Playing Basketball: How To Improve Your Game
Basketball is a popular game that is easy to start playing. Each player who plays it has certain skills that they perform in order to help their team win. Learn to improve your skills by reading the following tips.
Dribbling the ball the right way needs to be done. You need to use the tips of your fingers rather than your hand’s palm when you are dribbling. You’ll have a lot more control over the ball this way. Dribble on the sides of your body instead of directly before you, and bounce it waist level. Do not look at the ground; look up at all times.
Watch Professionals
Watch professionals play to learn from their techniques. Watch professionals play or go check out talented local teams to see who has the moves that you want to learn. You will quickly notice all the different skills that they have which makes them a great player, then take what you learned and use it to help improve your own game.
There are passes that can confuse the other team momentarily. Consider the back pass. To do a back pass, begin by grasping the basketball using your dominant hand. Keep control of the ball while it is behind your back. Next, snap your wrist in the direction you want the ball to be moved to. This will trick your opponents.
You may get injured while practicing or playing. Don’t try to play if you are hurt. This is an aggressive sport, and injuries happen often. Trying to be tough so you can keep going, even when you’re just a little uncomfortable, can make an injury worse. Be sure to seek medical care if you have a serious injury.
A smart tip to follow while playing basketball is to always keep your eye on the ball and not away from the play. That will keep you aware, so you don’t get surprised by turnovers or quick passes. Maintain awareness of open areas on the ball court that may allow you to quickly score a basket.
Being able to anticipate your opponent is a key skill. Watch tapes and stay up on scouting reports. See if you can determine each players strong and weak sides. Knowing your opponent well helps you be much more effective. A defender that has knowledge will be a strong one.
It’s important to know where you have your feet and also what they’re doing. If you slide onto the baseline, you will lose the ball for being out of bounds. Also, you can cause a turnover if you walk without dribbling the ball. Do not move your feet when attempting to set up a screen, a foul can be called.
If an opponent is staying with you, try passing the ball between your legs. Bounce the ball very hard through your legs while stepping to the front or the back. Perfecting this technique will help thwart the opposing team while you’re trying to advance the ball.
Be sure your vision is unobstructed. You will need it for more than checking the scoreboard or passing and shooting. You want to make sure that you see what is going on to the sides of you. You need to know the location of other players on the court in order to make good passes and avoid turnovers.
When you dribble while playing basketball, focus on bending your knees. The farther the ball has to bounce, the less control you will have of it. Just a slight bend in your knees can have a huge impact on ball control.
Anyone who plays basketball wants to get better. The tips included above should have given you ideas on how to become better at your chosen sport. Keep practicing and you’ll get better.