Basketball Techniques

Basketball techniques are actions and movements that a player needs do to deal with the challenges on the court. Game techniques can be divided into two parts: offensive (dribbling and ball possession) and defensive (keeping positions and confronting an opponent).

Offensive Techniques

The way players move on the court is the most important thing of the game. Correct actions while moving without the ball or dribbling can really make interaction with the partners easier.

Basic elements of moving in the court:

• Running. A basketball player should know how to move and how to “change gears”, be able to effectively move in different positions;
• Walking. Used to slow down the game and change positions;
• Jumps. They can be performed with one or two feet. Jumping is used to the rebound from a backboard or to make a shot. Bear in mind that jumping with the ball without a subsequent shot is considered to be a violation;
• Stops and turns. These two elements are used to be able to pull away from the opponent for further offensive actions.

 Offensive ball possession techniques include the following elements:

• Receiving the ball. It allows a player to fully prepare for subsequent offensive actions. It is a starting position for dribbling, shooting, or passing. A player may receive the ball with either one or both hands;
• Passing. A technique by which the ball can be delivered to a partner to continue the attack. A variety of ways to pass the ball are used depending on a game situation: two hands chest pass (used in a relatively simple game situation in a short or medium distance), two hands overhead pass (medium distance in case an opponent is too close), two hands from below (short distance in case the ball is at the level below the waist), one hand overhaul (in case you need to pass the ball pretty far), bounce pass (medium distance in case the opponent is too close, the ball strikes the court and goes towards the receiver);
• Dribbling. This technique allows a basketball player to move on the court with the ball for offensive actions. Players are required to dribble the ball with one hand, otherwise it will be considered to be a violation. Depending on the game situation the ball is dribbled with a change of either speed (to pull away from an opponent) or direction (to beat a defender);
• Shooting. You need to score to win the game. There are many ways to score. And there are many shooting techniques, too. Set shots and jump shots, mid-range and long-range shots, a layup, and a slam dunk.

Defense Techniques

One of the main unwritten rules of basketball says that defense wins titles. Defensive game is an important and integral part of basketball. The basic elements of defense techniques include:

• Stance. A correct position that players take while defending allow them to quickly respond to the opponent’s actions. The most common stance is the following: a player puts one foot forward and bents legs, so it’s convenient to guard the players with the ball and prevent them from passing or shooting. This stance give a lot more space for maneuvers on the court while defending;
• Throwing the ball away. This technique is used to complicate the offensive player’s actions. To do this, the defender makes shallow lunges towards the opponent with an outstretched hand, then retreats to the starting position;
• Steal. The technique involves interrupting an opponent’s attack with subsequent possession of the ball. Successful stealing is usually achieved due to the speed and reaction of the player. Steal can be performed both when the ball is passed and when the opponent dribbles;
• Block shot. This method is used when the opponent throws the ball towards the ring. The main thing is to hit the ball on an upward trajectory. When covering the shot, a player needs to correctly calculate the time for a jump and take into account the movement of the hands, because this action very often leads to personal fouls;
• Rebound. A very important element of the basketball techniques performed a large number of times per game. It is very important to have the right position to make it difficult for your opponent to rebound the ball, which allows you to get possession of the ball instead.