Dribbling Isn’t Enough – Great Tips To Improve Basketball Skills

Basketball season tends to be an obsession to supporting fans and players. One thing to do if you wish to keep people cheering is to do well at basketball. You play a major role in your team’s abilities, so you should constantly be working to improve your game. Use these tips to help you improve your skills and win the game.

Make it a point to concentrate on both your defensive and offensive skills. Focusing only on offense does not make you a well-rounded player. Defense is how you win a basketball game. Offense receives all the glory, but it is nothing without the best defense.

Keep your head up when you dribble. If you are looking at the ball for any reason while dribbling, you have not put in enough practice. Wherever you go, take your ball with you. If you walk to the store, dribble the ball. If you look your ball, you can’t see the court.

Practice playing a man-to-man defense and zone defense. While a great portion of a game will be concentrated in the zone, your rivals could opt to go to man-to-man covering to keep you guessing. If your practice hasn’t included this type of scenario, you might lose control rapidly.

Interested in tricking your opponents? You should try a back pass. You want to grip the basketball with your strongest hand. Next get the ball pulled up behind the back. Next, snap your wrist in the direction you want the ball to be moved to. It can be a dangerous maneuver that catches the other team off guard.

Focus on your footwork and core strength when working out. Your body will retain balance and move quicker when you have strong core muscles. Work the muscles in your abdomen, back, buttocks and hips. Jump rope can be used to speed up your feet.

Video tape your games, and then review your technique later. You can see where you can improve and what plays you missed. Be honest with yourself but don’t be too harsh. You can learn a lot by watching how you play and what you need to concentrate practicing on.

Practice passing while not looking in the direction of the pass. You are able to confuse opponents with this technique. You give your teammate a better chance to make the shot because the opposing player is moving the wrong direction when you pass the ball. If you can master this move, it can really work in your favor.

A solid routine is necessary for improvement in free throw shooting. Failure to use consistency may make your shots less accurate. A great way to get better at free throws is to practice, practice and then practice the same routine some more. Failing to stick with your routine can adversely affect your shooting accuracy.

Good footwork can really help you to get those rebounds. Use your feet to slip around the opposing player below you, then get into position for a rebound off the rim. You’ll be able to grab the rebound without fouling your opponent.

Dribble very hard to prevent the opposing team players from stealing the ball. This causes the ball to return to your hand more quickly, so the offense has less time to try to get it away from you. If you are being guarded closely, bring your dribbling to an end and pass the ball to another open team member.

One way to increase your three-point skill is to practice at the NBA range. School and the international standard lines are nearer than that. If you are able to make NBA-range three-point-shots, you will be able to find more open looks during your own games.

To make your shooting skills better, shoot from all around the court. Also practice transitioning from dribbling to a quick shot. Do not focus on the target until you are already in the air. This will mimic game conditions and help improve your accuracy.

Never stop your dribble unless you are going to shoot or pass the ball. The instant you stop the dribble, your options become limited. If you don’t have the chance to shoot or pass, you can just pivot with the foot in the back. This makes you open up to people that want to double team you and that means you are also more likely to get the ball stolen.

Practice your dribbling skills while shifting your momentum to alternate sides. During the game, you will dribble in various situations. You may see an open court but there are opponents ready to swarm you. It helps to master control of your body as you dribble in a variety of positions. This can help you find your way out of trouble.

If it is possible, keep all action below the knee. This will make it harder for opponents to get the ball away from you. You’ll have to bend down a little to do this, but you’ll find you move more quickly down the court because your opponents aren’t able to impede your progress.

You should spend some time shooting from various places on the court. Practice your grip and balance first. You can shoot when you’re not balanced, but it isn’t very accurate. The valve, which is located at the center of the ball, should help you perfect your grip. Put the middle of your palm over the valve.

Double dribbling is a major rule, and something that must always be avoided. This occurs when you halt the dribble once, only to begin dribbling immediately thereafter. Your only options when you stop dribbling are passing the ball or shooting it. You cannot start dribbling again. That is also referred to as a turnover, and the ref will call it for your opponent.

As this article has shown you, you can improve the game you play in many ways. Improved players lead to improved teams and eventually happier fans. The whole team is part of the games experience, even the supporters. Your job is to make sure that you’re team is getting the best that you have to offer. So be sure to keep what you’ve read in mind so you’re able to be the player on the team that everyone enjoys to have around.