When playing basketball, the goal is to get better and better. That being said, wouldn’t you like to learn a few tips and tricks to help you out? Keep reading so that you can find out some great information so that you can take those other players to school, so to speak.
Make sure you are looking forward and looking up as you’re dribbling. If you have to keep your eye on the ball when you’re dribbling, practice can remedy that. Take the basketball around off-court wherever you are. On your way to the grocery store, practice your dribbling. If you are staring at the ball, there is no way you can know what else is happening on the court.
To better your basketball rebound when on the dribble drive, try running to the front of the rim. When you’re in dribble drive penetration, try following your teammate to the rim. You can retrieve the ball if they miss. It’s a great time for rebounding since the defense tends to collapse on the drive, which they can forget to block out. It also lets you get more offensive rebounds and points.
When you are in control of the ball, make sure you always pay attention to what is happening on the court. Know where the other players are. Don not stare at the ground. If you do, there is no way for you to have the type of court awareness that you need to be successful.
Footwork is an important skill to practice daily if you want to improve your basketball game. Players with exceptional foot work can move around their opponents at will. It is essential to include both slow paced running and fast sprints in your practice sessions. You can practice first without a ball and then add dribbling to your footwork sessions.
Once you’ve passed the basketball while on offense, consider doing a hard cut straight towards the basket. Sometimes this action will break your man-to-man coverage or, at the very least, confuse the zone you are playing against. It can open you up for an easy lay up or distract the defense long enough for an easy perimeter shot for whoever currently has the ball.
Keep your footwork in mind while playing defense. Taking short steps will give you a better foothold on your opponent. Remember to push off your front foot. When you take long steps, it is more difficult to defend against a driving opponent. Check your distance from your opposing player by extending one arm.
Learn how to turn on your pivot foot when stopped with the ball. Being able to pivot is an important skill to learn. If you’ve pulled up your dribble, you can no longer take any steps forward. That means your back foot can’t move. But you can pivot on it to face different directions and fake out an opponent. It can help you out of a jam.
Proper aim is crucial when trying to make baskets. Ideally, you should aim for the small square found on the backboard. Doing this increases your chances of the ball actually going down the basket. Avoid trying to aim for the next; you are less likely to be successful when doing so.
To play your best game of basketball, it is important to keep focused. Even when the action is not near your position, remain aware of the action and be ready to move fast. A positive attitude combined with being fully focused on what you are doing can give you the competitive advantage.
Three pointers are a very attractive part of a basketball game. One way to achieve making more three-pointers is by using a drill where you start five feet away from the goal. Once you hit a net shot from there, move back a few feet until you hit another net shot. You keep moving back until you’re on the three point line, and of course you should be jogging for conditioning purposes as well.
Be slick with your feet so you can get a rebound from a teammate. The person defending the position down-court from you will be coming at you, so you need to find any way you can to slide around him that gets you to the ball. This helps you avoid the foul call and also grab the rebound.
Take charges whenever possible. Taking charges gives you a chance for earning a defensive stop, gives your team the ball, and gives one more foul called in your favor. Not only that, your opponents may become confused or frustrated and stop playing their game plan.
Now that you’ve read this article, you should now be excited about using the tips on the basketball court. Remember that you must practice what you read, so get motivated so you can become a better player. There is always room for improvement, and you’re about to step it up.
