Approach the hoop while dribbling. Grab the ball with both hands, jump into the air and flick the ball onto the backboard and into the hoop. The lay up is one of the most fundamental offensive basketball manuevers and can be performed by beginners and professionals alike.
Due to the short distance to the basket, the basket lay up is a sure way to score points.
With the lay up, the correct step sequence and jump are most important.
Did you know? The lay up and jump shot are the oldest shooting techniques in basketball.
How does a lay up work in basketball?
To learn the sequence of movements and steps, we recommend starting your lay up from a standing position with a single dribble.
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Here's how a basketball lay up works with your right hand:
Step 0: Positioning, 10 feet from the right of the basket
Position yourself about 10 feet from the basket, half way to the 3 point line, and run to the basket at a 45° angle.
Assume the starting classic shooting position.
Hold the ball close to your body with both hands at hip level.
Step 1: Dribble the ball with your right hand and place the left foot on the ground
Dribble with your right hand, the ball one step ahead of you. At the same time, step with your left foot.
Step 2: The right foot in front
Grab the ball with both hands, and hold it close to the right side of your body. Then take a step forward with the right foot.
3. Jump off with your left foot
Now take a step forward with your left foot and jump up and towards the basket.
At the same time, pull the right knee up. This helps stabilise your shot and accelerate you to the basket.
Important: When jumping off, focus on jumping upwards more than forwards.
Step 4: Guide the ball towards the basket and shoot
When taking to the air, bring the ball from the waist on the right side of your body. In one fluid motion, your right hand should be under the ball. Your left hand is kept to the side of the ball.
Once in the air, stretch out your right arm. At the apex, straighten your arm and elbow to shoot the ball towards the backboard. Your goal is the upper right corner of the square on the backboard.
In this video, you can see how a fluid lay up looks:
The lay up with the left hand works exactly the same but inverted, so start with your left foot, jump off with your right leg, and lay up with your left arm.
Our tip: Be sure to train both hands. This will help step up your game.
The following exercise helps beginners practice and internalise the lay up:
Here's another step by step guide on how to perform the lay up.
Step 1: Catch the ball landing with your left foot Step 2: Step forward with your right foot Step 3: Jump off with your left foot Step 4: Drive forward with your right knee Step 5: Simultaneously, bring the ball up with your right hand Step 6: Lay it up softly
The 4 different types of lay ups
There are four different lay up techniques. The technique we've mentioned is simple and well suited for beginners. The other lay up techniques are more difficult and suited for experienced basketball players.
The overhand lay up
The original and simplest version of the basketball lay up is suitable for children and beginners.
The ball is thrown from the hand onto the backboard. The basketball lay up can be done with or without the backboard.
Underhand Lay Up
This lay up variation is also called the finger roll and suited for experienced basketball players.
When laying up, the whole arm is stretched out. The hand is placed under the ball. Snap your wrist upwards so that the ball rolls off the fingertips. This will help the ball rise and fall softly into the basket.
The underhand lay up is:
easier to block,
for lay ups farther from the basket,
only possible with a strong jump.
The following video shows how to do the finger roll with the underhand lay up:
The Power Move
The only difference between the overhand lay up and the power move is that you jump with both legs. This is where a strong jump is a necessity.
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The Up and Under
The most difficult lay up variation is the up and under. Here, the lay up is faked to bring the opponent out of position.
The player starts by jumping past the opponent, fakes the throw, bringing the ball around, and then lobbing the ball just before landing. In action, here's how the up and under lay up looks:
How do I practice the lay up?
The lay up is a very elaborate technique and can best be trained methodically in a series.
This means: For the lay up, first practice the individual steps and start with the simplest part. If you manage these steps individually, connect the steps in the correct order one by one.
Here's how the process works: Step 1: Perfect your accuracy on the back board. Stand 45° from the backboard and practice. Step 2: Practice the two-contact rule: Right - left - jump - back board shot. Step 3: Add in a single dribble then repeat step 2. Step 4: Add more dribbling in to feel more comfortable transitioning from dribbling to shooting. Then repeat step 2. Step 5: Practice these steps with your weaker hand.
It takes a few training sessions before the basketball lay up can be used in a game.
Common lay up mistakes
Since the lay up is quite complex, problems are sure to arise in the beginning. Perfect practice makes perfect execution. Here's how to counteract typical mistakes:
Jumping with the wrong leg or approaching the basket with the wrong sequence of steps
Go through the steps slowly, one at a time.
Have your coach or teammate tell you right leg during the step sequence.
Missing arm extension with the standing shot
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Train the standing throw for a while.
Jump is not high enough
Pull the non-jumping knee actively up.
Do excercises that isolate your jump.
Strength and jumping exercises for a better lay up
A strong jump is vital for a successful lay up. We'll show you how to practice this.
Important before starting your lay up exercises: Warm up to get your muscles and joints ready for the strain. Be sure to plan sufficient breaks while practicing your jumping. Take care of your body to prevent injuries.
Genetically speaking, you can increase your jump height by a maximum of 10 to 20 percent. In addition to leg strength, a stable core is a necessity. A stable core allows you to better catapult yourself upwards, as your jump and core then work together to throw yourself up.
