A lot of people enjoy playing and watching basketball. It makes sense because it’s a great sport that is highly physical. It’s something that takes a little bit of knowledge to get into, and that’s what this article is here for. Get the tips you need to get up to speed on basketball here.
It’s natural to be drawn towards offense as a novice, but the pros know defense is where the game is won or lost. The defense is what wins basketball games. The offense receives all the glory, but it is nothing without the best defense.
When you are practicing your shooting, make sure that you practice shots that you may be required to make during a game. You should try to shoot the ball while moving around, standing still, and right after you receive a pass. You can have someone toss you a ball while you’re running in order to practice taking a shot after the ball has been passed to you.
Always follow through when shooting. A great way to practice is to hold your follow-through until the ball goes in the basket or misses. This will give you some clues on why you missed a shot or where you need to strive for consistency. Watch how other players follow through and follow their lead.
When dribbling, try to keep the ball low to the ground. This makes it more difficult for opponents to steal the ball away from you while dribbling. Keep the ball low and pass it from hand to hand while weaving in and out through your opponents. This will help you maintain control of the ball.
Work on becoming a more clever basketball player, rather than trying to master a few clever plays. Your opponents will eventually figure out your plays but will have difficulty if they cannot anticipate your overall playing ability. Learn to be surprising, quick thinking, and more agile in your ability to get the ball and work the court.
Stamina is key to playing a good ball game. Basketball games are filled with running back and forth along with the court. By increasing your stamina, you can stay in the game longer. One way to increase your stamina is by running a few miles each day, followed by a cool-down workout.
Jump on the ground and dive for those loose balls. Don’t be afraid to hit the ground hard and get a little hustle on. Not only will this help the team, but the coach will surely notice your improved effort. Team morale is always a good thing to keep in high numbers.
Learn how to turn on your pivot foot when stopped with the ball. Being able to pivot is an important skill to learn. If you’ve pulled up your dribble, you can no longer take any steps forward. That means your back foot can’t move. But you can pivot on it to face different directions and fake out an opponent. It can help you out of a jam.
Now you should be able to see that getting into basketball really isn’t too difficult. It’s going to take you some time and a bit of effort, however. Just put what you’ve learned here into practice and do the best you can if you want to see the best results.
