One of the best basketball strategies is when a team consciously plays fast at certain times of the game. In this way your team is deciding the pace of the game and quickening the pace at the right times. This increases the scoring opportunities for your team and puts more pressure on the opponent's defense to stop the scoring. This article describes when to play fast and how to do it effectively.

It is good for your team to play fast in the following situations: when your team's defense makes a steal or interception, when your team gets a rebound off shots that rebound to the foul line area, and when your rebounder can dribble quickly out of the crowd going for the rebound. All three of these situations are difficult for the opponent's defense to get back quickly enough to defend a fast break by your team. The key is that your 5 players on the court know to play fast in these situations. In this way, you create a numbers advantage for your team when your 5 players are running fast to the basket while the opponent's team is struggling to get back on defense.

Your players can play fast effectively by doing the following. Your ball possessor who has gotten the rebound, steal, or interception is to dribble quickly away from the opponents and toward the middle of the court. The ball possessor's job is to get to the basket as soon as possible. Your ball possessor's teammates are to run as fast as they can, filling the left and right sides of the court. The third player after the ball possessor is to be a "trailer" and move to the foul line area for a possible pass. The fourth player is to run fast to fill an open space to receive a pass. The ball possessor is to dribble to the foul line and then either pass to the first open teammate or attempt a makeable shot. The five players keep moving to open spots. They do all that they can to make it difficult for the opponent's defense to guard them. All 5 of your players follow the shot taken and are determined to get an offensive rebound. This is another benefit of playing fast: it is hard for the opponent's defense to position effectively for defensive rebounds. Thus your team's shot opportunities increase.

When your team is aware of when it wants to play fast and then does it consistently, more shot opportunities occur for your team. It is a fun way to play basketball and is effective in increasing your team's scoring. Throughout the season, you can chart your team's progress in seizing the opportunities to play fast as well as the outcomes gotten for your team offense.