Every team needs an inside game. You cannot rely too heavily on your perimeter play. If you don’t have a pretty strong inside presence, opposing teams will take advantage of that on both ends of the floor. You should have at least one or two players who have the length and the skills to make things happen in the paint. This article highlights the main keys to dominant post play.

Get physical

It’s easier to play outside because there’s less physicality compared to the inside game. In order to establish yourself in the paint you need embrace the idea of bumping people around and fighting for position. Establishing yourself inside is done by sealing the defender as deep as you can. By doing so, it will take the pressure off your teammates when they try to pass the ball inside. Try to seal the defender underneath the basket as much as possible because this creates shots for you that are closer to the basket and makes it less likely for your shot to be blocked.

Create open shots for teammates

It’s always great to see players creating open shots for their teammates. It means that they trust each other and that the offense is in rhythm. One important thing post players need to do is create space for teammates by setting picks for them. Post players are naturally a little bit bigger and so shooters love to come off of their screens because they make it so hard for the defender to get through it. You’ll get a lot of credit for setting good screens. You’ll also see more scoring opportunities as you set good screens because the defense will collapse and when you roll to the basket you’ll usually be wide open.

The other important thing that post players are responsible for when it comes to creating open shots is passing. Post players that have good passing skills are very valuable. Double teams are very common inside the paint so when you have the ability to see the open man and deliver a perfect pass to him, you’re making your team better and you’re making yourself a more valuable player.

Handle the ball well and establish good footwork

You can’t always rely on a catch and shoot kind of play because it always depends on how they defend you. Opponents will try to push you out of your comfort zone. You need to learn how to dribble with both hands and to attack the basket on the dribble. As for your footwork, you need to be good at this so that opponents will have a hard time guarding you. You need to be good in playing the pivot using both feet. Be careful not to shuffle your feet when you start making a move going to the basket. These two facets of the game require a lot of practice in order for you to become a solid force inside.

Efficient scoring and rebounding

Inside players always go for the high percentage shots. Due to the physicality of the inside game, players tend to commit fouls on point blank shots. It’s also a strategy some coaches use because most inside players are poor free-throw shooters. If your opponent knows that foul shooting is a problem for you, they will never give you any inside looks. Instead they will make you earn them from the foul line. Keep practicing your free-throws so that your coach can keep you in the game during crunch time and so you can have an opportunity to shoot shots inside the paint. Try to display some variety of moves to try to frustrate your defender. You have to have a couple of moves in your offensive game so that defenders will have a hard time guarding you. Also, try to add some mid-range shots in your game so that you can take on of their big men out of the paint. You also have to be active on the boards. You can score a lot of points through put-backs and tip-ins.

Author Bio: Ewald Basio is a basketball writer for HoopSkills.com, a website dedicated to basketball training.

Category: Sports
Keywords: basketball, post play, forward, center, big