Do you know everything you want to know about the popular game of basketball? Don’t worry, there are many more just like you! Very few basketball lovers can play at a high level. This article is packed with basketball tips.
You must learn how to dribble, how a crossover is done and other important ball handling skills. This term refers to switching the hand you use. Speed determines the success of the crossover move. One done the right way, the crossover dribble can help you change directions and get down the court more efficiently.
Many people only direct their attention to the offensive part of the game without realizing that defense is the key to winning. Defense is what keep the other team from scoring. While everyone focuses on shots made, a good defense can kill the chances of even an amazing shot taker.
Know your strengths and they’ll help you become a better player. Your best skills may not be center-stage every game, but knowing how to play the best angles can help you give more to your team. Focus on the skills you have and work to make them better.
It is important that you practice layups. Almost 80% of shots will be layups. The best practice strategy is to go full tilt toward the hoop, then do a smooth jump shot. Running and jumping well in practice means better jump shooting in actual games.
Perfect your layup technique. This is the most popular shot in basketball. When you practice, run toward the net, and then get a high jump in so you can smoothly shoot. Like everything, practicing at game speed will only improve your skill and have you ready to play at the fastest pace.
Practice Catching Passes
A good tip about passing is try doing it without dribbling the ball. This is very hard to accomplish, but it forces you and your fellow players to work on accurate passing skills. Try not to lose yourself in frustration if you do not master it immediately, with the more time that passes with you and your team practicing, the more accurate they will become.
Make sure to practice catching passes. When practicing make sure you drill yourself to catch errant throws as well as picture perfect passes. During a real game, many of the passes that come your way will be off-target and tougher to handle. Therefore, it pays to practice catching passes that are a bit off-target.
Lifting weights too much can actually take away from your jump shot. You do need muscle conditioning and strength, but you can have too much when it comes to shooting field goals. Some shooting guards worked on their arms so much that they started lowering their percentage of field goals.
If you experience a basketball injury, don’t keep playing. The sport of basketball is very physical, which makes one susceptible to injury. Being tough is one thing, but playing through injury can only harm you even further and make the problem much worse. Be sure to seek medical care if you have a serious injury.
If posting up is what you’re doing, you have to have good footwork to get open for a shot. There are two important points you must remember. You must create a physical presence below the basket, and you must secure a good spot in advance of your opponent. Once you find a spot, you need to know how to defend it. Practicing your footwork is important to master these skills.
Make sure your fingers are apart from one another when dribbling. This keeps it under control. Also, keep your palm off the ball. Fingers need to be the only thing that touches the ball when you shoot it or pass it.
Remember to spread your fingers when handling the ball. You are more likely to hold onto the ball this way. Also, keep your palm off the ball. Only use your fingers to dribble, pass or shoot.
Speed is everything in the sport of basketball. If you want the advantage, you need to be quicker than your opponents. Fast play is a result of heavy drilling. Just don’t play any faster than you’re able to. Doing so can cause the game to spin out of control as turnovers and faulty passes are made.
Having a pre-free-throw shot routine will help you become dependable at free throws. This may mean you want to dribble three times, touch your forehead, bend at the knees, or do anything else. When you have a steady and consistent routine, your muscles will remember what to do to shoot those free throw shots.
Practice your footwork and control the position of your feet at all times. Placing even a single toe atop the baseline while holding the ball will result in you being ruled out of bounds. You could also be the reason for a turnover if you get called for walking when you take more steps than allowed without dribbling. Also, when you’re moving your feet when a screen is being set, you can take a charge or pick to try and get a foul.
A consistent pre-shot routine when at the line will increase your chance at success. If you are inconsistent then your shot will be off. You should work on your free throw techniques as much as possible until they become a second nature. If you break your routine, you’ll start missing shots.
If you want to make the most of your layup, push up from the foot that is opposite the hand you will shoot from. Practice shooting using your right hand, then jump off your left foot. Doing this lets you maintain balance and movement towards the goal, while keeping your body in between your defender and your shot.
Perform drills where you attempt to get the ball up full-court in 5 dribbles or less. This might seem impossible at first, but if you achieve it, you will have remarkable stride length and speed. If you master this, you will be able to quickly take layups.
Your forearms and hands should be strengthened if you wish to handle the ball better. Wrist curls work well at helping you handle the ball. Making a goal isn’t just standing there as the ball miraculously comes to you and then shooting it at the basket. The ball should always be in control and moving.
