Some Basketball Shooting Tips

• Get a good balance by spreading your feet around shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. This is the popular triple threat position from where you pass, shoot or dribble.
• Have your eyes at the front of the rim and focused on it always and have a follow through. For that, you have to keep your off hand on the side of the ball.
• If you get tired or if monotony creeps in the drills, relax and shoot some free throws.
• Using your biggest muscles in your body is the best bet to impart enough power to a shot.
• Finally, avoid thinking too much about where to shoot and what to do with the ball, when you actually get it. Think about it beforehand.

Basketball Fouls and Violations

One of the important parts of coaching basketball to anyone is understanding the fouls and violations which occur during practices and games. .

8-Second Violation: After the basket is made by a team, the offensive team gets only 8 seconds to bring the ball over the midcourt line.

24-Second Violation: All NBA teams have to make a shot within 24 seconds. If not, then the violation results in change of ball possession.

Blocking: Once the game or practice is on, a player tries to position his or her body in a way to prevent the opponent from getting ahead. Blocking is mostly done by the defense team players.

Charging: This is an offense team's foul. One of the offensive team's player runs into a defending team's players who has already established his or her position.

Defensive Foul: When a player practices an unnecessary or illegal contact with either the ball or away from the ball, a defensive foul is said to have been committed.

Double Dribble: The offense player who dribbles the ball, stops, and then begins to dribble it again is said to have committed the double dribble violation.

Elbowing: Elbowing can be done by any of the teams. This is when a player swings his or her elbows in a forceful, excessive manner. The elbowing player makes contact with the opponent at this point.

Five-Second Violation: A five-second throw-in violation generally occurs during a throw-in when the ball is not passed by the player who is supposed to inbound the ball before 5 seconds have gone by after he or she got the ball. Usually the penalty for a five-second violation is losing of the ball from that team.

Flagrant Foul: This is a serious contact foul where a player tries to unnecessarily and intentionally make contact during the game. Usually the penalty for flagrant foul is that the other team gets 2 free throws and the possession of the basketball out of bounds. And the player who committed the flagrant foul is automatically disqualified from the game.

Floor Violation: This is an action of a player who violates the rules but doesn't commit any foul or hinder the opponent. Usually the penalty for floor violation is a change of ball possession.

Foul Trouble: During the track of a game, one or more players who have collected way too many fouls are said to be in "foul trouble". All the players who have collected 5 fouls in high school and college game, or 6 fouls in NBA game will be disqualified or eliminated from that game. Which is why all teams must be careful not to accumulate more than 6 fouls in each half.

Goaltending: This violation is generally committed by the defense team's player. The player illegally interferes with a shot on the rim or on a downward path to the hoop. Usually the penalty for this violation results in the shot by the offense team being assumed in and they receive a basket.

Hand Check: This is a personal foul done by the defense team player. When he or she occasionally or continuously uses his or her hands on the opponent player who has the ball.

Intentional Foul: This foul is committed by the defense team's player on purpose to stop the clock.

Lane Violation: At the time of a free throw, if a player enters the lane too soon, lane violation is said to have been committed. Usually the penalty for lane violation results in a turnover or the other team receives another free throw.

Offensive Foul: This is a personal foul committed by the offense team's player. The player, who has the ball in his or her hands, charges into the defense team's player who is standing in a stationary, defensive position.

Over-the-Back: A player who jumps on and goes over the back of his or her opponent who is trying to attempt a rebound with the ball.

Palming: A player who takes his or her hand under the ball and scoops it while dribbling is said to have committed the palming violation.

Shooting Foul: This foul is committed when a player is fouled while in the act of shooting the ball. If the player misses the shot, he or she receives 2 or 3 free throw, depending on which shot he or she was originally taking.

Reaching In: When a player tries to steal the ball from the offense team's player, the player extends his or her arm and hand out, making contact with the player who has the ball.

Technical Foul: Any violations and misconduct which detriments the game is called a technical foul. Usually the penalty for a technical foul is a free throw to the opponent team.

Three in the Key: Any defense or offense player cannot remain in the lane for more than 3 seconds at a time. If the violation is committed, it results in change of ball possession.

Traveling: The offense team's player who has the ball and takes too many steps, anywhere on the court, without dribbling the ball is said to have committed this violation.

Unsportsmanlike Foul: Any player or team that plays unfairly, unethically, and/or dishonorably is said to have committed the unsportsmanlike foul. Such fouls are usually given a penalty of a free throw to the opponent team.

Tripping: When a player uses his or her foot or leg to make the opponent to loose or fall during the game is said to have committed the tripping foul.

Holding: Whether you are in a defense or offense team, using your hands to interfere your opponent's freedom of movement commits a holding fouls.

Illegal Screen: A player who is setting the screen still moves when the defense team's player makes contact with him or her. Illegal screen is a type of blocking where the defender is prevented from moving around the screen.

Learn to Dunk a Basketball

Basket #1: For starters, if you have big hands, then great, as then you can use one hand. Otherwise, do the two-handed dunk. However, if you have big palms, it is easier and ideal to palm the ball while dunking.

Basket #2: You have to work on your jump. Your height even if it is 6 feet 6 inches would be futile if you cannot be a good jumper. Thus, you should be able to know how to jump in connection with scoring a basket.

Basket #3: Palming or using both the hands; you have to decide that. After you do that, dribble towards the basket with good speed. Dribbling is maneuvering the ball away from the opponents to the goal or the basket. If you do not dribble with speed, your opponents can take the ball away from you and then you would have no ball to dunk. Training to dunk a basketball therefore has to include a lot of dribbling.

