Countless people derive euphoric thrills from playing or watching the game of basketball. Although what’s really true is that many people still have lots to learn in order to help them truly enjoy this game even more. Keep reading if you’d like to get some insight as to what you should do to get better at basketball.
You need good balance when you shoot. You’ve seen the pros fall out of bounds when trying to shoot 30 feet from the basket; this is a bad move. This kind of improvisation is the result of years of practice and loads of ability. Keep your balance so you can consistently win points.
It’s natural to be drawn towards offense as a novice, but the pros know defense is where the game is won or lost. Basketball games are often won by great defensive play. While offensive players sometimes seem like the stars of the show, it is the efforts of defensive players that allow them to shine.
Practice catching passes often. You need to be able to retrieve perfect passes and not so perfect passes. When the pressure is on, not every pass will come straight to you. Help your team by learning to catch those bad passes, as well as those perfect passes.
Practice Catching
You want to be prepared for any type of defense the other team plays. Most of the game is played in zone, but your opponent may try to switch things up to do man-to-man coverage. Practicing these techniques can give you a competitive edge over your competition.
Practice the skill of pass catching. You should practice catching errant passes, along with perfectly executed ones. When the game is going on, every pass isn’t going to make it to its target. Therefore, it pays to practice catching passes that are a bit off-target.
If you have a high school level basketball player for a kid, be sure their core muscles are properly trained. This is the hip area, the lower back, and the abs. The core is the muscle group that links the arms and legs together. If their core strength is poor, then so will their athletic performance be. Building strong core muscles will allow your to jump higher, run faster and maintain your balance.
Remember to practice a lot of different possibilities so that you will not limit your game. While much of the game is played in zone, the opponent can flip to man-to-man coverage, changing everything and surprising you. If you have not practiced enough on this scenario, you could run afoul of the scoreboard very fast.
If the opposing team is guarding you to much, you can try a pass between your legs. You can train for this maneuver by stepping forward or backwards as you bounce the ball real hard in-between your legs. Mastering this movement gives you a big advantage on the court.
To be a good post-up player in the pain, you need to have really good footwork. You must be certain to get the good spot ahead of your opponent. After positioning yourself on the court, make sure that you are secure. These skills require solid footwork.
A consistent routine will help you to achieve great free throws. Inconsistency will ruin your shots. The simplest way to get better at shooting free throws is through constant repetitive motions when shooting the ball. A break in your routine will foul the shot.
Have someone record the games you play so that you can watch it to check out your form. Do you see how you could’ve handled a situation differently? Be honest in your assessment but not overly critical. Sometimes you think of yourself as something you are not.
Use small weights and resistance training to build the muscles in both forearms and hands. Wrist curls work well at helping you handle the ball. One thing that is important to remember is that it is difficult to be static and be a scorer. You need to be able to move the basketball to make things happen.
Good footwork will help you get rebounds off your teammates’ foul shots. You’ll have a defender coming at you and this means you have to figure out what can be done to get around them. Then you gain the ball without the foul.
Practice drills where you strive to make it across the full court within 5 dribbles. This might not seem possible, but if you can do it your speed and length will strengthen. This helps give your team the advantage, and allows you to drive the center.
A good basketball drill to perform is to see if you can get the ball down the entire court in 5 or less dribbles. This might seem impossible at first, but if you achieve it, you will have remarkable stride length and speed. This will help you accomplish great layups on those fast breaks.
You need to take charge when the opportunity presents itself. Letting the other guy run into you stops the game without having to use a time out, and adds another four to the opponent’s total. This can make for good psychological warfare.
You can make the 2-3 zone a lot more dangerous by having two defenders stay in this zone until a point guard is beyond the time line. Then your defending guards should encircle the point guard to trap him in place. While they are doing that, the forwards should move out to the wings. Your forwards should easily be able to steal the pass that the point guard throws.
Altering your own pace is a good way to disrupt the opposition. When you’re going towards the net you should plant the foot in front and start straightening up. The offense will believe that you’re stopping or slowing down and may follow in your steps. Push forward and blast by them.
If you want to improve your three-point shooting, try and do it from the NBA distance, at a minimum. The standard line and college lines are much closer. Nailing shots from the NBA line can really help improve your overall shooting skills.
In order to help develop your non-dominant hand, you should use that hand only when trying to open things, and also when brushing your teeth. If your ability to use that hand starts to improve, the benefits to your basketball playing talents will be substantial. This will have a positive impact on your basketball game, too.
You should practice your dribbling while switching your balance from right to left. During game time, you’ll find yourself dribbling from all sorts of positions. The court might be wide open, but you could just as easily be swarmed by many opponents. Because of this, you must be able to dribble efficiently regardless of your body’s position. This will help you maneuver around trouble.
Improve your shooting skills by taking hundreds of different shots from all angles and distances. Try dribbling a little and pull up for your shot. Don’t look at the target until you are in the air. You will increase your level of accuracy and create an experience closer to real game play.
Keep the lines of communication with other players open. It is a sport that requires team work. Playing with the same teammates often helps you understand what they are thinking. This knowledge makes it easier for you to assist each other. Discuss your strengths and weaknesses with teammates so you know where you need improvement.
Only cease dribbling when you are prepared to shoot or pass. The moment you cease dribbling, you have given yourself very few options. If you cannot pass or shoot, you can only pivot with your back foot. This situation leaves you vulnerable to a double team by the defense, and you risk losing the ball.
Dribble rhythmically until you are ready to throw your opponent’s guarding capabilities into disarray. Consistent dribbling followed by fast dribbling can confuse your opponent and put you in place for a shot. Changing the speed is part of what confuses your opponent, but the difference in sound can throw him off, as well.
Try to alter the path of your opponent. With practice, you can learn how to control the path of others players with your footwork. The will help you get to where you want to go and will deter them.
If you want to perform your best in basketball, you need to eat well. Basketball uses a lot of energy; therefore, it is important to fuel your body with lean protein and whole grains. Adding nuts, chicken, peanut butter and whole grain breads to your diet can help. Look for foods with low amounts of fat and sugar.
Make sure you leap for a rebound while in control of your body, and try to land with balance, and you are more likely to end up with the ball. For better power and balance, jump using both feet and take the basketball with both of your hands. Once you gain possession of the ball, your feet should be positioned more widely than your shoulders. Hold the ball near your chest and regain your balance upon landing.
A dribble that’s penetrating is something you have to do when you’re up against a zone defense. Once you split through the defense and penetrate into the key, you force the other team to commit away from your teammates. If you are close enough, take the shot. If you see a teammate that’s open, pass the ball out to them to make the easy shot.
If you notice that a player is weaker with one hand, put them in a situation where they will have to use that hand. Use your body position to make the opponent move in a direction that is not as strong. Keep your center of gravity low at all times so that your chance to steal the ball remains high at all times.
Basketball is a source of joy both as a personal physical activity or fan spectacle. However, to maximize the true potential that basketball offers, it helps to become knowledgeable about what makes the sport a great one. This article has hopefully provided you with a ton of new information.
You need to learn to pass effectively in order to play a better game of basketball. You can confuse the opposition with your passes. It also shows you value teamwork and this will be appreciated by your teammates. You will get time to show off your skills. You don’t want to get the reputation of being a ball hog.
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