Basketball is fun, fast-paced and sometimes frustrating. However, to play the best you can, you must learn some things. The tips below will help you master your technique.
One of the first things you need to learn when it comes to basketball is how to guard the ball. To help develop the skills needed for this, ask your friends for a friendly game of basketball. Invite some players who are skilled to teach you how to guard the ball.
You should practice boxing out the other players to improve your rebounding. It is really easy to do, but many experienced players forget about it during the game. Boxing out is simply getting in front of the other player when the shot is in the air. This puts you in a prime position to grab the rebound.
When you rebound in basketball, make sure you make contact before your opponent.
You’ll be in control of what occurs if you are the first to make contact when boxing out. Hit them first before they get a chance to make contact with you so that you can get leverage. Be sure to anticipate and be sure you’re always first. This will provide you with an edge.
It is important to know the right way to throw a bounce pass. Bouncing the pass to the receiver should be at their waist. Remember you should bounce the ball approximately three-quarters of the distance between yourself and the receiving player. There are many factors which come into play, though.
When learning to dribble, you need to learn to dribble with both hands. This is important because you may have to switch hands when dribbling during a game. Also, learn to dribble behind your back and between an opponent’s legs. This may seem silly, but you may actually use this technique.
Work on flexibility. Flexibility is very important during basketball. This is because you may have to stretch to grab a ball that is in the air. Additionally, increased flexibility helps protect your tendons and joints from the damage caused during this fast playing sport. Do flexibility exercises often and always stretch before beginning any game.
If you play organized basketball, keep track of your average fouls per minutes played. If you are not a starter who sees a lot of minutes, you want to know this just in case. You might get called on to put in a lot of minutes one game, or play repeated overtimes. The last thing you want to do is foul out because you aren’t used to playing so long.
To play solid defense, if you are guarding the person with the ball, keep your eyes on the basketball. If you look at his eyes instead, he will fake a pass one way, just by looking in that direction, and then dribble around you the other way. The ball can’t lie about where it’s going.
To become a better ball handler, there are two key things you should focus on. Staying low while you dribble will make it harder for opponents to guard you and to steal the ball. Changing speeds is also important. By changing speeds while you move you’ll become more unpredictable to your opponent.
In order to steal a ball from a dribbler without fouling him, start with your hands low and bring them up toward the ball. This way you hit the ball first with your hand and knock it away. If you start with your hands high and swipe downward, you are going to hit his arm and get called for a foul.
A great way to practice the fast break is to get the ball up the court in less than five dribbles. It may seem impossible, but the more you practice this rule, the easier it becomes. During game time you will notice yourself using this to your advantage during the fast break.
Listen to your coach. Even if you don’t agree with him or her, your coach is the one with the plan. Remember, you’ve got four other people on the court with you, so a team plan of action is vital to your success. If just one person goes a different direction, then you’ll fail.
As you can see, people around the world love basketball. This article has given you some of the knowledge you need to truly excel. Become a better player by using the advice above.
