Basketball is not only for competitions and gym class. Basketball can be played at the park, driveway or at the local rec center. If you like shooting hoops, you will enjoy learning how to improve your game with the information presented here.
You can easily focus on offense when learning to play basketball, however, you must really focus how playing defense. Many times, defense actually wins the game. Even though everyone loves to watch offense, defense is what wins you most games.
Get good at making free throws. These shots look easy on television, but are actually hard when you are doing the shooting. Practice this technique regularly. Start with the ball ahead of your face. Keep looking at the goal while visualizing the basketball going through the hoop. Then, use the trajectory you just visualized and shoot the ball.
Watching the pros play is a great way to see how great basketball players use their skills in the game. Attend as many professional games as you can, watch the pros on TV, or watch video of professionals. You’ll learn that every player is skilled at certain things and that can help you to know what you can do to get better.
You should practice pass catching regularly. Practice catching errant throws along with perfect passes. During a hectic game, every throw is not going to be perfect. Learning how to catch these errant passes will put you at an advantage.
Zone Defense
Do not practice by playing against the zone defense. Learn how to play a man-to-man defense and a zone defense to get the best understanding of how the game works. If you haven’t practiced against it, you could end up losing your grip on the game quite quickly.
You can learn how to better pass the ball if you run drills without the dribble. It is quite challenging to play the game without dribbling, but it does make sure you and your teammates make accurate passes. Frustration can be an issue at first, but passing will improve as time goes by.
It is best to take a break if you sustain an injury while playing. The sport of basketball is very physical, which makes one susceptible to injury. If you try to keep playing, you can hurt yourself worse. See a physician if you think your injury is serious.
Make sure your fingers are apart from one another when dribbling. That makes sure that you don’t lose the ball when you hold it. Do not allow your palm to come in contact with the ball either. When passing and shooting the ball toward its target, the sole contact point should be fingers.
If the opposing team is breathing down your neck, it’s a good idea to pass the ball between your legs. Practice bouncing the basketball forcefully between your legs while stepping forwards and backwards. When you get this move down, you will have an advantage.
Use deception by looking elsewhere when you make passes. This will make your actions very confusing to the other team. You give your teammate a better chance to make the shot because the opposing player is moving the wrong direction when you pass the ball. It’s a powerful play when done right.
To dribble the ball better, it is important that you practice dribbling with the hand that’s weaker. Being able to effortlessly dribble with both hands gives you the ability to run both sides on an opponent and keep them off guard. Tie the main hand you use behind your back so that you have to use the weak hand. You will quickly strengthen your non-dominant hand for dribbling.
Improve both forearms and hands to improve ball control. Wrist curls can be effective at helping you to control the ball as if you’ll be dribbling in your sleep. One thing that is important to remember is that it is difficult to be static and be a scorer. Things rarely happen unless you are actually moving the basketball.
Stay on top of your footwork when attempting a rebound. The defender that’s below you will move towards you, so try to slip by them to obtain the ball. Then you gain the ball without the foul.
Be certain that your vision is the best it can be. This is so that you’re able to catch passes, get shots in, and look at the scoreboard. Working to improve you peripheral vision will help you become a more successful player. Having good court awareness to see everything around you lets you see plays develop before they happen, either by warding off the defenders or getting the ball to open teammates.
Whether you enjoy the occasional casual game or compete in local tournaments, improving your skills on the court can help you get more out of the game. Reading this article is great only if you use what you have learned here. The more you know, the better your game will be.