Basketball is a game that people enjoy all over the world. Just as with anything else, becoming good at basketball takes dedication and practice. Reading through the article here is going to teach you what you need to know, so continue on.
Learn how to hit a free throw shot. The free throw shot might seem simple, but it can actually be pretty difficult. Practice often using the following technique. Begin by holding the ball directly in front of your face. Picture yourself going through the shot in your mind, with the ball sinking through the net. Shoot the basketball exactly as you saw in your mind.
Know how to dribble the ball in the correct way. When you dribble, use the fingertips, not the palm. Using your fingers allows you to better control the basketball. Dribble off to the side waist high. You should always look upwards instead of at the ground.
You must learn how to dribble, how a crossover is done and other important ball handling skills. In a crossover, you transfer the basketball from hand to hand. Speed determines the success of the crossover move. When done correctly, a good crossover dribble assists you in being efficient and helping you change direction when you need to.
Knowing how to perform a crossover is a must when you handle the basketball frequently. A crossover happens when you switch hands the ball is in. The move must be done quickly if it is going to work. If you do it right, a crossover dribble will assist you in changing directions and getting down the court in an efficient manner.
Your mind plays as big a part in making a free throw as your actual body does. You may know how to make a free throw but if your focus is off, then you will miss. Stay relaxed and just focus on the goal and you will increase your free throw rate.
A smart tip to follow while playing basketball is to always keep your eye on the ball and not away from the play. This will give you court awareness and keep you from being surprised by quick passes or turnover potentials. You will want to keep extra attention on areas that could improve your position as well.
Frequent pass catching practice is important. Try to catch all of the passes that are thrown to you. During a real game, many of the passes that come your way will be off-target and tougher to handle. You can do the rest of your team a favor by practicing how you can best complete imperfect passes.
If your shooting is suffering, take a close look at your shoulders. If your shoulders are in a bad position, no matter how good you are, you won’t make the shot. Make sure your shoulders are always square towards the hoop. You want your strong-side shoulder in perfect alignment with the rim.
If you have student that wants to play basketball for their high school team, they will need to spend some time training their core muscles. Core muscles include hips, abs and the lower back. A good core leads to a solid foundation and that is required to be very good at basketball. A solid and strong core lets force that comes from the legs get used for beneficial movements when playing, like faster running and higher jumping.
Practice your footwork and control the position of your feet at all times. If you have the ball and you step outside the baseline, then you’re out of bounds. Also, you can cause a turnover if you walk without dribbling the ball. Also, moving a foot when setting up a screen can result in a foul.
If you’ve developed somewhat of a shooting slump, focus on your shoulders. If your shoulders are in a bad position, no matter how good you are, you won’t make the shot. Shoulders should be towards the hoop. The shoulder that is dominant should be perfectly aligned with the hoop rim.
If the other team has a good defense, passing the ball between your legs is a good option. This will make it very hard for your defender to get it. If you can master this move, it will give you quite the advantage when you are on the court.
You need to be quick to play good basketball. To get an advantage over an opposing player, you must have the quickest reactions. Playing fast requires steady drilling. Do not try playing faster than you can. Playing beyond your speed cause the game to get out of control with various turnovers and errant passes.
Learn to pass the ball without looking at your intended target. This will easily confuse your opponents. If you can pull it off, it’s effective to draw your opponents away from the shooter. That way the shooter gets a great look before shooting. You must practice this move with your teammates so that everyone on your team understands what is going on.
Where are your feet? If you slide onto the baseline, you will lose the ball for being 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. Being aware of your body movements can give you an advantage on the court.
Being a good defensive player involves disrupting your opponent’s concentration. Make them uncomfortable. Your defensive moves must be aggressive and executed properly. This will keep them from being able to choose which plays they will make. If you let them control the game, you will lose. Instead, you move first and throw them off their game.
Workout to increase flexibility and strength in your hands and forearms. Wrist curls are great for bettering your ball handling in basketball to the point where you could practically do it sleepwalking. Do not make the mistake of thinking you can stay stationary, catch all the ball, and shoot them from that same location. While this does happen on occasion, you should be moving in order to execute the play.
Workout to increase flexibility and strength in your hands and forearms. Wrist curls work well at helping you handle the ball. You will not be able to stand in one place and shoot. Your ability to handle the ball will affect your success on the court.
Dribble hard to make it less likely for the ball to be stolen. This will make the ball come back to you faster, and the opponent will have a hard time to get it from you. If someone is close to you and is really good at guarding you, pass to another person that’s open.
You need to take a charge anytime you can. By taking a charge, your team will get the ball. This can be devastating to the other team.
Always maintain a defensive stance when you are trying to properly defend the goal. Use your opposite foot to push with or slide your feet around. Never cross your feet and your opponents will find you a difficult player.
Changing your pace is key to keeping the offense on their toes. As you run towards the net, plant your front foot and begin to straighten up. The guard will assume you are reducing speed and will do the same. All the while, push ahead hard then run past them.
Maintain a lower position as you play defense. This helps you jump fast and react quickly. Stay in your defensive stance. You may have to break your stance if you must block a shot, but return as fast as you can.
While you’re dribbling the basketball it is wise to bend your knees. It makes it much easier to control the ball while dribbling as opposed to standing straight up, which makes controlling the ball much harder. You will gain a lot of ball control by bending your knees just a bit.
Here is how you can change a normal two-three zone to become a trapping machine. You will need for the top two guards to wait until the time when the point guard is approximately 10 feet beyond the midcourt. Then your defending guards should encircle the point guard to trap him in place. It also lets you have forwards on blocks sprint to the wing players. You will see the opposing point guard make a bad pass that anyone on your team can steal.
To make your shooting skills better, shoot from all around the court. Practice dribbling and quick shots. Make eye contact with the target as you are off the ground, but not a moment sooner. Your accuracy will get better and you’ll have a better idea of what real game conditions will be like.
Use workouts to better your game. Running, both sprints and long distance, can help your game. Resistance training or weightlifting builds better muscles for shots. Building your muscles and your confidence will help you game in many ways.
Work on dribbling the ball while switching the momentum of the body from side to side. In the middle of a game, lots of dribbling situations will arise. It is possible to be completely open, but it is also possible to be surrounded. You have to be able to lean and still dribble straight. This allows you to extricate yourself from high-pressure situations.
Practice shots from all regions of the court. The first thing to do is to practice on your balance and your grip. Shooting when off-balance isn’t impossible, but it isn’t effective either. You can use your basketball’s valve to improve grip. Using your dominant hand, grip the ball with wide-spread fingers. Be sure that the center portion of your hand is covering the air valve located at the basketball’s center.
Stopped Dribbling
Many shots from the court corner end up sailing right over the basket. If that happens, you need to anticipate when it will land so you can catch it on the rebound.
Double dribbling is a huge no-no. This occurs when you have stopped dribbling, held the ball for a few seconds, and then start dribbling again. After you quit dribbling the only thing you can do is shoot or pass. Once you have stopped dribbling you have to get rid of the ball. This will make a turnover occur which means the opponent will get the ball.
Maintain strong team camaraderie both on and away from the court. A team that works together is an unstoppable team. Trusting your teammates is key to becoming a good team and also bettering your own skills, and that leads to your team winning lots of games!
When you use these tips, you will have more fun when playing basketball. Start with the great advice in the article above and keep on learning as much as you can. Keep this advice in mind and keep working hard.
You should be have ways to alter the path your opponent is planning on taking. Regardless of whether you play defense or offense, the ability to control the other team creates a significant advantage. Doing so makes it easier for you to navigate the court without interference from the other player.
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