Basket #4: Now, as you are going ahead dribbling, closer to the basket, pick the ball around 10 to 12 feet from the basket. You would follow that by taking the stipulated couple of steps. After that you have to palm the ball (in one hand) or hold the ball firmly in both the hands.

Basket #5: As you take the second step towards the basket and the rim, push up, and jump as high as you can. Then, extend your arm having the ball in the direction of the rim and slam through the basket. In case you are using both the hands, bring the ball behind your head. It will surely get you some well deserved points for your style quotient! Here, while jumping, you may find pivoting the jump off a single foot easier than both the feet. For some, it could be the other way round. You need to see what helps you jump higher.

How to dunk a basketball is not a big deal for those who have the requisite height. What about those who are short? Well, here is what they could do - no space for despair dudes!

REBOUNDING

rebounding is not about size, agility or leaping ability although those qualities help. It is about desire and ambition. If you are short, don't just give up a rebound because there are some giants in the paint. And if you are one of those giants, don't get too cocky; everyone else is going after the ball too.

Rebounding Tips

1. Keep moving - A good rebounding position is where you can effectively compete for a missed shot. That position, nonetheless, always changes as the predicted shooter dribbles left and right, or passes the ball to a teammate. The best rebounders, therefore, are the ones who keep moving.
2. Box out - While a missed shot is in the air, make contact with your opponent. Reach out and touch him, preferably with your forearm to his chest and our rear end to his thighs. It is an effective way to stop your opponent's momentum toward the ball.
3. Try to predict where the ball might go - To be a good rebounder, you've got to know where a missed shot is likely to land. Here are some tips for rebounding sleuths: 1.) Missed shots from a corner usually end up on the other side of the basket. 2.) Shots taken from the middle of the court usually return to the middle. But if it's left or right by just a little bit, it is likely to catch the inside of the rim, then hit the backboard and fall near the basket. 3.) Longer shots often mean longer rebounds. Since they are made with more force, they are more likely to produce a crazy bounce.
4. Two and two - Jump off both feet and grab the ball with both hands. With two hands, it is easier to catch the ball. With two feet, you can jump higher, for you use twice as much muscle to create the oomph.
5. Don't let them steal the ball back - After getting a rebound, your opponents will certainly try to poke the ball away from you. Here is what you can do to secure your possession of the ball. After rebounding, land on the floor with your legs slightly wider than your shoulders so that no one can knock you off-balance. Place your hands on the side of the ball. Keep your forearms parallel to the floor and your elbows out. Hold the ball firmly against your chest, just a bit below your chin. If a defensive player tries to slap the ball away from the side, he will risk fouling you on the arm. If he tries to tie you up for a jump ball, just pivot away, keeping your elbows wide. It is okay to pivot with your elbows wide, but keep in mind; don't swing them back and forth like weapons. You may get a technical foul.

Fun Practicing Tricks:

to develop coordination, quickness, strength, as well as endurance in arms and hands

do the following 10 times each:

• Ball Slaps - Holding the ball in front of your chest, slap it hard as you move it from hand to hand. It is an excellent way to warm up your hands and help you get a good feel for the ball.
• Pinches - Holding the ball in your right hand, use all five fingers to pinch it toward your left. The ball will squirt back and forth from one hand to another.
• Taps - Hold the ball over your head with you arms fully stretched. Tap the ball back and forth between your fingertips.
• Circles - Pass the ball around your head, waist and each leg. Try to keep your head up while doing this. It will help you handle the ball totally by feel.
• Figure 8 Dribbles - Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart. Dribble the ball in and out of your legs in the figure 8 motion.

Micheal Jordan 10 best slam-dunks!!

BASKETBALL SHOOTING TIPS

Shooting is probably the most fun thing about basketball for the fans and the most difficult thing for the players. Sometimes when you see an NBA player shoot the ball and miss, this question may come to your mind: "How could he miss that? He's so tall." The truth is a player's height has nothing to do with his capability as a shooter. Look at Shaq, for example. Despite playing in the NBA for so many years and being 7-foot tall, he still can't shoot free throws right. A successful shot is all in the techniques.

Must-Know Shooting Tips

1. Stance - Your knees must be bent slightly. Make sure your feet point at the basket. Bent knees help create the right arc on your shot.
2. Grip - Put your dominant hand in the center of the ball; your fingers should be spread and your palm should not touch the ball. Special trick: Use the air valve. It is not just a meaningless rubber dot, but a built-in guide for ball shooters. The air valve is at the center of the basketball, so putting the center of your hand on the air valve helps the ball go straight.
3. Release - Thrust your fingers up and forward toward the hoop. While making a free throw, try to arc the ball 3 - 4 feet above the basket. (Shaq's free throws don't usually arc; that's why he has been failing as a free thrower.)
4. Follow-Through - Your fingers should point downward after you release the ball. Leave your hand up there for at least a second to make sure you don't pull your hand back too soon.
5. Balance - You should feel your body going just slightly toward the basket. If it's a jump shot, you should land on both feet at the same time.
6. Layup - When you do a layup, keep your eye on the basket all the time. For a right-handed layup, jump off your left foot. For a left-handed layup, jump off your right foot. This allows you to get maximum height and best shields from the defense.
7. Free Throw - Keep your dominant foot slightly in front. As you straighten your knees, release the ball. Finish with your heels off the floor and shift your weight on your toes. Your strong hand must follow through. Use your weak hand as a guide, but don't let it affect the shot.