Playing the game is the best way to get in shape for the game. Playing in practice or pick-up games is never as intense as playing in actual competition, but it is the next best thing. If you want to replicate the running, sprinting, sliding, jumping, and lunging of real games...you've got to run, sprint, slide, jump, and lunge in practice or pick-up games.

Remember that most pick-up games are pretty slow placed, with lots of players just out there trying to score as many points as possible, taking it easy on defense, and generally trying to not tire themselves out too much. It's up to you to pick up the intensity. Even if everyone else it taking it easy, you can push yourself on both ends of the floor to make it worth your while.

Try to guard the best offensive player on the other team to really get a food defensive workout. Try to grab as many rebounds as possible so that you really work on that area of your game. Sprint up the court on every fast break, and sprint back on defense on every defensive stand so that you get as good of a workout in as possible.

Jump rope drills
Jump rope drills are good way to get in shape. Don't believe me? Grab a jump rope and try to go full-speed for five minutes straight. You probably can't do it, because that would be one heck of a workout, and you'd have to be in amazing shape to be able to do that.

Adding jump rope drills to your workout routine can be an excellent way of increasing your overall fitness level. Start off every workout with stretching and warm up. For jump rope drills, try 30 seconds of half-paced jumping. Then, for the next round, increase the pace. Try 30 seconds jumping with both feet, then rest for a minute. Then, try 30 seconds alternating jumps from one foot to the other.

You can slowly increase the length of each set (go from 30 seconds to 45, then to one full minute) as you get in better shape.

Interval training
Interval training is an amazing way to push yourself to higher fitness levels. Interval training involves exercising at high intensity, followed by lower intensity rest periods, followed again by high intensity.

As always, stretch and warm up before doing any interval training. Here's a good exercise: go to a school track and jog one time around the track to warm up. Once you are warmed up, try sprinting the straight-away at full speed, then slow down to a jog (or walk) around the curved portion of the track. Continue this routine (sprinting followed by walking or jogging) several times. Once you build up your stamina, you can increase the length of the high-intensity part of the training, and shorten the rest periods.