Do you guys get nervous during a game?

[Doobie]

Well , last year on my recreation team , I was supposed to be the star of my team , the missing peice to my teams run for a championship . Anyways , I did excellent during practices and scrimages (when there are no people except the people who play) and during that period I averaged like 25 ppg and I was excellent . Everyone had high expectations for me . Anyways , season starts , and Out of nowhere I choke , I got the playing time but barely scored in 4 games .I got nervous , shot airballs , missed open lay-ups , made stupid passes , etc.... I went from being the star to being a bench warmer in 3 games . Do you guys have any on how to stop you being nervous while people watch you play? Has this eveer happened to you guys?

[COOLmac©]

i used to be when i was a rookie in my HS team. NOW I FEED ON THE OPPONENTS FEAR> somehow experienced has paid off and i became a bit of a ballhog. jacking of 20 shots per game.

and oh yeah i feel akward everytime my girlfriends/ex/family watches the game. to compensate or to get my game back, i usually hit a guy in the head, do an intentionally hard foul, scream at the ref or kick the play boards in the court [just get a T will be aight] anyways i am more nervous when coaching than playing.

[J@3]

Never got nervous during a game... before a game I would but during the game there was nothing to be nervous about at all. As soon as the game started everything seemed to go in slow motion, so I had time to think everything through and I knew that it'd work because I'd put so much thought into it.

Btw, COOLmac that's probably the worst sig at the NLSC "We aint no retards. We're scientist"?

[BOSS]

Every game I always get the shivers but like I say to myself, there is no reason why I should be. It's like a normal game. But as I get into a game, I feel intense and anger on the court.

[cyanide]

I always got nervous before a game, but never nervous during a game. I always get that adrenaline and that quiet cocky attitude when the game starts, and let the game speak for itself. I know what you mean by the choking part, you're under pressure to perform, but don't let the pressure get to you, just let your game speak for itself. Pretend nobody's watching and that you're out there to kill. Get that every man for himself mentality and have that attitude where your opponents are banging your mom every night (no jokes pls) and laughing at you. I don't know why I said that last part, but getting pissed off helps too

[BOSS]

Ye. The more angry you get during a game, the more you will do better. Thats how i am. I get angry and cocky and don't take shit for no one. haha

[COOLmac©]

Btw, COOLmac that's probably the worst sig at the NLSC "We aint no retards. We're scientist"?

oh shit i forgot to put an "S" it should read
"we aint no retards, we're Scientists"


anyways anger is much better than frustrations. during my soccer years i enjoyed the best team mates i have in all my life, we played the game like it was only playground kids game. yeah we did a lot of cursing but the bond the unselfishness of the entire cohesive unit is great. feels like every man is watching each othere butt [the irony i never won any major championships but only second place finishes with that team of 4 years]

now lets skip my college basketball team. move on to my old farts nd old chumps teams which basically get me frustrated. i was dead tired runnin up and down the court and these guys only care for themselves, it loses my focus on the game and my will and love for the game has gone flying off the window. its better to be angry and cocky than to be frustrated or nervous. trust me it does


and to CY. i can imagine you turning to your rap self during ball games. now im scared

[Jona]

Never got nervous during a game... before a game I would but during the game there was nothing to be nervous about at all.

That's what happens to me.
Maybe you should try not to think about the people watching, if that's what makes you nervious, but instead focus on your game.

[Andrew]

I too used to get nervous before a game but it all disappeared once I got on the court. Then again a lot of successful professional athletes are the same way so I'd say it's a pretty normal reaction and not necessarily a bad thing. Bill Russell used to get physically ill before games, if he didn't Red Auerbach would tell him to go to the bathroom and throw up. He had a pretty decent career.

[j.23]

home games i used to be a little bit nervous because it was infront of family and friends you were playin for.. but once i stepped on the court everything was alright. i loved away games though.. i pretty much had nothing to lose, my adrenaline would be pumping and i could pretty much run all day

[Jugs]

I usually get frustrated during games but my coaches have helped me turn the frustrations into anger and aggression and now i'm some angry mofo who wants the ball..

