A great thing about the game of basketball is that the fundamentals are easy to learn. You can pick up the basics in several minutes. However, there is always more to learn if you want to be a better basketball player, and the following tips will help.
Learn to correctly dribble the ball. Instead of using your palm to dribble focus on using your fingertips. Doing so will allow you a greater degree of ball control. Be sure to dribble beside your body instead of in front of yourself. Bounce the ball at a level even with your waist. You should always look upwards instead of at the ground.
Many people forget that defense is the key to winning.Defense is how you and a win. Offense may be splashier, so it draws the attention of fans and journalists, any basketball team is destined to lose.
Make sure you are dribbling the ball correctly. Don’t use your palm to dribble, use your fingers.This helps you to control over the basketball.
You should learn the best way to throw a great bounce pass. It needs to get to the player at their waist. It’s best to bounce the basketball about 75 percent of the way towards your teammate. Of course, there are also other factors involved.
Always keep your head up and looking forward. You haven’t practiced enough if you keep looking at the basketball while dribbling.Bring your ball no matter where you go out.Dribble the ball when you’re walking the shops. If you’re looking at the basketball, there is no way you can know what else is happening on the court.
Play games against yourself in and before it. While basketball is a team sport, you may not be able to find others that will play. You can still accomplish a lot with solo games. Practice pivoting or doing free throw shooting. You can always work on.
If you’re injured in a basketball game, don’t attempt to play while in pain. Basketball is very physical and there’s always a risk of injury. Trying to tough it out and keep playing, even if you are experiencing discomfort, can exacerbate an injury even more. If the pain is bad, visit a doctor.
Good footwork is essential to escaping coverage and putting yourself in position to take a vital part of basketball.You must beat your opponent to the open spot.Once you have gotten into position, you also need to secure your spot. Both of those skills rely on some solid footwork.
Understanding your opponent is key in beating a good way to shut him down on defense. Watch tapes of their games and be sure you’re paying attention to scouting reports. Once you have a solid idea of your opponent, you can do a lot better when you’re on defense. A defender is a strong defender.
Practice passing while looking the opposite direction. This can go a long way toward confusing the opposition. 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. It can be a really powerful move in the game.
Build your core strength and focus on your footwork. Your body will be more balanced and easier to move faster when you have strength in your core muscles. Focus on the back, abdomen, and hip muscle groups. Jump rope can be used to speed up your fancy footwork.
To maximize your layups, begin your takeoff on the foot opposite from the hand you’re shooting with. This will keep your body and allows you to use yourself as a barrier between the defender and yourself.
Dribble hard to make it less likely for the ball to be stolen. This is because the ball returns to you hand faster, so the opposing team has less of a chance to get it. If another player is getting too close to you, it is best to pass the ball if a teammate is open.
Good footwork can really help you get those rebounds. The person defending the position down-court from you will be coming at you, so find a way to slip around him and get to the ball. This gets you to secure the rebound without you committing a foul.
Be sure that your vision is unobstructed. This isn’t just so you can read the scoreboard and be able to make good shots as well as catching passes that come your way. You need to have the best peripheral vision is at its best.
To turn a normal 2-3 zone into a trapping machine, have your top two defenders (your guards) wait until the point guard has come about ten feet past the time line (midcourt). Then, they need to run at the point guard to trap him. As your guards are doing this, send your forwards out to the outside opponents. Your forwards should easily be able to steal the pass that the point guard throws.
You may have just learned how to play basketball right before you read the above information. Perhaps you grew up playing the sport. Either way, the information here can help you improve your game. Follow the advice presented here the very next time you play basketball.