Your first basketball match was a whole different ballgame. At that time, you were just learning passing, dribbling and shooting. Perhaps you think you have learned all you need to know about basketball. The advice contained in this article is going to teach you that you still have a ways to go.
A lot of novice players mostly focus on their offensive skills, but developing good defensive skills will help you become a better player. Defense is what keep the other team from scoring. Offense gets all the praise and attention, but without a good defense, any basketball team is destined to lose.
When dribbling, your head must be up, and you need to look forward. If you need to look at the ball while dribbling, you’ll need to practice more. One of the best ways to improve your dribbling is to bring your ball along anytime you need to walk somewhere. You can practice dribbling when you have to walk to the store. If you are looking at the ball, you cannot see what is happening down the court in front of you.
Do not only practice zone defense plays. While a great portion of a game will be concentrated in the zone, your rivals could opt to go to man-to-man covering to keep you guessing. If you haven’t practiced against it, you could end up losing your grip on the game quite quickly.
To learn how to pass well, drill without dribbling. It is quite challenging to play the game without dribbling, but it does make sure you and your teammates make accurate passes. Don’t let it frustrate you, just be patient.
In order to get a good shot, good footwork is essential when posting up. You must be certain to get the good spot ahead of your opponent. When you are in position, you must secure your spot. Strong footwork is key.
If you’ve developed somewhat of a shooting slump, focus on your shoulders. When the shoulders are wrongly positioned, your shot is unlikely to succeed. Keep your shoulders square to the hoop. Try to line your dominant shoulder up with the rim.
Perform exercises to strengthen the muscles in your forearms and hands in order to maximize your ability to handle the ball. Strong hands make it easier for you to keep control of the basketball. Don’t just think you’re able to stand around, catch the ball and then shoot it. Good dribbling skills will help you always stay in movement.
To avoid turning the ball over to the other team, make sure that you’re dribbling hard. This speeds up the dribbling cycle, which means the person covering you has less of a chance to steal the ball each cycle. When closely guarding another player, cease dribbling and pass it to another play on your team that’s open.
Developing your muscle strength and flexibility will make you a better basketball player. Strength and stamina are both needed to excel at basketball. Even kids can benefit by getting stronger through exercise. When they become teenagers, they will be able to step up to weight work to become even stronger. Strength training is essential once you reach the adult years.
For your weaker hand, to build skills, use it off-court for as much as you can, from brushing teeth to opening jars. If you can become more dexterous with it in all aspects of your life, you will be bettering your control of it. As a result, your basketball game will significantly improve.
To enhance your skills at shooting the ball from the outside, run drills every day from different locations on the court. Try to practice a hard dribble followed by a quick shot. When you are off the ground, keep your eye on the basket, but not earlier. You will increase your level of accuracy and create an experience closer to real game play.
Try practicing your dribbling while switching the momentum of your body from side to side. During game time, you’ll find yourself dribbling from all sorts of positions. While the court may be open at times, this only means you’re likely to get swarmed. It helps to master control of your body as you dribble in a variety of positions. It can help you get out of a jam.
Practice a variety of shots from different locations on the court. First, practice your balance and grip. Off-balance shooting is possible but much less accurate. Pay attention to the air valve on the ball. Spread the fingers of your dominant hand and put the center of your hand over the valve located at the center of the basketball.
Nothing is impossible with the game of basketball, now that you have these tips. Set goals for yourself, and be sure you practice, practice, practice! With these tips and lots of practice, soon enough you will see lots of improvements to your game.