Basketball is an exciting, fast-paced sport that keeps fans on their feet. Regardless of your understanding of basketball, there is always room to gain more knowledge of the sport. Keep reading to find out great ways to bring your game skills to a whole new level.
While focusing on offense is fun, you must also make sure you focus on defense. Basketball games are won because of good defense. Offense gets attention and praise, but when you lack good defense, any team can lose.
Make sure that you’re dribbling the ball correctly. When you dribble, only use your fingertips instead of your palms. When you do this you will have more control over the ball. Dribble off to the side waist high. Never look at the ground. Always look up.
If you want to improve your game, play up your strengths. Your talent might not make you a star; however, learning your strengths will help you become a better team player. Perfect what you can do well by practicing and developing the strengths you already have.
Keep your head up when you dribble. If you need to look at the ball while dribbling, you’ll need to practice more. Take your basketball everywhere. Walking to your mailbox? Dribble the ball. If you look at the ball, you’re unable to see what’s going on down the court before you.
Keep practicing your layups. Layups sometimes wind up being 4 out of every 5 shots in basketball. When you practice, you need to be able to run toward the basket at full speed, then shoot while jumping in the air. Practicing your running and jumping as a single motion will improve your technique faster than practicing them separately.
Always work on your layups. During any game, layups make up about 75 percent of the game. When you practice, be sure to run at the goal with full speed, jumping and shooting in a smooth series of motions. Running and jumping well in practice means better jump shooting in actual games.
Frequent pass catching practice is important. When you practice, drill yourself to pay attention to errant throws and passes that are picture perfect. During a hectic game, every throw is not going to be perfect. You and your team mates will be happier if you (and they) are more versatile.
Practice Catching
Practice playing by yourself. Even though basketball is usually played with teams, it is sometimes the case that there just isn’t anyone around to play with. No problem. In solo games, you can accomplish quite a bit. Work on free throws or practice pivot moves. You can always work on something.
Make sure to practice catching passes. Practice catching errant throws along with perfect passes. When the pressure is on, not every pass will come straight to you. You can do the rest of your team a favor by practicing how you can best complete imperfect passes.
Try using hand signals to prevent passes in error. One of the more frustrating aspects of basketball is making a pass to a teammate at the same time they head to the basket. A simple hand gesture can let your teammate know you’re ready for the pass. Without a signal, there shouldn’t be a pass.
Don’t pump a lot of iron if you wish to become a jump shooter. While muscle mass is good for any basketball position, perimeter play requires less than other positions. You might see a decrease in your goal percentages if your biceps become too large.
Keep your eye on the ball. This will make you more aware of the court and you won’t be surprised when turnover potentials come up or quick passes. Always watch for areas opening up where you can go for a quick basket.
You can improve your control of the ball by spreading your fingers. That makes it less likely that you lose control of the ball. Do not allow the palm of your hand to make contact with the ball. You should only let the fingers touch the ball during passing or shooting.
During your workouts, concentrate on improving your footwork as well as your core strength. Your body will be more stable and easier to move when you have strength in your core muscles. Work out your hips, back and abdomen. As with boxing, you can increase footwork speed and dexterity by jumping rope.
Focus on your footwork and your core strength in your workouts. If the core muscles are in good shape, you will feel lighter on your feet. You should get a good workout in your hips, buttocks, back and abs. Jumping rope is great for improving your footwork and also helping you to gain speed.
Concentrate on your shoulders if you have gotten into a shooting slump. Whenever your shoulders aren’t in a good position, you simply will not shoot well, regardless of your skill level. Shoulders should be towards the hoop. Then, make sure that your shooting side is lined up directly to the rim.
If you find yourself unable to shoot well, consider your shoulders. No matter your skill level, you won’t make shots if your shoulders aren’t in the proper position. Your shoulders should be facing the hoop. Then, make sure that your shooting side is lined up directly to the rim.
It is important to be aware of the location of your feet and just what they are up to. Placing even a single toe atop the baseline while holding the ball will result in you being ruled out of bounds. If you travel without dribbling, you’re going to get yourself into a turnover situation. A foul will be called if your feet move while you attempt to screen other players.
Make sure you know what is going on with your feet. This can help you avoid going out of bounds or making a bad pass. Taking excessive steps while not dribbling results in a call of walking as well as a turnover. In addition, a foul can be called against you if you move either foot while setting a screen, a pick or taking a charge.
Watch tapes of yourself playing basketball to get a more objective perspective. Do you see anything you could do differently? You can use this information to improve your game. Sometimes you think of yourself as something you are not.
Practice passing while not looking in the direction of the pass. This will confuse your opponents. When done right, the look draws your opponents to the wrong locale so that the person you passed to has a good long look at the basket before shooting. Practicing this pass can really help to give your team the winning edge.
Practice dribbling with your weak hand as much as possible. Being ambidextrous on the court makes it more difficult for defenders to figure out what you will do next. Tie your dominant hand behind your back and force yourself only to use your weak hand. This will help you use that hand more easily and improve your dribbling with that hand.
Whenever possible, take advantage of an attack. Taking charges gives you an opportunity to get defensive stops, get the ball and lay the groundwork for fouls. This can be devastating to the other team.
If you wish to succeed in a defensive role, you must be able to break your opponents’ concentration. Focus on getting them out of the comfort zone. When making a move, be aggressive. Do not let them call the shots. By doing so, the opponent will take advantage of you. You make the moves, which helps shift the momentum.
It can help your basketball skills when you strength train. Stamina and physical strength are required for basketball excellence. Proper exercise allows younger players and older players an improved physical presence on the court. As they become adolescents, let them start using weights for added benefits. When they become adults, strength training is critical to maintaining solid court performance.
You need to work on your forearms and your hands to handle the ball more efficiently. Wrist curls are great for working wrist muscles and improving your dribbling. You can’t just stand and shoot for the whole game. Strength and flexibility in your hands will allow you to move the ball more gracefully and swiftly.
To get better at three-point shots, work on shooting from the NBA three-point line. School and the international standard lines are nearer than that. If you can hit from NBA range, you can get open looks at a deeper range than a defense is probably going to mind you (until you start hitting).
A great drill to try is to see how many dribbles it takes for you to make it across the court. The ideal number of dribbles is five. While this is a challenging goal, working toward it will make you a much better player. That translates to smooth layups during fast breaks.
Switch your body’s weight from side to side while practicing your dribbling. Dribbling during game play requires you to adopt a variety of dribbling skills. You might be able to go through an open court or have to switch sides to avoid opponents. You must know how to dribble effectively by leaning your body in both directions. It will allow you to escape trouble a lot of the time.
Take every charge you can. 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 devastate a competitor psychologically as well as being a powerful play on the court.
You can enjoy both watching basketball and playing it. However, you can enjoy the sport more by learning as much as you can about basketball. The article above should be a great resource for you during your quest to learn more about basketball.
To make your three-point shot better, practice it from the minimum NBA approved distance. The standard line and college lines are much closer. Nailing shots from the NBA line can really help improve your overall shooting skills.
About The Author
