Basketball has been watched and played for many years. Becoming a good basketball player requires lots of dedication and plenty of practice. Don’t stop reading just yet because the following article is going to provide you with a few important pieces of basketball advice.
Make it a point to concentrate on both your defensive and offensive skills. Focusing only on offense does not make you a well-rounded player. Defense is how you win a basketball game. Offense gets more attention, but the team is going to lose without a strong defense.
Look forward and hold your head up while you dribble the ball. If you must look at the ball while dribbling, you haven’t practiced enough. Take the basketball around off-court wherever you are. You can practice dribbling when you have to walk to the store. Always look ahead when you are dribbling the ball.
Free throws are as mental as physical. It’s easy to physically train for a free throw, yet mental preparation is also needed. Relax and concentrate on your basket to increase your free throws.
Make sure that your regular practice includes catching of passes. Make sure you get used to catching less than perfect passes smoothly. During a real game, many of the passes that come your way will be off-target and tougher to handle. By learning to catch errant passes, you will do your team a great favor.
Try using hand signals to prevent passes in error. One things that’s frustrating in basketball is passing to a teammate while they try heading to the basket. Using signals helps communicate passes with your team. If you don’t receive a signal then realize your teammate is not able to get the pass.
If you’re injured when playing basketball, don’t push through the pain. You can easily tear a muscle or even break a finger while playing. By “playing through the pain” you take a huge risk that the injury will become much worse. In case of serious injury, it is time to see a doctor.
Understand your opponent. Review videotapes and monitor scouting reports. For example, you might look to see which players favor their left side and which have dominant right hands. Once you understand the opposition, you will now how to mount your defense. A defender that is knowledgeable is an effective defender.
If you’re shooting isn’t what you’d like it to be, make sure that your shoulders are in the correct position. When your shoulders are not properly positioned, then it is almost impossible to perform at your best. Be sure shoulders always remain squared towards your 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.
Always be aware of where you have your feet and what you are going to do with them next. If you fall on a baseline, you will be out of bounds. If you take too many steps and don’t dribble, then you are walking. Also, moving either foot when trying to set a screen, pick or take a charge results in a foul call.
If the opposing team is guarding you to much, you can try a pass between your legs. Practice this maneuver by bouncing the basketball between your legs while taking steps. Mastering this move can give you an advantage on the court.
Prevent the opposing team from stealing the ball by dribbling hard. This causes the ball to return to your hand more quickly, so the offense has less time to try to get it away from you. When closely guarding another player, cease dribbling and pass it to another play on your team that’s open.
Your game will be easier and more fun once you are equipped with the right information. Keep learning all you can for as long as you need to. The next time you are on the court, think back to what you’ve just read.