
Basketball is played by people of all ages. You can play it at home, or at the local recreation center. If you enjoy basketball, find out all you can in order to play better. The article that follows will help.
It’s easy to focus on offense when learning to play, but your practice time would be better spent on defense. You can win a game, thanks to good defense. Offense gets all the praise and attention, but without a good defense, any basketball team is destined to lose.
Learn proper dribbling. You want to dribble with the tips of your fingers, not your whole hand. Doing so will allow you a greater degree of ball control. Dribble along the side of the body, not immediately in front of it, and keep the bounce to the waist level or below. Never look at the ball; instead, look forward.
Perfect Passes
Work on pass catches. You need to be able to retrieve perfect passes and not so perfect passes. During a game, not all of your passes will hit the mark. So do your teammates a favor by learning how to consistently haul in their less than perfect passes.
Practice playing by yourself. You may not always be able to find someone to play with you. That’s OK! You can still accomplish a lot when playing solo. Whether focusing on foul shots or how to pivot with the ball, you can look for ways to improve. You can always practice.
Never try to push through pain after an injury. The sport of basketball is very physical, which makes one susceptible to injury. Continuing to play when you are in pain can make an injury worse. See a physician if you think your injury is serious.
Never turn away from the ball, so that you can always stay ready for anything. This helps you become aware of the court and lowers chances for surprises from turnovers and quick passes. When your eyes are constantly assessing the game, you will be better able to make easy shots.
If you’ve developed somewhat of a shooting slump, focus on your shoulders. If they’re in a poor position, no matter your skill level, you will be unable to make the shot. Ensure that you line up your shoulders so that they are squared with the basketball net. Try to line your dominant shoulder up with the rim.
When you want consistently good free throws, repeat your routine. It could be that you dribble several times, bend at the knees, brush your hair out of your eyes or do something else. When you have a steady and consistent routine, your muscles will remember what to do to shoot those free throw shots.
A consistent pre-shot routine when at the line will increase your chance at success. If you aren’t able to be consistent then you’ll be off when you shoot. Free throw shooting is best improved by lengthy sessions of repetitive practice. You are likely to miss your shot if you’re not settled into your routine.
The key to great defense is being a nuisance to the player you are guarding. Do not allow your opponent to become comfortable with their style, or yours. Always move aggressively as they try to maneuver around you. This will keep them from being able to choose which plays they will make. The more aggressively smart team is usually the one who wins. Instead, make the first move and interrupt their rhythm.
Improve your ball-handling by strengthening your hands and your forearms. Exercises that involve strengthening the wrist are especially helpful for dribbling. You will not be able to stand in one place and shoot. Motion is key to being successful on the court.
Playing basketball well means developing good court “eyesight.” You will need it for more than checking the scoreboard or passing and shooting. Your peripheral vision should be up to par. If you’re looking around the whole court and not only at the ball, you’ll be able to look to the defense to see if pressure is coming and you can see who’s open.
Never pass up a charging opportunity. When you do that, you can earn defensive stops, get the ball back, and set up foul shots against the other team. This is a great way to take control of the court and intimidate the other team.
No matter if you’re playing competitive basketball or just a friendly game of horse, improving your basketball skill-set can make the game much more enjoyable. Now that you’ve read this information, take it to the next level by putting what you’ve learned into practice. If you can better your game, why not do so?