - remove ads and it will be fine) - we answer this something like this: everyone wants to eat and in order to keep all content free for use, put yourself AdBlock and there will be no problems. This is a standard plug-in that cuts out ads inside games and on the pages of gaming sites.

June 2017

As expected, cool and top games were not always pushed to the top. After disassembling and reassembling everything, our team found a way to slip the coolest flash drives upstairs. I hope you will appreciate the ratings that are built with your active participation and the resulting content will give odds to competitors :)

Dear friends. We decided to make a new sorting for game search, it's called Sticky. We find and display the toys that you most often stick to. Turned on - and let's play non-stop. Because everyone considers popularity, novelty - this and that, then we decided to please you with one more filter, according to which games that take a lot of time will be found. Be careful, because starting to play them you can miss such a great weather on the street :).

Given the fact that the flash plugin was blocked by chrome and other browsers, we firstly disabled ads before loading the game (it was a flash movie), and secondly, we decided to add more HTML5. HTML5 is universal and works regardless of the platform on which you open it (PC, Mac, Android smartphone, iPhone, iPad, etc.) support for this plugin will also become limited soon (google said) and unity3d games often hang your browser, which leads to the fact that you leave our beautiful site for other places :)

February 2017

In February 2017, the algorithm for counting thematic and popular games (based on which listings are built in sections) was updated. We decided to calculate the popularity of each game not by the number of its views, but by its duration - this allowed us to identify really popular flash drives on which you hang out for a long time.
What concerns games in the theme - then we had to combine several mathematical models to display really thematic flash drives. Those. if earlier under each game you saw mostly top ones (and they were often the same everywhere), now they are shown more diversely and correctly (in our opinion).

January 2017

Since January 2017, a new menu with a large number of heroes has been added to the site. To some, this option of a sliding menu may seem inconvenient, but I assure you that this is a matter of habit. With a large menu, it has become more convenient to poke at a game genre. And we tried to sort the genres as close as possible to the preferences of our visitors. Added new sections - minecraft and transformers, I don't know why they are so wildly popular :)

July 2016

Since July 2016, we have added the ability to play iframe downloads (found on developer sites) in a separate window. This will allow, firstly, to increase the size in the visible part of the screen, and secondly, the absence of advertising and other garbage. Often, a flash drive opened in a separate window works faster than one loaded in a standard page (due to the lack of advertising and other page elements).

If you are looking for a site that contains the best and most interesting flash games for adults and children, then you have found it, because on Game01 you can play anything you want!

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Develop while having fun!

In the game, each person learns certain information. Strategy, puzzles, logic games, platform games - all these and many other genres develop logic, spatial thinking, imagination and train coordination of movements.

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If you like exciting stories and mind-blowing adventures, then games of such categories as "Shooters", "Zombies", "Shooters", "Cars", "War", "Fighting" are specially selected for you. "and many others. Also, you will surely like sports simulators from the sections "Racing", "Hockey" and "Football", because no boy can understand his life without the spirit of competition or fast cars.

You can also enjoy new adventures of various heroes such as Batman, Ben 10, Naruto, Spiderman. Feel like your favorite superhero or cartoon character and overcome any obstacles on your way!

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It is interesting to play for both adults and children

If you think that online flash games are only for children, you are wrong. Among them there are many interesting options, the gameplay of which is really addictive!

For example, the same "Farm", popular in social networks, is presented on our website in various versions, among which you are sure to find an attractive one for yourself. What can we say about various races, fighting games, platformers and shooting games that you can fight alone or with a friend.

The same applies to various logic games, puzzles and strategies. Under the external frivolity of some of them lies a serious challenge to your erudition, logic and spatial thinking. So show others how well you know how to play!

The best games on Game01!

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Have a fun and useful time at Game01, because every day we delight you with the best novelties in the gaming industry!

Top 10 Basketball Games for Android

There are many good basketball games on Android. Here is the best basketball for Android!

