If you have wished you were a basketball star, then you know that it takes dedication and much practice. Even if you’re playing for recreation, you want to be good right? Reading the following article will help you make some improvements in your future basketball games.
Perfect your free throw. This may seem like an easy task, but in reality, things prove otherwise. Practice often using the following technique. Start out by holding the basketball right in front of you. Concentrate on the basket and visualize the basketball going in. Then throw the ball just as you had visualized.
Many people only direct their attention to the offensive part of the game without realizing that defense is as important as offense during practice. Defense is how you win a win. Offense gets all the praise and attention, but when you lack good defense, any team is sure to lose.
Make sure you are dribbling the ball correctly. When dribbling the basketball, only use your fingertips instead of your palms. This way you’ll have a lot more control of the ball.
To learn how to pass well, drill without dribbling. This is very hard to accomplish, but it forces you and your fellow players to work on accurate passing skills. Even though this is not an easy drill, you will be rewarded for your efforts during game time.
Learn how to maneuver a crossover if you have the ball often. This move entails transferring the hand to the left hand. The action must be very swift if it is going to work. When you do it right, a crossover dribble lets you alternate directions suddenly so that you can move down the entire court quickly.
Do not restrict your practices to zone defense plays. While a great portion of a game will be concentrated in the zone, your opponent might flip the switch to man-to-man coverage just to change things up and surprise you. If you haven’t practiced against it, you may lose the match fast.
When injuries occur on the court, it is unwise to keep on playing. It’s easy to be hurt when playing basketball. Playing through an injury can prolong it which is always bad. Anytime you have a serious injury, you should seek medical attention.
You can learn how to better pass the ball if you forgo dribbling during practice. Playing basketball without dribbling is very challenging, but it can help you and your team learn to make more precise passes.
Don’t pump a lot of iron if you want to be good as a jump shooter. While muscle strength is good to have in any basketball position, perimeter play requires less than other positions. Some professional shooting guards made their arms so much that they started lowering their field goal percentage.
In order to become better at dribbling the ball you should learn how to practice using your weak hand. Being able to effortlessly dribble with both hands gives you the ability to run both sides on an opponent and keep them off guard. Immobilize your dominant hand by tying it behind your back, then practice using your other hand for everything. Soon enough you will develop those weak hand dribbling skills.
This is the hip area, the lower back, and hips. A strong core lets a player generate force with their legs to be applied to faster running and run faster.
Hand signals will help stop you from turning the ball over. Hand signals can tell you if your teammate on the court.
Stay on top of your footwork when attempting a rebound. As you see the defender moving in, quickly slip around to grab the ball. This helps you avoid the foul call and also grab the rebound.
Good footwork is essential to escaping coverage and putting yourself in position to take a vital part of basketball.You always want to beat your opponent to the opposing playing to an open spot. Once you find a spot, you also need to secure your spot. These will both require solid footwork.
Never play through pain after an injury when playing basketball. Basketball is physically demanding and you can easily get injured. Trying to play while injured will just make the injury worse.See a physician if the injury is serious.
Use a 2-3 zone as a way to trap opponents. You can do this by having guards wait for the point guard to come at least 10 feet past midcourt. They can then trap the point guard. Your forwards should then go cover the wing players. A pass should be thrown by the point guard for forwards to steal.
To get better at shooting free throws, practice and develop a routine you will use during each shot. This may mean you want to dribble three times, bend your knees, bend at the knees, or do anything else. As long as it’s quick, it becomes easier for your mind and body to prepare for the shot.
Follow the advice presented here to improve your game and become the best player possible. As you work on your skills, they will improve bit by bit. This plan will be successful.
You should always bend your knees while dribbling. Standing straight will make you see that it’s harder to handle and easier for the opposing players to take. Bending your knees will make a big difference in the way you can control the ball.