When dibbling the ball, bend your knees. Standing while dribbling will make it much easier for the opponent to steal the ball from you. You only need to bend your knees slightly to improve your control of the basketball.
Dribble hard to avoid ball stealing. The harder you dribble, the faster the ball will return to the cup of you hand. When someone is right on top of you, pass the ball instead of dribbling.
To help practice three-point shooting you should practice shooting at the NBA distance. The line in every other league is closer. If you can make a basket from there, you will open up the defense because they will have to play you closely.
Alter your pace to confuse the opposition. When running toward the hoop, plant your leading foot and start to straighten up. The guard will think you are slowing down and will also straighten themselves. When that happens, push ahead and run past.
Switch your body’s weight from side to side while practicing your dribbling. Remember that you must dribble in a variety of situations during a basketball game. You might be working with a court that’s open, but you may get swarmed by quite a few people. Being able to dribble while shifting momentum is the key to controlling and keeping the ball. This will help you maneuver around trouble.
Strength Training
You should spend some time shooting from various places on the court. Begin with practicing your grip and balance. While it is possible to shoot off balance, it isn’t always accurate. The valve that’s on the basketball can be used to improve your grip. Splay your dominant hand’s fingers, and place the middle of your hand atop the valve at the basketball’s center.
Basketball players can greatly benefit from strength training. When you play basketball you need a lot of stamina and strength to keep going through the entire game. Even the youngest kids that play will benefit from the game. When they become teenagers, they can start using weights to increase their exercise. When you get to be an adult is when you want to concentrate on strength training to help improve durability on the court.
Be careful not to double-dribble. You get called for double dribbling if you stop your dribble and then begin again. After you quit dribbling the only thing you can do is shoot or pass. You can’t just start dribbling again. That is also referred to as a turnover, and the ref will call it for your opponent.
Switch your body’s weight from side to side while practicing your dribbling. Remember that you must dribble in a variety of situations during a basketball game. It is likely that you will be fending off two or more players from the opposing team. Practice dribbling while leaning in many different directions. It will allow you to escape trouble a lot of the time.
Take advantage of a player that shows weakness with a particular hand by forcing them to that side. For instance, you could step toward a player on their right side to force them to switch to their left hand. Keep your head parallel to their chest and be ready to take away the ball.
Use the hand you’re not dribbling with to create a barrier between the ball and the opponent. This is much safer than just shoving an opponent, which is a serious foul and bad sportsmanship to boot. When dribbling, use it as a shield.
When you shoot, do what you can to temper your nerves. This will help improve your focus during the shot. You should work to keep your eyes on the point furthest away from you on the hoop when you’re shooting. However, if you are going in for the lay-up, move your eyes to the area of the backboard that you need to bank the ball off of.
After catching a ball on the rebound, position your legs so that they are set more widely than your shoulders. This improves your balance upon landing. Hold the ball tightly against your chest with one hand on each side. Watch that your elbows don’t hit an opponent or a foul will be called.
You must know as a ball handler how to read when to take a shot and when you should be passing. Better to be responsible for a shot that leads to a win, than to be that one player whose bad shot cost the team a win.
It is important to know what to do when the ball comes to you. Should you shoot it or pass it? When you assist, you are still winning the game.
Make passing an important element of your game. Passing is a good way to misdirect your opponent. Being a team player will get your team to appreciate you. Passing is an important part of playing this game. In the meantime, do everything you can to help your team get an edge on the competition.
Always focus on where the ball is going after it leaves your teammates hands or the opposing players hands. Rebounds are an integral part of the game. It makes no difference if you defend well when the other team misses a shot if you are unable to retrieve the ball.
When playing defense, focus on forcing your opponent onto the sidelines. Allowing your opponents to drive down the middle lets them have a wide array of possible plays. Getting them to move toward the sideline will lower the amount of choices they have.
The tips you’ve just read can elevate you from a casual enthusiast to an effective basketball player. Now that you’ve read this compilation of tips, however, you’re ready to act like a pro. Therefore, take this advice with you, go out and play a game!
Every shot from your opponent should be contested. Keep your arms up and spread out to protect the basket from a possible shot. Weak defense and found openings make for exploitation of your team’s weaknesses when the coach finds out. He or she will run plays to do just that. The other team will take advantage of ever defensive lapse from your team.
About The Author
