We are rapidly approaching NCAA March Madness, and the NBA Playoffs will be here before we know it, so now is the perfect time to brush up on your basketball knowledge. In the course of any given basketball game, you see players that make plays and always seem to be in a good rhythm. You also see an equal number of players that never make good plays and look awkward on the court. Here are three simple ways to separate the great players from the average players.When playing defense, the defender focuses on their opponent’s midsection.
The cardinal rule of playing good defense is not getting beaten by the guy you are playing against. Too often you see basketball players at all levels getting beaten on the dribble or by the pump fake. This can be avoided if you focus on your opponent’s midsection and not his head. When a player moves his head, his body can be moving in another direction and this is how players get beaten. Focusing on the midsection allows you to see where the body is moving. The hips move where the body is moving and if you can stay with your opponent move for move, it is going to make it significantly harder for your opponent to score. You can also notice that a good player has good balance and good footwork. This gives even the slowest player a chance against a fast player.
On offense, smart players let the game come to them.
This problem is seen on all levels of the game. Players leave their spots on the court, catch a pass, and then don’t know what to do with the ball. This is forcing the game to come to you and that disrupts the flow of the game. This will often cause turnovers and bad shots. Smart players know that the best way to get the ball and a good shot is by constantly moving without the ball. You will often see players set picks for their teammates. This is the easiest way to get the ball and one of the hardest plays to defend. It almost always leaves the player who set the pick open for the shot. This works most effectively when done at the top of the key and the open player can hit the 18-foot jump shot consistently.
Watch the players on the low post and see how they gain position there. Shaquille O’Neal is the best example on how to set up at the low post. He positions himself by getting down on the block, setting his feet, and creating space between him and his opponent by pushing them back with his body. He now has maximized his ability to receive a pass, shoot, drive to the basket, or pass the ball back out to another player.
Hit your foul shots.
Shaquille O’Neal averages 26 points a game. He also averages 5 trips to foul line every game. In those five trips, he gets 10 shots and on average, he makes only 5 of them. If he could hit 8 of those 10 shots he would become the most prolific scorer in NBA history. Why can’t Shaq hit the free throw? He says he takes 100 practice shots at practices and often practices before games. So why no improvement? Simple: he just does not use good foul- shooting form. He does not bend his knees, he does not have focus, and he also has no arc on his shot. He could take a million practice shots and never see improvement if he keeps doing it wrong. There is a reason why foul shots are called “free throws” and why the line you shoot at is called the “charity stripe.” These baskets are gimmies and for the most part great players can hit their foul shots.
A good foul shooter knows that a foul shot starts with the feet and good balance. Notice how the player sets up for the foul shot. When shooting the ball, good free-throw shooters will bend their knees, giving themselves the necessary power to make the shot. Bending of the knees will also give them a proper arc on the ball. If you see players line-drive a foul shot, it’s because they are not bending their knees enough. Look at the release point of the shot, see how high the arc is, and notice if the player had a good fluid motion when shooting. Balance, transfer of power, and release point are all parts of the foul shot. If these can be done properly and in a smooth motion, they’re going to hit their foul shots.