Trying to learn about basketball is easy when you have someone show you simple strategies about the game. If you would like to understand why people do certain things in basketball, then read on for excellent tips on basketball playing strategies. Down below is great advice that come from the pros which help them play better basketball.
Always follow through when shooting. A great way to practice is to hold your follow through until the ball goes in the basket or misses. This will give you some clues on why you missed a shot or where you need to strive for consistency. Watch how other players follow through and follow their lead.
When dribbling, try to keep the ball low to the ground. This makes it more difficult for opponents to steal the ball away from you while dribbling. Keep the ball low and pass it from hand to hand while weaving in and out through your opponents. This will help you maintain control of the ball.
Make sure that your regular practice includes catching of passes. Make sure you get used to catching less than perfect passes smoothly. When the pressure is on, not every pass will come straight to you. Therefore, it pays to practice catching passes that are a bit off-target.
Try yoga to improve your basketball game. You might not want to tell your teammates about it, since some of them are going to likely laugh. However, the increased flexibility and agility you get helps prevent injuries or at least leaves able to get back up quicker when you get knocked down. Don’t laugh; Kareem Abdul-Jabaar used it to extend his NBA career.
Take your ball with you wherever you go and dribble as often as possible. This allows you to practice handling the ball on all sorts of surfaces. For example, it will react differently on grass than it will on a wooden court. If you can master moving the ball on any surface, you will become a better ball handler.
As you attempt to keep up your skills in the off-season, make sure you have fun with your fitness routine. Mix things up and include workouts that focus on endurance, strength and basic basketball skills. When the new season rolls around, you will feel sharp and be ready to go!
To become a better ball handler, there are two key things you should focus on. Staying low while you dribble will make it harder for opponents to guard you and to steal the ball. Changing speeds is also important. By changing speeds while you move you’ll become more unpredictable to your opponent.
To stay hydrated while playing basketball outside on a hot day, make sure you drink plenty of water or sports drink before you head outside, and take a bottle with you. When you sweat, you not only lose water, but you lose electrolytes and sodium. Sports drinks like Powerade help you replace those and keep your edge on the basketball court.
When you have to shoot free throws in a basketball game, make sure that you clear your head before you shoot. Depending on your state of mind, free throw shots can either be your hardest or easiest shots. Try clearing your mind and concentrating on the shot. Many players find it useful to imagine the ball going into the hoop. These shots take skill and finesse so emotions like anger can negatively affect your focus and alertness.
When dribbling, try to make your moves below your knee joints. This will mean you have to bend over to dribble the ball and move, but there are advantages. It creates a little more personal space, making the ball harder for an opponent to steal. It also makes it far easier to shake off an opponent for a drive, a shot or a pass.
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.
To inbound a basketball, you need to be able to learn to fake defenders out. You can use the ball to fake in one direction and then pass in another. Defenders often will jump at your first fake, giving your teammate the chance to get wide open. Use this to beat those opponents who try to cheat the pass.
While you should always make your passes as simple as possible, some situations call for more complicated passes. If you have to make a behind-the-back pass, your power is coming from your arm and fingers. If you use the power from your shoulders, you opponent will realize what your are doing and may be quick enough to break up the pass.
Take care of your feet. Your feet are important to your game so take the time to make sue they are taken care of properly. Even something as seemingly silly as an ingrown toenail can become a major pain issue if not treated properly. So Get minor health issues taken care of so they don’t become major ones that affect your whole game.
The best rebounders can guess where a ball will go. As you practice, throw a ball at the net and see how it reacts. After a while you will begin to see patterns which will help you expect where you should be when the ball goes over the net and comes back at you.
Anyone can learn basketball when they have pros explaining to them what it is all about. The tips and strategies you just learned all come from those pros. Take the information you learned today to help you the next time you out to play basketball, or you decide to watch it on TV.
