Help me improve my game

[2kfanatic]

Well I was a player in high school but that really is not much since I'm not from the US and our team is not good. I am only 5' 10'' and at that height I was a small forward. After high school I was not able to maintain my "skill level" and my conditioning got really bad lol (yeah we are short).

Now I am playing in a community organized league and I realized that I cannot do the things I was able to do before because of my conditioning and I have forgotten almost all the things I have learned during our training. I'm currently playing as a center because I'm the tallest guy and I can't run the break anymore lol.

So can anyone help me:
-Get my legs back (not necessarily hops but running or both lol)
-Remember the skills and be effective again
-Get my lungs back lol

Well I don't have much to begin(I can't even layup with my right hand but I can dribble, I'm left handed by the way) with but I really really suck now compared to how I play 6 years ago.

And how the hell can I attack the basket at the right side, although I can dribble my right hand I don't have a shot at the right side of the court other than a jump shot since I can't layup with my right hand (yeah I know I suck but please help me).

Can you guys recommend any type of drills so I an learn to layup with my right hand (I hope its not too late since I'm at my 20's now lol). And some drills I can do alone for me to be a better slasher.

[The15thunter]

Re: Help me improve my game

well, in terms of immediate things to do, you can just finish with two hands on the right side off the glass.

best way to get comfortable shooting lay-ups with the proper footwork on either side, as well as getting better conditioning, is to do the "mikan drill". get a partner, put a basketball on each block, stand in the center, and go to either side, reaching down and shooting a layup off the proper foot with the proper hand. and just go as quickly as possible for a minute, with your partner rebounding the ball and putting it back on the appropriate block. it will increase your conditioning and force your body into a muscle memory for layups on either side.

[beastwork]

Re: Help me improve my game

Legs - when i got back into playing basketball about a year ago I wen to the gym and just ran suicides. I believe i would run 10 suicides under 30 seconds with a 60 second rest in between. I might not have that exactly right but if you do this 3 times a week for about a month you will be where you need to be. From there just make sure you are consistently playing games. you're going to have to work like you did when you were on the team. i can run and jump all day now. I never get tired.

I'm 27 and I never made the commitment to learn how to consistently shoot with my left hand until this last year. and boy what a difference it makes. How did I do it? Every day I went to the gym I would concentrate on my lay up footwork. each visit to the gym was no less than 10 reps (most days close to 50). in the first few days I would spend 30-60 mins just working on left handed layups. In about a month it became second nature and I routinely finish with my left hand on fast breaks and in traffic.

the point is i never put in the repetitions. Once you put in the repetitions you can develop any skill. I think my guitar playing taught me that lesson.

[2kfanatic]

Re: Help me improve my game

Thanks for the info guys, I kinda guessed that someone will say repetition since that's how I learned how to play the guitar also lol. But I forgot ask another question, when dribbling alone I pretty much can do it well but during a game, I tend to use may left hand more and that causes problems for me since my defender will just force me to the left baseline, whenever I try using my right hand attacking, for some reason my defender can push me easily away from the basket, so how should I approach this problem?

[Dawgthem]

Re: Help me improve my game

Thanks for the info guys, I kinda guessed that someone will say repetition since that's how I learned how to play the guitar also lol. But I forgot ask another question, when dribbling alone I pretty much can do it well but during a game, I tend to use may left hand more and that causes problems for me since my defender will just force me to the left baseline, whenever I try using my right hand attacking, for some reason my defender can push me easily away from the basket, so how should I approach this problem?

Learn to dribble with the right hand..i had teh same problem with my left while back..and i'm a track runner so its something easy to learn trust me...even if you don't completely learn to dribble with your right hand when you do crossovers learn to let your right hand bounce the ball at least twice before going to the other hand..slowly slowly most of your dribbles will start to use your right hand as the signature hand when you start to do crossovers and as support but it won't be your main hand..Your mind will start to let your right hand be the sig hand even though you shoot with the other thats how i learned...now my left hand ( one i have problems with) isn't my main crossover hand but now when i do crossovers its easy with my left because its use to catching and bouncing the ball

[TUSS11]

Re: Help me improve my game

Thanks for the info guys, I kinda guessed that someone will say repetition since that's how I learned how to play the guitar also lol. But I forgot ask another question, when dribbling alone I pretty much can do it well but during a game, I tend to use may left hand more and that causes problems for me since my defender will just force me to the left baseline, whenever I try using my right hand attacking, for some reason my defender can push me easily away from the basket, so how should I approach this problem?

You've got to get you right hand up to game speed. If your defender disrespects your right hand then you need to punish him by driving hard right. You can only do that by practicing right hand drives at a high intensity. Practice being explosive.

Once your right becomes stronger your defender will be forced to respect your ability to drive both directions and not be able to shade you to the right as strong. This makes it easier to get back to your strong hand. All you have to do now is open up his stance.

A good move to use is one hard attacking dribble with your right followed by a step-back. When you step back you want to sell the shot fake (look at the rim, crouch like you're about to jump for the shot) but make sure to keep your dribble alive. If the fake is done effectively the defender should step towards you and square his shoulders to you. When you see this quickly cross-over to your left and you're on your way.

If, however, he doesn't close out after the step-back you should have enough room for the jumpshot. If you can shoot that shot and drive both directions you become very difficult to defend.

Here are two clips of Deron Williams demonstrating the move (the only difference is that the between-the-legs dribble before the step-back is not necessary):

1) In this one Deron creates enough space for the shot. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzamSXizups

2) Here the defender bites on the head fake and allows Deron to drive by him. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unGmx...eature=related

I hope that helped.

[2kfanatic]

Re: Help me improve my game

Thanks for the input guys but I can dribble with my right at gamespeed. My problem is when defenders are bodying me up I tend to lose the ball or go near the right outside line.

[realdealrulz]

Re: Help me improve my game

Best way is to just keep on playin