Everyone from presidents to working class people have played the game of basketball. Whether you play it in school, in your spare time or even professionally, it will bring you a joy like few other sports can. To make the game even more enjoyable, check out all of the tips below.
When you’re dribbling the ball, you should avoid looking down at the ball. You should be able to dribble without staring at the ball. If you can dribble without seeing the ball, you’ll be able to keep your eyes on the rest of the game. This will help you to know who is open for a pass or if you have a chance to take a shot.
Make sure that you practice teamwork when you are on the court, or people may have a hard time dealing with you. You may want to impress others on the court, and this may give you the idea that you should shoot the ball yourself, but it would be best to pass the ball to someone who is open.
To become a better dribbler in basketball, practice with your eyes closed. This will help you to be able to dribble while keeping a close watch on the action of the game. Be sure to practice while you’re moving too, so that you can dribble and maneuver around the court without ever having to look down at the ball.
Being a good player isn’t all about displaying physical skills and making all the shots. There is a lot of mental preparation that goes into being a team player. Don;t just focus on what you can do to be better but think about what you can do to be a better team member too.
Make sure your fingers are apart from one another when dribbling. You will have better luck holding onto the ball as well. Don’t let your palms touch it. When you’re shooting or passing, the only place the ball should touch your hand is on your fingers.
If you play organized basketball, keep track of your average fouls per minutes played. If you are not a starter who sees a lot of minutes, you want to know this just in case. You might get called on to put in a lot of minutes one game, or play repeated overtimes. The last thing you want to do is foul out because you aren’t used to playing so long.
Make sure you have prepared for your games by taking care of yourself. Don’t see your team short by staying up all night, eating junk food before games or skipping practice because you have things you would rather do. make a commitment to your team by being there for the team on the court and off the court.
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.
When you’re playing basketball, make sure that you dribble with your head up. If you feel that you have to look down every time you dribble, then you need more practice. Try to practice dribbling all over the place when you can without looking to get better at it. Watching good point guards can help since they always look forward and around when they dribble.
To create a trapping machine in a standard 2-3 zone, have your two top defenders or your guards wait until point guard is about 10 feet from the time line or midcourt. Once he passes mid court the guards should rush up on him. With the forwards blocking outside, you have a good shot at intercepting a bad pass. This will cause the point guard to throw a pass that will allow your forwards to steal.
Learn how to make the offensive or defensive player go where you want them to go as opposed to forcing you to go where they want you to go. This means that you need to pay attention to your surroundings and watch out for traps and screens. You can avoid them if you encourage your opponent to go where you want them instead of falling into a trap.
Never watch the opponents feet, always watch their chest instead. Many players have learned how to fake out opponents with their feet, so it is better to focus your attention on their chest. It is much more difficult to fake upcoming movements with the chest than it is with the eyes or feet.
Incorporate lots of squats into your basketball training. Squats help to increase the natural elasticity of the legs and buttocks. When you need to propel yourself down the court, speed is imperative and demands strong legs. Squats will also do wonders for your jump shot and dunks. Bring weights into your squats and you will create a winning combination.
If your team is in foul trouble, playing a zone defense can get you out of a jam. Playing the zone prevents the opposing team from driving to the basket, which makes it less likely your team will commit a foul. Playing the zone can also force an unprepared opponent to take poor perimeter shots.
One way to force turnovers is to make your opponent change course. Whether you are playing offense or defense, it is important to control the moves of your opponent. Doing so lets you control your path, not them.
If you’re a perimeter player, making good shot choices requires you know where your feet are at all times. The worst shot in basketball is the 19 foot jumper. If you’re in that position with an open shot, simply take a step back one foot and go for the three.
When you love something, you need to work hard to become better at it. This is true of all sports, even basketball. While the game itself may seem simple, it takes practice and education to master it. This article is a great first step, so use the tips read here and improve your play.