Basketball Shooting

• Outline
  • Gameplay
  • Positions
  • Equipment
  • Official
  • Violations
  • Fouls
  • Strategy
• Techniques and Practices
  • Basketball Moves
  • Shooting
  • Layups
  • Slam Dunks
  • Posting Up
  • Rebounding
  • Passing
  • Dribbling
  • Blocking
  • Triple Threat Position
• Positions
  • Point Guard (PG)
  • Shooting Guard (SG)
  • Small Forward (SF)
  • Power Forward (PF)
  • Center (C)

Shooting is the act of attempting to score points by throwing the ball through the basket, methods varying with players and situations.

Typically, a player faces the basket with both feet facing the basket. A player will rest the ball on the fingertips of the dominant hand (the shooting arm) slightly above the head, with the other hand supporting the side of the ball. The ball is usually shot by jumping (though not always) and extending the shooting arm. The shooting arm, fully extended with the wrist fully bent, is held stationary for a moment following the release of the ball, known as a follow-through. Players often try to put a steady backspin on the ball to absorb its impact with the rim. The ideal trajectory of the shot is somewhat controversial, but generally a proper arc is recommended. Players may shoot directly into the basket or may use the backboard to redirect the ball into the basket.

The two most common shots that use the above described setup are the set-shot and the jump-shot. The set-shot is taken from a standing position, with neither foot leaving the floor, typically used for free throws, and in other circumstances while the jump-shot is taken in mid-air, the ball released near the top of the jump. This provides much greater power and range, and it also allows the player to elevate over the defender. Failure to release the ball before the feet return to the floor is considered a traveling violation.

Another common shot is called the lay-up. This shot requires the player to be in motion toward the basket, and to "lay" the ball "up" and into the basket, typically off the backboard (the backboard-free, underhand version is called a finger roll). The most crowd-pleasing and typically highest-percentage accuracy shot is the slam dunk, in which the player jumps very high and throws the ball downward, through the basket while touching it.

Another shot that is becoming common is the "circus shot". The circus shot is a low-percentage shot that is flipped, heaved, scooped, or flung toward the hoop while the shooter is off-balance, airborne, falling down, and/or facing away from the basket. A back-shot is a shot taken when the player is facing away from the basket, and may be shot with the dominant hand, or both; but there is a very low chance that the shot will be successful.

A shot that misses both the rim and the backboard completely is referred to as an air-ball. A particularly bad shot, or one that only hits the backboard, is jocularly called a brick. The 'hang time is the length of time a player stays in the air after jumping, either to make a slam dunk, lay-up or jump shot.

A bank shot in basketball is a shot that relies on the ball bouncing off the backboard and into the basket. It is frequently used for mid-range jump shots from around a 45° angle and layups. It is not commonly used for long-range shots or shots from the middle or near the baseline. The purpose of using the backboard is to try to hit the backboard at an angle, thus slowing the speed of the ball and increasing its chances of falling into the hoop. Researchers at North Carolina State University found that bank shots may be 20 percent more effective up to a distance of about 12 feet than direct shots. Another term for a bank shot is "off the glass." NBA players known for using the bank shot often are Sam Jones, George Gervin, Tim Duncan, Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Scottie Pippen, and Kobe Bryant.

A putback describes a situation where a player secures an offensive rebound, then immediately scores a basket. If the player secures the rebound while in the air, for the shot to be considered a putback, the player can land on the ground before shooting, but cannot dribble before taking the shot. If the player does not secure the rebound but instead taps the ball into the basket, it is considered a tip-in. There is a point where the difference between a putback and a tip-in is subjective (e.g., a one-handed rebound in the air followed by a shot before touching the ground). A putback jam is a spectacular alternative to the tip-in, where the ball is slam-dunked off the rebound in the same motion. Josh Smith and Kenyon Martin are the perfectors of the putback jam. It is also a primary source of scoring for All-Star center Dwight Howard, who led the NBA in dunks in the 2008–2009, 2009–2010 and 2010–2011 seasons.

