One of the most beloved and well-known sports on the planet is basketball. Each player is crucial to the team and has special skills. If you need to improve some of your skills, keep reading for tips to help you do just that.
It’s simple to want to work on offense when you’re getting into basketball, but it’s smarter to think about defense practice too. Many times, defense actually wins the game. Offense gets all the praise and attention, but without a good defense, any basketball team is destined to lose.
Get good at making free throws. This is one of those shots that seem easy but in real life are difficult. When practicing your free throw, concentrate on where you want the ball to go when it leaves your hands. Hold the ball level with your face. Maintain focus on the basket and try to visualize your basketball falling through the hoop. Shoot the basketball exactly as you saw in your mind.
Make layups a part of your daily practice regimen. Layups sometimes wind up being 4 out of every 5 shots in basketball. During practice you want to get up enough speed to quickly get to the rim then easily lay the ball towards the hoop. Knowing how to run and jump quickly and smoothly will assist you in knowing how to leap and shoot more effectively while playing.
Free throws are mental as well as physical. You must be mentally strong to be a consistent free throw shooter. Relax and focus on your shot, and you can make it.
Learn good passing by drilling often without dribbling. It is hard to play a game when you don’t dribble, but it will help you to be sure that everyone is passing accurately. Do not get frustrated if it it seems difficult at first, over time your team’s passes will become more accurate.
Play by yourself to practice. Even though you play on a team, practicing alone can be helpful. For concentration purposes, it can be good to practice on your own. In solo games, you can accomplish quite a bit. Practice pivoting or you can practice doing free throws. There are many things you can work on.
Seek advice from your teammates about how you play the game. Can you get better at something? It could be your speed, or it could be your back-up abilities. You can learn a lot about your skills by knowing how others see you on the court.
Make it your goal to never turn away from the ball on the court. Passes and turnovers won’t take you by surprise because you will be more aware of what is happening on the court. Always scout the court for areas that will open up and allow you to make a clear shot.
If you want to correctly handle the ball, you need to know where to place your fingers. This keeps it under control. Do not allow the palm of your hand to make contact with the ball. You should only use your fingers to touch the ball when passing or shooting.
One of the best ways to play a strong defensive game is to know your opponent. Watch tapes and stay up on 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. Strong defenders are knowledgeable defenders.
If you aren’t shooting the ball well, you need to concentrate on your shoulders. When your shoulders are not properly positioned, then it is almost impossible to perform at your best. Keep your shoulders square in line with the basket. You want your strong-side shoulder in perfect alignment with the rim.
A good basketball player is really quick on his feet. If you want the advantage, you need to be quicker than your opponents. Steady drilling is the key to playing fast. Do not play beyond you capabilities, however. Playing beyond your own capabilities sends the game spinning past your ability to control it, and turnovers are bound to occur.
In order to become better at dribbling the ball you should learn how to practice using your weak hand. When you are ambidextrous, you’ll be a better player. If you find it difficult to continue using your weak hand, make your strong hand unusable. You will quickly strengthen your non-dominant hand for dribbling.
You can improve your ability to handle the ball by working out your forearms and hands. Wrist curls are great for bettering your ball handling in basketball to the point where you could practically do it sleepwalking. Basketball requires its players to move quickly, shoot accurately and pass well. The best way to get into the flow of the game is to be in motion.
Everyone that’s trying to play basketball is going to need to learn some skills so they can play better. This article offered up a bevy of ideas and insights to help you support your team. Look back over this piece if you feel the need to refresh yourself, but whatever you do, make sure you use these tips regularly to improve your game.