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Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world. It has a lot of great players, almost constant action and some of the greatest moments in all sports. Unfortunately, such a high score does not apply to mobile games. Developers have only recently begun putting effort into their basketball offerings. The segment is improving, albeit slowly. However, that doesn't mean you're out of luck. There are several Android basketball games that stand out from the rest and we think this list covers almost all of them. Here is the best basketball for android.

Basketball Battle

Developer: Unknown

Price: Free

Read also: Best arcade games for Android Something like a cheap NBA Jam. Games are customizable. You can play up to four periods of 90 seconds each. This means that no game can last longer than six minutes. It fits well with the arcade genre. Some of the game's features include easy controls, replays, various unlockable characters, character customization, and more. The game is completely free, but it contains ads.

Bouncy Basketball

Developer: Unknown

Price: Free


Dude Perfect 2

World famous for his intense sports precision videos. The game doesn't stand out much. You throw objects over, over, or around obstacles to get the perfect throw. It's not a difficult game, but it's fun if you need to kill time. Other game features include challenges, unlockable characters, and more. It's not a basketball game in the classic sense, but in this game you actually throw a basketball into a basket, so it counts.

Dude Perfect 2

Developer: Unknown

Price: Free

Also Read: Top 20 Free Android Games


ESPN Fantasy Sports

One of the largest fantasy basketball platforms on the internet. You can play with friends, join random leagues with strangers, and do everything fantasy basketball related like trading players or exploring free agency. The application allows you to edit the squad, add / remove players, customize the team and communicate with other league managers. That's basically all you need for such an application. There are a few bugs and we recommend checking your command on the computer from time to time to make sure the application is doing its job.

ESPN Fantasy Sports

Developer: Unknown

Price: Free

See also: Top 15 Android games of the year


NBA 2K Mobile

This is 2K's big basketball release this year. It features a real basketball game with surprisingly decent graphics. The controls are a little mediocre, but still better than most games. Some of the game's features include a story mode featuring some of basketball's biggest names and franchises. Plus, there's a career mode for custom players, a modern soundtrack, and more. The game had several major bugs on its initial release. However, most of them have been removed. The game easily ranks among the best basketball games on Android.

NBA 2K Mobile Basketball Online

Developer: Unknown

Price: Free

Read also: 10 most relaxing Android games


NBA JAM by EA SPORTS™

NBA Jam is probably our favorite Android basketball game. This is a port of the old classic arcade game of the same name. You play two-on-two basketball with a lighter set of rules. You can push, steal and dunk your way to victory. The game includes hardware controller support, Android TV support, local and online multiplayer support, campaign mode, and more. We wish all basketball games on mobile devices were this good. Basically, it's a flawless port of the arcade game 1990s. We also hope EA keeps updating it so it doesn't become out of date.

NBA JAM by EA SPORTS™

Developer: Unknown

Price: To be announced

Read also: The best retro games for Android


NBA LIVE Mobile

The official NBA game for Android. There are still redeeming qualities in the game. They include great graphics, decent controls, and every NBA team and player. You get online multiplayer, various game modes, live events, and more. Game updates tend to mess things up a bit. Plus, it's an EA sports game. However, it's fun, at least for a while, before the free content hits.

NBA LIVE Mobile Basketball

Developer: Unknown

Price: Free


NBA NOW 22

NBA Now 22 is new to the list. It uses the same elements as other basketball games. For example, you get new players for your team by getting decks of cards and opening them. Fortunately, that's not all. You can play real basketball although the controls are a bit simple. You get a joystick and when you move enough you get extras like shooting or passing. It's definitely not something you'll find on the console. However, it is much better than basketball games which are mostly just card collecting games.

NBA NOW 22

Developer: Unknown

Price: Free


Street Basketball Association

Another street basketball game. It's a free game, for better or worse. The game includes various game modes, including online and local multiplayer, quick play mode, league games, special events, and training mode. The mechanics are simple. You play half court ball with fairly simple rules. Includes various difficulty levels. So you can challenge yourself or just smash some simple artificial intelligence on days when you just want to relax. A little slower for basketball, but not by much.

Street Basketball Association

Developer: Unknown

Price: Free

See also: 15 best platform games for Android


If we missed any great basketball games for Android, tell us about them in the comments.


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