Basketball has always been a loved sport, and so while the game is a competition, it is also fun. If you’re looking to turn into a skilled basketball player, practice and be serious. Go over this article to improve your knowledge to help further your understanding of the game.
Look forward when dribbling. You haven’t practiced enough if you keep looking at the basketball while you’re dribbling. One of the best ways to improve your dribbling is to bring your ball along anytime you need to walk somewhere. Dribble while walking to the store. Get used to looking up as you go so that you can focus your attention on the court and not on your hands and the ball.
To get better in your basketball game, focus on your strengths. You may not be the star player, but by contributing the best way you can you will win more games. Know your strengths and keep practicing to get even better.
Practice your bounce pass. Bounce passes should not go above or below the receiving players waist. It’s smart to get the ball to bounce about 75% to the receiving player. It does depend on a variety of other factors, however.
Work on pass catches. Be sure to be able to catch off-target throws on top of good ones. Some passes may be too high, too low or off target, so you should practice receiving passes often. Make sure that your teammates also practice this type of pass with you.
Don’t limit your practice to just playing against the zone defense. While a good chunk of the game will most likely be played in zone, your opponent might flip the switch to man-to-man coverage just to change things up and surprise you. If you are unprepared, you may lose the match fast.
Make better passes through the use of coordinated hand signals. It can be frustrating making a pass when a player moves away towards the basket. Using signals helps communicate passes with your team. Without a signal, you should not attempt to pass the ball to a player.
The key to ball control is to spread your fingers out. This makes sure that it does not escape away from your grip. Additionally, the palm of your hand should not come into contact with the ball. You should only use your fingers to touch the ball when passing or shooting.
Your defensive game will be more successful if you know your opponents. Watch games if you can and look at their tendencies. Figure out which people are right or left handed. When you know some of the other player’s moves, you’ll have a leg up during a game as you’ll be able to predict what he is going to do. One of the most important keys to being a solid defender is an understanding of your opponent.
If your shooting is in a slump, take a look at your shoulders. When they are out of alignment, all shots will fail. Keep your shoulders square to the hoop. If your right hand is your dominant hand, your right shoulder must be aligned with the rim. For left-handedness, the opposite is true.
Learn how to dribble and pass between your legs in case you are being guarded very tightly. To practice, simply bounce the basketball between your legs while stepping either forward or backwards. If you manage to master this, you will have a tremendous advantage during games.
It is important that you can clearly see everything that is occurring during a game. This isn’t just for reading the score, but for catching passes and making shots. Your peripheral vision should be the best it can be. If you scan the entire court instead of keeping your eye on the basketball, you will be aware of oncoming defensive pressure as well as the positions of your open teammates.
Keep low as you defend. You will be able to react more quickly and jump higher because of this. Remain in a correct defensive pose always. When you have to break out of stance to block a shot, get back into form as quickly as possible.
To convert the typical 2-3 zone to a trapping machine, get the best pair of defenders available to wait just until the opposing point guard reaches roughly ten feet beyond the mid-court line. At that point, both guards should move in for the trap. While they are doing that, the forwards should move out to the wings. Point guards need to throw up passes that your team’s forwards can steal easily.
If you have the right tips in mind as you practice basketball, you will find the game becomes easier and more enjoyable. Continue your quest to learn more by reading blogs and articles that will help you further your skills. Absorb all the advice you find and work on your game.