Hi y'all basketball junkies, I got a question for you: Have you ever had trouble using the moves that you learned in practice to real game situations? If you had, how did you get out of it? That's the problem I've been having and it pisses me off! I mean, I've learned the moves, the footwork for things like up and under, drop step and even the spin moves. I can do them left and right with both hands very fluently without thinking. But I just can't use them in real games. When there is a guy guarding me, everything is changed. Somehow the moving hands and body behind me give me a mental block. I can't spin, can't fake. It makes me always fall back to my old stupid and predictable stuff. I'm 6'3, 220 lbs getting into downhill age. I've always been a bruiser on the basketball court . I like to rebound and play defense. But I got no reliable offensive moves. I know as I get older I can't always be playing like this. I need to learn to become a scorer. With my height and weight I figure some post moves should help me down low. But this **** is much harder than I thought What I've realized now is that just understanding the moves and footwork is far from enough. Using them in real games is very different. I just don't know how to get there. If you have experience in this please help me out. Your advice is much appreciated!
No personal experience, but my recommendation would be to practice the moves with a defender? If you have a buddy who can help you out, you can switch off practicing specific moves on each other to get a feel for what it is like when someone is guarding you.
Tell the defender everything that you're going to do on offense and then do the exact opposite. It will blow their minds.
Become a shooter, that will open up everything else. Post moves just back into the dude hard one dribble to get a lil room and do the move. Mostly go to hook shots in the post things like up and under won't work if you don't set it up.
It sounds like you haven't completely learned the moves. They should come natural to you and should be a response to the way the defender is playing you rather than just a spontaneous "look what I can do." You need to focus on the defender. Is he crowding you or giving you room? How is he moving his hands and where is he positioning his body? The moves don't do jack by themselves. You need to think about making him react a certain way rather than showing off your own moves.
Everything is easier without a defender. Have someone guard you and do the moves on them. Also. There are diminishing returns with some moves that will lose its effectiveness against pick-up level competition. NBA players get crossed and burned a LOT because they play a lot of anticipation D and gamble a lot on defense. Your regular pick up dude won't be bodying you up like that and as a result most moves you do will do very little to give you a competitive advantage in game.
Yeah, the moves should be fluid and instinctual based on the defense. I'd suggest playing against people that you're better than. Use your moves, get some confidence with success against poor defenders. Once you get more confident then up your competition a bit. Don't be afraid to get your shot blocked.
I've coached and done private lessons with both big men and guards. Offensively your initial move should have at least one counter. Essentially the defender will dictate how you attack. Be patient and get to your spot on the blocks where you feel comfortable working from. "Feel" the defender and depending on where he's pressuring you in the post it will tell you which way to inside pivot. I never been a big fan of the up and under, pump fakes should be followed by decisive and strong finishes. Hope it helps
Practice Practice Practice.. Repetition, Repetition, Repetition.. You don't need a defender. Use some chairs. It will come naturally once you have practiced it enough time. Build good habits with the ball. Something I used to do. Practice my initial move.. Like 10 reps. Then add a counter.. 10 reps. And another counter.. 10 reps. Repeat for 5 sets. It's basically like working out.
The older you get, the farther away you shoot. I thought everyone knew this. If you never were able to score in the paint, you aren't going to be able to do it now. Let the kids have the paint. Learn a baseline jumper. Chant this when meditating on the can ... I'm a stretch 4. I'm a stretch 4. I can do this.
Practice at game speed in "in-game" spots and situations. Don't post up on the block, post up like 2 feet from the block since that is likely where you'll start. Do the moves at the same speed you'll need to do them in game or work up to game speed. Also practicing against a defender and using your moves in a pick up against weaker competition helps too. Most of all, envision yourself doing the moves, if you don't think you can, you're right
What I do is imagine a defender in a spot that I must go around, or shoot over the top while practicing the moves. I guess using a chair achieves the same purpose. Also practice doing the moves all over the paint at different angles as well as 3-4 feet outside your normal spots. After awhile your muscle memory will kick even if your not in perfect positioning. Also, as you get older, you will probably have to spend alot more time practicing to break a lifetime's worth of bad habits. It's not exactly going to happen overnight. I would worry about mastering a go to move before bothering with a counter. All the counters in the world don't mean much if you aren't getting them to commit to your first move.
I practice moves and counter moves while imagining a defender and help defense reacting when I'm practicing. When I actually play there isn't a thought out attack plan. I just react. I think you're giving defenders too much credit. Don't use methodical, robotic moves against people. Just put the ball in the basket with what you're given.
Practice. I use to juke the **** of good players. Thats all I could to do. Then I became bron bron with squats.
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