Pull up jumper

A pull-up jumper is an offensive move, where the ball handler in the act of dribbling, 'pulls up' to shoot the basketball. This is especially effective as the defender is not able to react in time to affect or block the shot. This move is widely used by players in the NBA, such as Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder, and LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Turnaround jump shot

When a player posts up, in order to shoot he has to turn around to face the basket. This can be done by turning in the air, timing the jump shot when the defender is not likely to jump and challenge the shot. Though a fade-away version of this move was perfected by Larry Bird and Dirk Nowitzki, players such as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Kevin Garnett are also well known for it.

Fadeaway

A fadeaway shot is a variation on a set jump shot in which the shooter attempts his shot leaning backward, creating the effect of "fading away" from his defender. This makes it more difficult for the defender to contest the shot. The fadeaway usually has less range than a regular jump shot, because the ball has backwards momentum due to its inertia, making it somewhat tougher to project the ball over long distances. Michael Jordan, Reggie Miller, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Karl Malone, and Steve Nash are famous for their use of the fadeaway. Wilt Chamberlain was criticized for his frequent use of the fadeaway jumper, since the follow-through usually carries the shooter away from the basket and out of rebounding position.

Step-Back Jump Shot

The shooter takes a quick jab step away from the basket and takes a normal jump shot. Stephen Curry is famous for his step-back jumper.

 

• Outline
  

  SPORTS WORLD

  Basketball

  The object of the game is to outscore one's opponents by throwing the ball through the opponents' basket from above while preventing the opponents from doing so on their own. An attempt to score in this way is called a shot. A successful shot is worth two points, or three points if it is taken from beyond the three-point arc 6.75 metres (22 ft 2 in) from the basket in international games and 23 feet 9 inches (7.24 m) in NBA games. A one-point shot can be earned when shooting from the foul line after a foul is made.

  Rules and Regulations

  Gameplay: A jump ball is a method used to begin or resume play in basketball. Two opposing players attempt to gain control of the ball after it is tossed up into the air in between them by an official.

  Positions: During the early years of basketball's evolution, two guards, two forwards, and one center were used.

  Equipment: The only essential equipment in a basketball game is the ball and the court: a flat, rectangular surface with baskets at opposite ends.

  Official: Basketball is regarded as among the most difficult sports to officiate due to the fast speed of play, the complexity of rules that must be followed, the unique case-specific interpretations of rules, and the instantaneous judgement required.

  Violations: The ball must stay within the court; the last team to touch the ball before it travels out of bounds forfeits possession. The ball is out of bounds if it touches a boundary line, or touches any player or object that is out of bounds.

  Fouls: An attempt to unfairly disadvantage an opponent through certain types of physical contact is illegal and is called a personal foul.

  Strategy: The playbook starts as a canvas picture of the basketball court with all its boundaries and lines. On top of that, the playmaker can draw O's for players on offense, and X's for players on defense.

• Techniques and Practices
  

  SPORTS WORLD

  Techniques and Practices

  Basketball moves are generally individual actions used by players in basketball to pass by defenders to gain access to the basket or to get a clean pass to a teammate to score a two pointer or three pointer. Basketball Moves »

  Shooting: Shooting is the act of attempting to score points by throwing the ball through the basket, methods varying with players and situations.

  Slam dunks: A slam dunk, also dunk or dunk shot, is a type of basketball shot that is performed when a player jumps in the air, controls the ball(s) above the horizontal plane of the rim, and scores by putting the ball directly through the basket with one or both hands.

  Rebounding: Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made, or the rebound allows the defensive team to take possession.

  Passing: A pass is a method of moving the ball between players. Most passes are accompanied by a step forward to increase power and are followed through with the hands to ensure accuracy.

  Dribbling: Dribbling is the act of bouncing the ball continuously with one hand, and is a requirement for a player to take steps with the ball.

  Blocking: In basketball, a block or blocked shot occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a field goal attempt from an offensive player.

SPORTS

 

RESOURCES
This article uses material from the Wikipedia articles "Basketball" and "Basketball moves", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.