Millions of people adore basketball around the world. This sport is great for people of all ages. Playing teaches you cooperation and sportsmanship. Keep reading for tips and tricks about the wide world of basketball.
Make sure you are dribbling the right way. When dribbling the basketball, use your fingertips rather than the palm of your hand. This provides you with much more ball control. Always dribble to your side, not your front. Keep your head up and do not look at the ground.
Dribble while keeping your head upward and looking ahead. If you are looking at the ball for any reason while dribbling, you have not put in enough practice. Bring your ball along when you go out. If you are heading down to the market, dribble as you go. Staring at the ball doesn’t allow you to watch the other players.
Be sure to get lots of practice on layups. Layups account for up to 80 percent of the shots taken during a game. When practicing it is important to run at full speed toward the goal, then jump and shoot smoothly. This technique helps improve your on-court layup skills.
Bounce Pass
Learn how a bounce pass is thrown. A useful bounce pass will hit the receiving player at waist level. Bounce it 3/4 of the distance to the receiver. At the same time, take into account any other extraneous factors that may affect the pass.
Watching the pros play is a great way to see how great basketball players use their skills in the game. Try to go to games, watch televised games, or check out videos of the pros playing. You will quickly notice all the different skills that they have which makes them a great player, then take what you learned and use it to help improve your own game.
If you experience a basketball injury, don’t keep playing. Basketball is physically challenging, and injuries are not uncommon. Continuing to play when you are in pain can make an injury worse. Seek medical advice immediately if you have more than a minor muscle strain.
If you find yourself unable to shoot well, consider your shoulders. Regardless of your skill level, if you don’t have your shoulders positioned correctly, you will miss. Keep your shoulders square to the hoop. Your dominant shoulder should also be lined up perfectly with the rim.
Passing between the legs is something that helps when you have defense all over you. Practice bouncing the basketball forcefully between your legs while stepping forwards and backwards. If you can master this move, it will give you quite the advantage when you are on the court.
When you are passing the ball, get used to looking in the other direction. You can really confuse your opponents this way. When done properly, this technique distracts the opposition and gives your pass recipient a chance to focus on the basket. It’s quite a play when done properly.
To rebound off your fellow player’s free throws, use sly feet. You’ll have a defender coming at you and this means you have to figure out what can be done to get around them. This gets you the rebound without you committing a foul.
Changing up your pace is something you have to do to make sure the offense is paying attention. Sprint towards the hoop then quickly plant your foot, then straighten up. Your opponent will see you as stopping, then will also stop themselves. Use this opportunity to sprint past your opponent.
Use the non-dribbling hand to create a buffer between the ball and your opposition. However, you’re not actually going to push with this hand; instead, you’re going to separate yourself using this hand. By doing this, the ball will be better protected and you will have better control of the ball.
If you’re serious about your game, you should take your diet seriously. You need to eat carbs, fats and protein on game days. You should try to include more wheat bread, chicken, nuts and peanut butter into your diet. Conversely, avoid salt and sugar whenever you can.
If someone is attempting a shot from one of the court’s corners, that shot (if missed) will probably bounce over to the opposite side of the net. Attempt to catch the resulting rebound by watching the angle from which it was shot.
For the best balance, make sure you land with your feet spread apart. Have your hands on both sides of the ball. Also, be sure to hold it against your chest tightly. Keep your elbows in so that you do not hit an opponent and get a foul.
If a team plays a zone defense, make use of a penetrating dribble to get past them. Getting past your defender and in the lane will make the other team collapse on the basketball or shift. If you are safely inside the paint, you can try to make the shot. At the same time, forcing the ball to the middle could open up a teammate on the perimeter so keep your eyes out for the chance to pass to an open man.
When you are dribbling, practice bouncing the basketball as hard as you can. When you do this, the ball will move quickly and give a defender little time to try and snatch it from you. Use force when dribbling.
Do you ever wonder why basketball is so popular? It’s because it is fun and simple to play. If you love to play basketball, these tips will help you improve your game. Enjoy the game, but also get better at it, by using the ideas in this article in both practice and competition.