How to Play Basketball Blog – Be a Playmaker
Keep your eyes wide open like CBS is what Jay-Z said and it it so true on the basketball court for anybody who wants to be a playmaker. A playmaker is a person who makes a play on defense that leads to a stop or a play on offense that leads to a score. Observation is key because you have to know who is on the court in order to know what type of play needs to be made. And if you are not observant you will not have a clue what to do.
If you are on defense you should be aware of all of your opponents’ strengths and weaknesses. That might mean you have to watch the game going on before you play so you get a feel for what the teams are doing to score. When you observe start with the basics who is scoring and how are they doing it. Are they scoring in transition? Are they coming off screens? Are they using pick and roll? Are they feeding the post? When you know how they are scoring you can plan against it. One example is if they are scoring by getting easy points in transition you can make sure that you are always sprinting back to defense. Another thing you can do is adjust how you come off screens depending on who you are guarding (I talked about this earlier here How to Play Basketball Blog-Sometimes You Gotta Fight Part1, Part 2 & Part 3). Pay attention and you will be on your way to becoming a Hooper!
When you are on offense you need to know your teammates’ strengths and weaknesses. If you have a player on your team that is a great shooter than you should be setting them up to score either by screening for them or by drawing their defender to you and making a pass to them. It is important to know your own strengths and weaknesses so you know how you can contribute to the team. If you are a good ball handler then you should handle the ball. If you are a good post player then make your presence known by camping out near the paint. I understand that during pick-up games you can work on your weaknesses too just do not let that be the only thing you do. It is important for you to dominate games in one way or another. So on offense if you are a bad perimeter shooter you need to go through drills to become a better shooter because 2 or 3 shots in a pick-up game is not going to make you a better shooter. And your team is going to wonder if you are trying to win or lose. So on offense do what you do best and make sure the rest of your team is doing the same.
Lebron is a great playmaker. Chris Paul is a great playmaker. Magic Johnson was a great playmaker. Oscar Robertson was a great playmaker. You can add your name to that list but first you must know what is going on so be observant!
You can see the other 4 skills needed to help you improve by ordering a copy of the book here How to Play Basketball: A Guide to Getting Better By Playing Pick-up Games
You are your only opponent
Coach Wilkins
Coach/Owner of Hoops Education
Former D1 Player/Former AAU Coach/Former HS Coach
Author of How to Play Basketball: A Guide to Getting Better By Playing Pick-up Games
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