In basketball, the lay-up is the most basic shot. People don't pay much attention to it, though, when they try to improve their game as a whole. Players need to remind themselves of the basics of shooting lay-ups to make themselves better scorers in a time when fundamentals are being forgotten and fancy moves are being used instead. In this article, we'll talk about a few things about layups that will help you get better at the game as a whole.
When practising layups, it's important to take it seriously.
In a real game, you won't often get the chance to run slowly to the basket and shoot a layup without anyone in your way. Most layups are made when a defender is on your hip and bothering you all the way to the basket. If you don't pay attention when you practise lay-ups, you're more likely to miss them in a game because you might jump off the wrong foot or shoot too hard because your timing is off. It doesn't make any sense to make even the easiest shots in a game if you don't practise them the same way you would in a game. During your warm-ups, when you shoot layups, make sure you are using the right technique and moving at game speed.
Have the ability to use both hands.
You should be able to make good layups with both your right and left hands. If you drive to the basket on the left side of the court and try to make a layup with your right hand, the shot is likely to be blocked. Make sure that you shoot the layup with the hand you are driving toward the basket with. This will put your body between you and your defender, and if your defender tries to block your shot, he or she is likely to commit a foul.
"Pick and choose"
If you try to make the same kind of layup every time, you won't be able to get the most out of the game. It's important to be used to making different kinds of lay-ups so that you're harder to defend in certain situations. For example, a defender may be too aggressive and challenge every shot you take. When you get close to the basket, you may want to head fake and shoot what is called a "power lay-up," where you step back two feet and try to get a foul or shoot over your defender if you time it right. Or, during a break, you might want to shoot a layup with the hand that is on the other side of the basket from the one you are driving toward. When you are under pressure to make a shot, you can sometimes get the ball to the basket faster if you use your right hand when going up on the left side of the basket or your left hand when going up on the right side of the basket. In the end, you need to be able to make a variety of layups that you feel comfortable with so that you can use every advantage you can during games.
