It is tough to over-exaggerate how much people love basketball. Understanding the nuances of the game helps you to appreciate it in its splendor. Read this article to gain the knowledge that will make watching or playing the game more fun.
Make sure that you’re dribbling the ball correctly. Proper dribbling technique involves use of the fingertips, not the palm of the hand. You retain much more ball control this way. You should be dribbling the ball at your side instead of in front of your body. The ball should always be dribbled at waist level. Always look up and never look down at the ground.
If you have the ball a lot, learn to execute a crossover. Crossovers involve sending the basketball from one of your hands over to the other one. The action must be very swift if it is to be successful. One done the right way, the crossover dribble can help you change directions and get down the court more efficiently.
A good way to get your basketball game up to speed is to start trying to see how the pros are playing. You can do this by watching games in person and on television. You’ll see that every great player has specific skills that cause them to be great and you have the opportunity to practice what you’re watching them do.
Practice using different types of defenses. While you might see a zone defense mostly, a team can switch defenses to man-to-man quickly in order to confuse you. If your practice did not include this, you can quickly lose control of the game.
To learn how to pass well, drill without dribbling. This helps to develop passing skills with your teammates, making it much more difficult if you’re standing in one spot and not dribbling. Don’t get discouraged if it is hard initially’ because the gains you will make are sure to be worthwhile.
Try playing basketball games alone before and during the season. Even if you can’t get a bunch of people together to play, you can still practice on your own. There’s nothing wrong with that. You can accomplish a lot by practicing alone. Practice pivoting or you can practice doing free throws. You can always practice something.
The key to ball control is to spread your fingers out. This will keep the ball from getting away while you hold it. Additionally, the palm of your hand should not come into contact with the ball. Whether you are passing or shooting the ball, your fingers are the only part of your hand that should be touching the ball.
Watch your shoulders and their position if you notice yourself developing a slump in your shooting. No matter your skill level, you won’t make shots if your shoulders aren’t in the proper position. Your shoulders should always be squared towards the hoop. The dominant shoulder must be perfectly aligned with the rim.
Watch tapes of yourself playing basketball to get a more objective perspective. You may see things differently as you observe the game and notice things you missed in the game. Assess yourself honestly, but don’t be a harsh critic. You can learn a lot by watching how you play and what you need to concentrate practicing on.
If you are being heavily guarded, a pass between your legs might help. Try practicing this by bouncing your ball hard in between your legs while stepping forward or backward. Perfecting this technique will help thwart the opposing team while you’re trying to advance the ball.
Sly feet will help you get the rebound of your team mates free throw. You need to seek out a way to quickly slide around your opponent and be able to quickly react to the ball. This allows you to grab the rebound legally.
In order to ensure that you are always ready to defend, keep your stance at all times. Slide both feet side to side, or just push off using the opposite foot. Avoid getting your feet cross as this makes it much more difficult for the opponent to get by you.
If you wish to get your weaker hand built up, you need to use it to brush your teeth and to do other simple tasks. You’ll find it becomes more controllable. Keeping your opponents on their toes is an important part of basketball.
If you are a basketball player you should be eating a healthy diet. If you’re playing regularly, you need energy-loaded carbs as well as some fat and protein. One way to keep your body in basketball shape is to incorporated grains and proteins into your diet. You should use salt and sugar sparingly.
Take advantage of a player that shows weakness with a particular hand by forcing them to that side. If they happen to be right-hand dominant, step at them using your left foot to make them change hands. Your body should be lowered slightly and your head must be even with the player’s chest.
Basketball is truly unrivaled when it comes to excitement for fans. That said, knowing the game is key to really enjoying it. We hope that this article has given you the things you need to know if you’re trying to understand the game of basketball.