The wonders of basketball have long been known to many, but there are many people who still harbor curiosity about how to play better. Study of basketball fundamentals and skills techniques can be a great place to begin. Continue perusing this article for some truly fantastic advice on improving your game.
When you are practicing your shooting, take the practice shots you would attempt during the game. You are rarely going to be open for long enough to get your feet planted and line up the shot, so shoot on the move. Practice off dribble and shooting while moving for better results at game time.
One of the most important things to understand is when to make the shot. Taking a dangerous shot can result in the ball being overturned. If you do not feel comfortable making the shot, pass it to a teammate and either let them make the shot or get into a better position to make the shot.
Learn how to be patient and trust your teammates during games. Many players fall into the trap of not passing the ball and trying to do it all themselves. You need to trust them and pass the ball. This is a team sport and passing is part of what helps your team win games.
If you want to improve your jump shot, try shooting free throws blindfolded or with your eyes closed. Your free throw percentage ought to be pretty good before you try this. However, once it is, you can use this technique to really get down a fluid and instinctive shooting motion with your arms and body. Just make sure to do this alone in a gym, as to not errantly hurt anyone or break a window.
Speed and agility is important, but you need to know how to practice to improve those skills. Running yourself ragged by training for long lengths of time or by running long distances won’t benefit your play on the court. Instead, practice sprints and other short bursts of exercise. This better mimics how on the court play really is.
To make sure that you protect your ankles while you play basketball, wear shoes that are a little bit higher around them and lace them up. If you play in lower shoes, it is very easy to turn your ankle. Higher shoes keep you out on the court playing longer.
Never try to score the point at the expense of shutting other players out. You are part of a team which means everyone is valued. It means working together and sometimes playing a minor part in another player’s winning shot. Just remember that your team can’t win if you are the only one to make shots.
Remember that being good at basketball starts with being athletic. That means working on all of your skills, not just those which involve a ball. Run to build stamina and your cardiovascular health, and lift weights to build your strength. The harder you work on your overall condition, the better you will play.
To play the best defense, you have to beat your man to the place he wants to go and force him to go somewhere else. This means that your feet have to move quickly, so practice shuffling from side to side without crossing your feet. This is the quickest way to move laterally on the floor and will frustrate your man.
Playing basketball well means developing good court “eyesight.” You don’t just want to be able to pass and shoot well. You want to be sure that your peripheral vision is at its best. If you’re looking around the whole court and not only at the ball, you’ll be able to look to the defense to see if pressure is coming and you can see who’s open.
Always try and play against players that are better than you. That’s how you improve your game the fastest. Not only do you see and learn what they do, but you just get better yourself from playing against them. You’ll figure out what works and what doesn’t work pretty quickly.
The first step when dribbling is to bend at your knees instead of standing straight-legged. The ball is harder to control dribbling when you stand up straight. It also leaves you open to a steal from the opposing team. You will have better ball control with bent knees.
If a defender is hot on your heels, a one handed pass is a must. If their hands are up high, fake a high throw and then bounce it under their arm. If their hands are instead low, fake a bounce pass and toss it over their arm to the recipient instead.
Get your hands up when playing defense. Get your hands in their face and obstruct their vision. They might be taller or faster than you, but if you get your hands up in their face and obstruct their field of view, you have a better chance of disrupting what they are intending on doing.
The perfect shot begins with how you position your body. Your knees need to be slightly bent and your feet need to point directly at the basket. You will get a good arc to your shot only if you have your knees properly bent, so be sure to do this every time you shoot.
The position you adopt before, during, and immediately following a rebound has an effect on your ability to keep possession of the ball. Improve your balance and power by jumping using both feet. Be sure to use both hands to secure the ball. After the ball rebounds, keep your feed wider apart than your shoulders to improve your balance, and hold the ball closely to your chest.
Lots of people already love basketball, but the sport certainly has room for new aficionados to enter the scene. The best method of sharpening your interest in basketball is to learn as much as possible about playing better and about honing winning strategies. Hopefully the resource above has sparked an even greater desire to further the game that so many people love.
