OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

[The 24th Letter]

Mine is what my coach has been telling me since high school.....

1) Get back to the basics
2) Let the game come to you

been balling like crazy lately, but ive been in a horrid slump.....I dont have time for leagues anymore, but we got some hardcore ballers and boy are they COMPETITIVE. we even ball w\ some former Hornets from time to time.

anyway, these are two tips everyone would do good to remember

1) Get back to the basics.....Identify what your good at, and focus on that during the game. Dont take your hot streaks too seriously....Your identity doesnt change overnight, If your not a scorer, your not a scorer. Take pride if your specialtys are hustle, d, and rebounding...they dont get glory but it helps win games...

2) Let the game come to you, you guys know what this means....makes the game 100% more easier

sorry for the randomness of this post....im just happy I have my game going again...

Thanks coach!

what are you guys balling tips?

[cubsfan203]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

Nice thread.

I think the biggest thing is, and it's basically a copy of your #1 in different words, is to play to your strengths. Figure out what you're really good at and use it to your advantage. For example, I'm fairly tall (6'6"), but I have a REALLY skinny build. So even if I'm the tallest guy on the court, I usually hover around the 3-point line. I'm at my best being a slasher so every time I get the ball I try to drive towards the hoop. If I have a shot I think I can make/create, I do. If not, I try to dish it to an open teammate.

Another important thing that relates is to try to figure out what your teammates are good at as well. That can easily be the difference of winning or losing. If you aren't feeling it or can't get in a position to make things happen for yourself, knowing what your team can do and putting them in a position to do what they do best is just as good.

[TMagic]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

Play defense. Period.

It pisses off everybody when you don't play defense. That **** gets on my nerves.

[The 24th Letter]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

Yeah, I feel you cubsfan....im 6'7 myself.....but I have some meat on me.

If im not playing in a league, im usually the tallest one on the court myself.... I have a nice back to basket\ hustle game, and thats what I relaly need to get back too. Its so easy to fall in love w\ that jumper man..

[TMagic]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

Just an FYI:

But for those with facebook, they have a "Ballers" application. Once you have it, you can see all the courts in your area and set up games with your friends and some other stuff. It's pretty nice from what I saw of it today.

[baumy300]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

Forgot about scoring points. Serioisly. That was my biggest flaw in basketball and probably why I never became any good at it.

Practice ball handling. If you can handle the ball, you can learn how to shoot later or just make great passes and go in for lay ups.

Always thought my dad was crazy when he told me to just walk around and dribble, but oh no - I had to shoot everytime I had a ball in my hands.

Work on the dribbling and passing. Like someone else said, just play defense. Good ball handling and good defense is always welcome on any team at any level.

[The 24th Letter]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

^^^^

man I walked around dribbling w\ my left hand an ENTIRE summer of 98......I was sick of people yelling "right side!" when I got the ball...

[cubsfan203]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

Yeah, I feel you cubsfan....im 6'7 myself.....but I have some meat on me.

If im not playing in a league, im usually the tallest one on the court myself.... I have a nice back to basket\ hustle game, and thats what I relaly need to get back too. Its so easy to fall in love w\ that jumper man..

I wish I had some meat on me, I've been working out like crazy lately and it's slowly building on. I'm kind of built like CDR (below, except I'm white), and I've got a very similar game to him. Watching him play a lot helped make me mold myself into a slasher. I used to be a pure shooter, I've been nailing 3's since I was like 6 and never stopped shooting them haha.



Problem with me was that on my select team I played every single position (I was the tallest guy on the team). Once I got to middle school though, they made me be a 4 or 5 ALL the time, and would take me out if I shot a 3. It helped me out some, like I have a mean hook from the left side that I can nail every time, but that's the main reason I stopped playing was because it wasn't my game.

[LingeringRegime]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

Watch the person's stomach that you are guarding. If you have decent lateral movement it will help you stay in front of them.

[skitch]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

While playing against a smaller & younger player, get on all fours and bark like a dog at them after a made basket.

[Marino]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

I am a deadly 3 point shooter, have been since I was young, so I am always shadowed with a second person. So I try to create for team knowing that I will be double teamed by setting screens or drawing double teams.

I always crash the boards because I hate to give up offensive rebounds, unless it is me who is getting them.

And always play good defense, I hate people that don't play defense.

[TMagic]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

Watch the person's stomach that you are guarding. If you have decent lateral movement it will help you stay in front of them.

Ha. Not only that, but I think dudes look real silly when they play D looking directly in my eyes. What the hell are you looking at?

Give them a quick fake and I'm gone. I end up laughing everytime I score.

[RAZRr1275]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

I'm not a great shooter so my tip is PLAY D. Create offense for people that can score. I'm around SG/SF in height and that's what I usually play. I get a good amount of steals and like guarding point guards. I've had tiny fast guys that run back and forth and side to side around the court all the time and I shut them down. I give them space and don't let them get to the lane

[J0nnD0ugh]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

My advice is this: Don't pick me on your team. I suck.

[cjonesfan921]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

DEFENSE. My offense is so streaky, depends on the day. I make up for that, by manning up on defense, every play. Over the summer, me and my cousins played some intense games, one of my cousins is just really damn good.

I took up the task and did a pretty good job on him, actually. The match-up was extremely physical, and it was getting heated between us, but of course after the game, we just went back to normal. I like taking the task of trying to stop someone.