I'm not really nervous because i know have enough ability to actually do something.. I did have a lot of pressure on me to perform well in my Grand Final, i reckon i performed quite well... I won runner up MVP for my team for the whole season which is a HUGE confidence booster for me and the future..

I don't really get nervous because i know what to do when i get the ball (usually just drive in) but i probably get nervous on my free throws, im not really good at those...

[Null17]

pretty much. I get pretty stiff when playing games that count. I crack under pressure I guess. have to learn to play these games like I do on pickup games

[Kemp]

I don't feel nervous at all when I steps on the court. It is just a game, so just go out there and have fun, that is always in my mind. Once I start playing, I am focus on the game and my nerves are all calm. As long as I know how to play the game of basketball, I don't need to worry about anything.

[J@3]

I get pretty stiff when playing games that count.

Stop playing against girls then.

[Jugs]

I get pretty stiff when playing games that count.

Stop playing against girls then.

i played a bit of mixed basketball once and some random chick just punched in the balls when i was dribbling up the court, i fell over and i was like fuck but i was still dribbling the ball so i got up and still scored, then it didnt hurt anymore

[Null17]

I get pretty stiff when playing games that count.

Stop playing against girls then.

but girls are more fun to play with

[J@3]

I played unisex comps for a while, this really really hot girl kept rubbing up against me while posting up, it was almost like getting a lap dance. It was quite distracting and I played badly.

[point-guard]

i nv choke in any competition..well...i m always nervous before the game,but not in the game.i m the star of my team..but i always request not to be a starter..so i can look at my opponent..after awhile,when i know i can beat them,in skills or speed..i will start to play like normal.because i know those guys cant defend me..but for your case,i believe gaining more experience will help.i choke in my rookie years too

[cklitsie]

i nv choke in any competition..well...i m always nervous before the game,but not in the game.i m the star of my team..but i always request not to be a starter..so i can look at my opponent..after awhile,when i know i can beat them,in skills or speed..i will start to play like normal.because i know those guys cant defend me..but for your case,i believe gaining more experience will help.i choke in my rookie years too

You are... cocky. It's also a form of fear when you ask you coach not too start, that's so weak.
I'm always nervous before games and sometimes I suddenly don't want to play anymore but you just have to tell yourself it's nothing different from a pick-up game.

Also for Doobie, when you have a hard time finding your stroke in games, you need to start out with safe plays first, ie. lay-ups and easy scores and stuff like nice passes or tight defense. That will give you the confidence and adrenaline to perform better later on.

[J@3]

you're the star but you ask to play off the bench

"Oh yeah I'm the best player on my team... I just ask the coach not to put me on, you know, to save me for the NBA or something"

[Jugs]

Idiot, i LOVE to start on the starting Five... it shows im ready and shit... i just love to play basketball (doesnt mean im a uberstar at it )

[Cloudy]

I'm always nervous, I hope I won't this year...
Two years ago I was too damn nervous and despite starting as SG, I played like 5 minutes per game with maybe 0.5 ppg.
But in normal games at school, I play well... And I spent last year and this year training and get more stablel and not let the crowds bother me..

[cyanide]

I played unisex comps for a while, this really really hot girl kept rubbing up against me while posting up, it was almost like getting a lap dance. It was quite distracting and I played badly.

While on the subject, one day our team played a scrimmage against our girl's team in practice, and I got blocked My teammates hounded me for the rest of that evening.

[Drex]

Was she taller than you? 'Cause if she wasn't, then we'll mock you for the rest of your life

[J@3]

I got blocked from behind by a girl once

I'm 6'5, she was about 5'4 and ran around the court doing the typical girl thing "OMG IIIIIII BLOCKED YOU IIIIIIIII BLOCKED YOU". If she wasn't attractive I might've just flattened her on the next play