The last game of the regular season has concluded, and it’s playoff time. You and your teammates have been working hard all year to get here, and now you’re going to have to give everything you’ve got if you want to win the championship. One of the most important factors in winning is scoring as many points as possible; this gives your team a higher ranking in the league and keeps your season alive, even if your record isn’t perfect. The following five tips can help you maximize your point production in the playoffs
5 Tips to Scoring More Points
1) Get Your Free-Throw Game Down
Free-throws are worth one point each, and they’re usually a quick way to make up points at the end of a game. Make them one of your team’s priorities and practice free-throws early and often; you may need to win every single free-throw to pull out a tough victory at season’s end. Note that accuracy is key here – so you can shoot free-throws consistently, try to shoot around 100 or so before every game. Don’t just rack up misses, though; focus on making at least 70% of your shots.
2) Avoid Turnovers
At times, you will be expected to run at the defenders, pass through them or knock them out of the way. If you’re not careful however, they can easily steal the ball from you and score. One of the best ways to avoid turnovers is to constantly be aware of how many points you have. If you are low on points, don’t try going for risky shots or shoving defenders because it may just result in a turnover. You can also use your teammates as a distraction by running past defenders; if there are no nearby defenders then pass it off before being knocked out!
3) Know Where to Pass on Offense
Ball handlers need to be able to make quick decisions on the move, both when running plays and on the fly. For example, you can never pass up an opportunity to break down your man off the dribble. This situation will be a rarity in a game, but it’s important that you have an arsenal of moves that keep your defender guessing even if they’re nowhere near the ball. In addition to using it as an offensive weapon, moving well with the ball will give you opportunities for defensive stops. If there’s one thing I know about defense, it’s that good offense leads to good defense—so take advantage of every opportunity!
4) Create Opportunities for Teammates
Creating opportunities for your teammates to score can help boost your point total. A good way to create these opportunities is by using pump fakes. When you pump fake, you’re making your defender believe that they’re going to get scored on, which opens up a lane for you or one of your teammates to use. Pump fakes will often make your defender jump, which also leaves them vulnerable if they’re guarding someone who doesn’t jump as much. If a player like Stephen Curry or Kyrie Irving uses a pump fake and his defender jumps, he’ll know that he has an advantage and should try passing it off to his teammate instead of taking a shot himself.
5) Make Sure You Hit Open Shots
Sometimes, the hardest part of hitting a big shot is being able to hit that big shot. Being comfortable with the shots you’re taking helps your chances of making them. This applies even more when the pressure is on, so as you’re getting ready for a playoff game and scouting your opponent, watching film and recognizing open looks in each matchup will allow you to get comfortable with the shots you’re going to be taking over the course of an entire game. [2] Not only do you want to have confidence in your shot and take those open shots, but it’s very important that form is followed when shooting because practicing good form before games can help improve shooting during games.
