On a scale of 1 to 10, how much would you say you know about basketball? Whether you said 1, 10 or somewhere in between, the great thing about basketball is there is always something to learn. Continue reading to find out some helpful advice about improving your basketball game.
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.
When playing basketball, remember that you are playing on a team. Don't be a "ball hog." A team is like a support system and your teammates are there to help you and you should be there to help them. The objective of the game is to work together to beat the opponent.
If you are trying to create a charging foul against the other team, make sure you plant your feet to the ground. Don't shuffle them or lean into the dribbler coming at you. If you do either of these things, you'll actually be called for a blocking foul instead of getting a charge.
Learn how to be patient and trust your teammates during games. Many players fall into the trap of not passing the ball and trying to do it all themselves. You need to trust them and pass the ball. This is a team sport and passing is part of what helps your team win games.
Stay low when playing defense. Keep your shoulders lower than the offensive player you are guarding will give you a better chance of moving more quickly. A lower stance will help you play the ball as well. Try to remain about an arm's length away. When you get too far away, the other player can shoot easily.
Keeping calm and reacting maturely to getting beat is as important to your game as anything else. If your opponent has played harder and has out-hustled you, don't get upset or stressed out, as your game will only suffer. Instead, think about how to match the intensity of your opponent. Beat them at their own game.
To stay hydrated while playing basketball outside on a hot day, make sure you drink plenty of water or sports drink before you head outside, and take a bottle with you. When you sweat, you not only lose water, but you lose electrolytes and sodium. Sports drinks like Powerade help you replace those and keep your edge on the basketball court.
Always keep your eyes up when dribbling the basketball. You need to be looking for a lot of things when dribbling. First, you want to be able to see teammates open for a good pass. You also want to be looking for any weaknesses in the defense, especially in transition.
Add stretching to your warm up, cool down, and work out routines. Stretching helps give you a wider range of motion with your arms and legs. That's critical to basketball. It'll allow you to do things with the basketball that others will find impossible, including between the leg dribbling and behind the back passing.
Dribble with force to prevent the ball from being stolen. This makes the ball go back to your hand quicker, so offense has reduced chances at taking it from you. If you have an opponent who is guarding you relentlessly, it is time to pass the ball.
To inbound a basketball when no one is open and your defender's back is to you, you can pull a trick -- just toss the ball lightly off the defender's back. Then step inbounds with both feet and grab the ball and go. The ball just has to touch a player inbounds before you can touch it again.
Don't think that a shot has to be perfect to be taken. A lot of good shooters constantly remind themselves that the standard goal is large enough to take in two balls at once. There's also a backboard that sometimes gives a lucky bounce. That leaves a good margin for error where you can make a less than perfect shot and still get points.
To set an effective screen, make sure that your feet are slightly wider apart than your shoulders and your arms are crossed on your chest. The wider feet give you balance, and the crossed arms take away the temptation to reach out and bump the player as he goes by -- which is a foul.
Getting rebounds help your team get or keep control of the ball. Predict where the basketball may go and keep moving. Where the ball ends up depends on where the original shot was made, the force of the shot and where the ball hits the basket or backboard. It is more difficult to predict the position of the ball for longer shots.
Be confident in your abilities. Take opportunities when they are presented to you, particularly when it comes to shooting the ball. However, remember that you do not want to be a ball hog. The more you play, the better feel you will have for when you should take a shot and when you should not.
When you are on offense, you cannot use your non-dribbling hand to push off of the defending player. You can use this hand to interfere with the defenders hand so they cannot steal. This is your defensive offense. Protecting the ball from the defender with your non-dribbling hand will avert many steals.
While it is tempting to seek out the next miracle shooting or conditioning secret, the truth is you get better at basketball by repetition. Repeat the fundamentals of the game until you have them mastered without thinking. Do your dribbling drills until you master ball handling. Their is no substitute for putting in time and effort.
Do you feel like you could get better by using these tips on the court? Well, it's time to put them to the test. Take what you're learned about, and see how it betters your basketball game. You might just surprise yourself, and who knows, you could be the next star.
Orignal From: Have Questions About Basketball? Get Your Answers Here
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