Even the NBA’s best players don’t know everything there is to know about this wonderful game. Do you want to be a hand up? Continue reading to gain that competitive edge.
Know your strengths and they’ll help you become a better player. The best talent you have isn’t going to have you starring in every highlight reel, but having a good skill set can benefit your team. Knowing what you excel at and then practicing that can help you become perfect at it!
Many people only direct their attention to the offensive part of the game without realizing that defense is as important as offense during practice. Basketball games are won by great defensive play. Offense gets all the praise and attention, but lacking a solid defense, any basketball team is destined to lose.
Practice your free throws. Practice a lot with the following technique. Start with the basketball right in front of your face. Keep looking at the goal and visualize the ball going into the hoop. Shoot the basketball exactly as you saw in your mind’s eye.
Lay off the weights if you are trying to become a jump shooter. Though muscle strength is great to have with any sport, it is very possible to be too buff for serious game play. Shooting guards that end up with bulked up arms sometimes find that it affects field goal percentages.
Bounce Pass
Learn the way to throw proper bounce pass. A useful bounce pass that’s good is going to end up hitting the other player near their waist. A useful tip is to have the ball to bounce roughly 3/4 of the distance that the recipient. There are other factors you have to think about too, though.
If your shooting is in a slump, take a look at your shoulders. If they’re in a poor position, no matter your skill level, you will be unable to make the shot. Ensure that you line up your shoulders so that they are squared with the basketball net. Line up your shooting shoulder with the rim as well.
Do not practice by playing against zone defense. Most of the game is played in zone, but the other team might decide to surprise you and do some man-to-man coverage.If you are unprepared, you could end up losing your grip on the game quite quickly.
Play basketball games against yourself during the season and out of season. Basketball is a multiple player sport, but there are times when no one is around to play with you. You are able to do a lot accomplished with solo games. Practice pivoting or doing free throw shooting. There are many things you can do.
To land your layups, jump off the foot opposite the hand you shoot with. If you normally shoot using your right hand, jump with your left. Your body will be better balanced and moving in the direction of the basket. Your body will also be kept between the defender and yourself.
Never play through pain after an injury on the court. Basketball is very physical and you can get injured. Trying to play while injured will just make the injury worse.See a physician if the injury is serious enough.
Never have your back to the ball so that you’re ready for what’s coming. This helps you stay on top of the court and lowers chances for surprises from turnovers and quick passes. Keep an eye open for areas that are open.
Work on getting the ball down the length of a full court with five or fewer dribbles during drills. It isn’t impossible, it just takes practice. Being able to do this lets you lead your team on a fast break and gets you to the rim that much quicker.
The key for controlling the ball control is to spread your fingers out. That makes sure that you as you hold it. Don’t let your palm touch it.
Always be aware of your feet and what they’re doing.
If you want a 2-3 zone to be turned into a machine that traps, your two defenders that are guarding should wait until your point guard is around ten feet past mid court. They can then trap the point guard. While this is going on your forwards can be sprinting to the players located on the wings. This will likely cause the point guard to make a high, short pass, which your forwards will steal quite easily.
To become a better free throw shooter, make sure to keep a consistent pre-shot routine. This can include the number of times you dribble, how you position your feet, or some other thing you do to get into a rhythm before shooting. As long as it’s quick, you won’t have any trouble having your body memorize what you’re doing.
Free Throws
Bend your knees when dribbling the basketball. The basketball is much harder to control if you stand tall and the opposing team can snatch it more easily. Just a little bending at the knees can make a huge difference in your overall ball control.
A consistent pre-shot routine when at the line will help you to achieve great free throws. If you’re not consistent you’ll be off when you shoot. The simplest way to make sure you’re doing great at free throws is to do repetitions of the same routines time and again.
Your forearms and hands should be strengthened in order for you wish to handle the ball better.Wrist curls can be great for bettering your ball handling skills. You will not be able to stand and shoot for the whole game.You have to learn to move fast and change directions on a dime.
Practice dribbling while you switch your body’s momentum from one side to the other. Expect to encounter many different situations in a game. 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. By nailing this skill, you have a better chance to avoid a turnover.
You need to take a charge when the opportunity presents itself.
Keep your feet from crossing to make it hard for your opponent in order to ensure the best possible defense.
Practice shooting the ball from many different areas in order to improve your ability. The first thing you should do is practice your grip and balance. You can shoot off balance, but it’s not very accurate. The valve that’s on the basketball can be used to improve your grip. Put the middle of your shooting hand over the basketball’s valve.
Strength Training
Strength training can help in basketball. Stamina and physical strength are two things you need to do well in this sport. Even kids will benefit from strength training. As they reach their teen years, let them start using weights for added benefits.
Communication is the key to basketball. This should be done during your practices as well. Come up with hand signals and words which tell the other team members what your plan is. You can communicate secretly where you want players to be.
To improve three-point shooting, practice it from the minimum NBA approved distance. The international line and college lines are much closer. By learning to shoot from NBA distances, you will be used to getting a look a little further than what most defenses will cover.
Hopefully you’re able to be more confident about playing a game of basketball after reading through the tips above. These tips are designed to show you how to be the best player that you can be. Practice daily and continue learning. Keep these tips in mind in order to bring your game up another level.
Practice playing defense. If you are able to block the offense and make off with the ball, you improve your team’s chances of winning. You can improve defensive skills when you have a teammate try and get past you. You should make it your goal to get them to stop and to take the ball from them.