Basketball season tends to be an exciting time of year for fans. Keeping fans happy is all about playing well enough to keep them something that they can cheer about. These tips help you improve your game.
Shake things up rather than focusing solely on a zone defense. Always try to anticipate when your opponent is going to switch up their game to catch you off guard. If you haven’t trained yourself to counter this, you could lose any control you have over the game.
Don’t spend all your game against the zone defense. The majority of the game is in that area, but that doesn’t mean that the opposing team will not try to catch you off guard. If you haven’t prepared yourself for that, you could run afoul of the scoreboard very fast.
Want to trick the other team not know what’s going on? Try doing a back pass. Hold the basketball with your dominant hand. This should help to trick to confuse the opposing team.
Play basketball against yourself even during the off-season. You may not always be able to find someone to play with you. This is just fine. It is possible to get a lot done even when playing alone. Go to the free throw line and work on your shots. You can always practice something.
Understanding the opponent is key in beating a good way to win with defense. Watch tapes of their games and stay up on the court. Once you start to get to know the other team, you will now how to mount your defense. A defender is a strong one.
Always know where your feet so you’re aware of what they’re doing.
Keeping your fingers spread will facilitate better ball handling. This will help prevent the ball from getting away from you while dribbling. Keep your palm off the ball too. Your fingers should be all that is holding the ball when you pass it or shoot it.
A routine is necessary for improvement in free throw percentage to rise. If you aren’t able to be consistent you’ll be off when you shoot. The easiest way to make sure you’re doing great free throws is to do repetitions of the same routines time and again.
Practice dribbling with your weak hand when it comes to dribbling. Tie your strong hand to the rear of your back and force yourself only to use your weak hand. You will quickly strengthen your weak hand for dribbling.
If you need some help seeing where you need work, try to get a friend or relative to record your games. Do you see how you could’ve handled a situation differently? Be honest in your assessment but not overly critical. Sometimes you have to face reality about your skills and just not dream about how you want to be.
Good footwork can really help you get those rebounds. The defender in your path will be moving at you, so find a way to slip around him and get to the ball. This will allow you a rebound without finding yourself penalized.
Be certain that your vision is unobstructed. This will enable you can read the scoreboard and be able to make shots and catch passes. You have to build your peripheral vision is at its best.
Dribbling hard keeps the ball from being stolen from you. A good hard dribble brings the ball back to you much faster, leaving less time for the opponent to steal it from you. If you are being closely guarded, you should cease dribbling and pass the ball to an open member of your team.
To increase your three-point shooting skill, work on shooting from the NBA three-point line. The international line and college lines are much closer. If you get it from the NBA range, then you can start working from a range further than the defense expects.
Practice dribbling while switching momentum. This will happen during all different kinds of situations.You may see an open court or have to switch sides to avoid opponents. You will have to know the right way to dribble effectively by leaning your body is doing different things. This can help you maneuver around trouble.
Stay low when you play defense. Staying low will help you to be a more swift opponent when you mirror the man standing in your path. Stay in your defensive stance all the time. The only time you should be out of your stance is when you are jumping to block an opponent shooting.
Figure out where it will land to grab the ball.
When coming down from a rebound catch, try to land so that your legs are spread out wider than your shoulders to give your balance a boost. Keep your elbows out to protect the ball and keep it close to your chest tightly. Watch your elbows since hitting an opponent or a foul will be called.
When you dribble while playing basketball, focus on bending your knees. The basketball is much harder to control if you stand tall and the opposing team can snatch it more easily. You will have better ball control with bent knees.
Your should have good position both before and after a rebound can help determine whether or not you keep the ball. Jump using both feet for improved power and stability and grab the ball with both hands. Once you have the ball in your position, land with wide feet that will help you keep your balance.
As stated in the above article, anyone can improve their basketball skills through many different ways. A better player leads to a better team which means a bigger, happier fan-club and cheering section. Just a little knowledge can go a long way. If you’re a player on the team, do whatever you can to help. Make it a priority to become the kind of teammate you would want to have.
Practice your dribbling skills while shifting your momentum to alternate sides. You’re going to be dribbling in many different conditions during a game. You need to feel as comfortable with defense closing in on you, as you do in the open court. You will have to know the right way to dribble when the body is doing different things. This allows you to get yourself out of a tough spot.