Millions of people love playing and watching basketball. By understanding the game, you can create a better experience for yourself. The guts of this article can help any fan or player do just that.
You should often work on your layups. You should expect layups to represent about 80% of all the shots you take in a game. When you practice, be sure to run at the goal with full speed, jumping and shooting in a smooth series of motions. Practicing this technique helps you learn to make layups during a game.
A great way to bolster your basketball ability is to observe those who are considered to be the best in the sport. Watch pro games on TV, or attend games in person. Watch great players to learn the specific skills that make them exceptional.
Want to make the other team not know what’s going on? Back passes are a great way to confuse other players. Hold the ball in your strong hand to start the pass. Next get the ball pulled up behind the back. Then you will use your wrist and flip it in the direction you want the ball to be going. This will confuse the opposition.
To hold the ball right, spread your fingers out. This can help you to remain in control of the ball at all times. Your palm should touch the ball as little as possible. You should only use your fingers to touch the ball when passing or shooting.
Have a friend or family member tape your games so you can view how you appear on the court. While reviewing the tape, look for opportunities you may have missed during the game. Don’t get yourself down about your performance, but stay honest with yourself concerning where your game needs some work. There are times when it pays to view yourself realistically.
You need to mess with your opponent’s head. You should work to make your opponent feel uncomfortable. Execute aggressive moves. You don’t want the defense choosing your plays so to speak. If don’t play aggressively, you opponent will run you down. Rather, move first; attack their rhythm.
Good footwork will help you get rebounds off your teammates’ foul shots. The defender in your path will be moving at you, so be sure you’re thinking of how to get past that defender. This helps you avoid the foul call and also grab the rebound.
Change up your pace so that you are not predictable to the offense. When you running towards the basket, try planting the front foot and start straightening up. The offense will believe that you’re stopping or slowing down and may follow in your steps. Once they slow their momentum, you can shoot past them with a burst of speed.
For your weaker hand, to build skills, use it off-court for as much as you can, from brushing teeth to opening jars. If you gain more mastery of it in all walks of life, you improve overall control. This will have a positive impact on your basketball game, too.
To improve 3 point shooting, practice from NBA distance, at least. The international line is much closer. Nailing shots from the NBA line can really help improve your overall shooting skills.
Practice dribbling while you switch your body’s momentum from one side to the other. When you’re playing a game, you have to dribble when you’re in a lot of different situations. You might be swarmed by various opponents or get an open court. You’ll need to learn how to dribble while your body is leaning in different directions. It will allow you to escape trouble a lot of the time.
Communicating with your teammates is a vital part of being a good basketball player. It takes the efforts of an entire team to succeed. Offense and defense are not one-on-one. Players on the same team help each one another out. Communicate and have everyone on the same page in order to play better.
It is necessary for you to change the path of your opponent. Whether you’re playing defense or offense, it’s crucial to control the other player’s movements. Doing so makes it easier for you to navigate the court without interference from the other player.
Be sure that you’re not double dribbling. This occurs whenever you resume dribbling after a brief pause. When you stop, you have to shoot or pass. You’re unable to restart that dribble again. If you double dribble the ball will be given to the other team.
After catching a ball on the rebound, position your legs so that they are set more widely than your shoulders. This improves your balance upon landing. Make sure that your hands are on both sides of the basketball, and that you hold it close to your chest. Watch your elbows; a foul will be called if you hit a member of the other team.
If you already know that the ball handler has a weak side, try to force the use of it. Move towards their right side so they must dribble with their weaker left hand. Your body should be lowered slightly and your head must be even with the player’s chest.
You must know as a ball handler how to read when to take a shot and when you should be passing. It is better to be part of a winning shot than to be the sole player in a shot that cost the game.
Dribble as hard as you can when practicing. Bouncing the ball hard makes it move faster. It also reduces the time a defender has to take the ball away from you. With that in mind, always do your dribbling as hard as physically possible.
It’s so exciting for fans to gather around and cheer for their favorite team. Without sufficiently knowing the intricacies of basketball, you could feel lost with it. After reading this article, you should have a better understanding of the great sport of basketball.