Along with jumping excercises, you can strengthen the core with the following excercises:
Plank
Push up
Sit ups
We recommend the following excercises if you'd like to train your jump.
Lunge Jumps
The jump lunge trains your explosive power:
Place your feet hip wide.
Take a large step back with your right foot.
Knee is just over the ground.
Jump and change legs.
Half squats
Half squats train your jumping power from a squating position. This excercise is helpful because many basketball manuevers involve jumping.
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Place feet hip wide apart.
Bend your knees to go into a squating position.
Expload upwards into the air.
Half deadlift
As with the last excercise, perform this exercise from a half squat. Place the weight on two boxes.
Note: Only perform this exercise once you've mastered the dead lift. If not, you could injure your back.
Box Jumps
To do box jumps, you'll need a stable box or bench.
Stand upright with feet hip-wide in front of the box.
Bend the knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Jump upwards and swing your arms forward.
Land as gently as possible on the box in a squatting position.
Jump back down gently to the ground.
Ball catching
This exercise trains your reflexes as well as your jump.
Throw the basketball against the backboard and try to catch it at the apex of its flight path.
One legged jumps
For this exercise, put one leg in the air, bend your knees and explode upwards. Once your leg is exhausted, switch legs. We recommend this excercise at the end of your training session.
Even more ideas for your next basketball practice
Still looking for more tips for your training? Sport psychologist and performance coach Sebastian Altfeld shows you how to effectively plan a basketball practice session. Or take a look at our other articles on the same topic:
The Dunk
Basketball Rules
The Jump Shot
If you're still looking for the training jersey for you or your team, we recommend taking a look at our Online Shop. Or design your own jersey with our 3D Designer.
If you want to win basketball games, your players must be able to finish at the rim consistently.
While knowing “how to do a layup” will sound easy to most players, it’s actually much more difficult than most people realize.
Think about it:
Players attack the hoop at varying speeds...
Players attack the hoop from many different angles...
And when they do get to the hoop, there’s usually a second defender waiting who will attempt to swat their layup into the 5th row.
Despite these challenges, players must learn how to score layups in a variety of situations if they want to experience individual and team success.
In this article, I’ll show you how.
I’ll start by teaching you (1) exactly what a layup is, (2) the six steps for how to do a layup, (3) the process for teaching layups to young kids, (4) the seven layup variations all players must master, before finishing with (5) some important layup tips.
Let’s get started…
What is a Layup?
Here’s the general definition most coaches would use:
“A layup is the action of a player dribbling towards the hoop, taking two steps, and then laying the basketball into the hoop off the backboard. ”
For a traditional layup — this is correct.
With that said…
There are MANY variations of a layup (I’ll share 7 of them with you later in this article) and no two in-game layups are identical.
There’s an endless number of situations a player will face when they attack the hoop in a 5-on-5 game.
The two things all layups do have in common:
(1) All layups are shots close to the basket
(2) All layups are worth two points
How to Do a Layup (6-Steps)
Now, let’s talk about how to do a layup correctly.
Learning correct footwork and layup technique is crucial for young players.
We don’t want players to develop poor habits that will be difficult to break out of as they get older and advance to higher levels of basketball.
For the purposes of this beginner’s guide, I’ll assume players are executing a regular right-handed layup.
Here we go:
1.
Eyes Up
The very first thing a player must do when they decide to attack the defense and finish with a layup is get their eyes up.
This is important for two main reasons:
a. To Lock onto the Target
The target they aim for will be either the hoop or the backboard depending on the player’s angle and speed.
Knowing which target to choose as the ball is released from the shooter’s hand is something players will get used to as they gain more experience.
b. To Read the Defense
Every time a player attacks the hoop, multiple defenders will step across to provide help and challenge the layup.
Players need to get their eyes up and use their peripheral vision to read these defenders.
This will help the player decide which layup variation will give them the best chance of scoring (or which teammate is now open to receive a pass).
2.
Outside Foot Step (Long)
Remembering that we’re using a traditional, unguarded layup as the example for this blog post…
The first step a player makes as they pick up the basketball should be with their “outside” foot (closest to the sideline).
For right-handed layups, this is the right foot.
For left-handed layups, this is the left foot.
There are two important coaching points you should emphasize to players when you’re teaching them this step:
(1) Long Step
We want players to gain distance with the first step, and a long step also helps with the second point…
(2) Controlled
Players MUST be in control of their body as they perform their layup.
Too often we see young players sprint towards the hoop out of control and then launch the ball hard off the backboard.
Encourage them to slow down to increase their chances of scoring.
3.
Inside Foot Step (High)
The second step of a traditional layup should be with the inside foot (closest to the middle of the court).
For right-handed layups, this is the left foot.
For left-handed layups, this is the right foot.
The key coaching point for the second step is the following:
“High Jump”
Along with ensuring players slow down and are in control of their layup, the emphasis to jump high will give young players the upward momentum they need to complete the layup.
This is done by driving the shooting-side knee up into the air as they jump off their opposite foot.
(Right knee on right-handed layups. Left knee on left-handed layups)
4.
Protect the Ball
It’s crucial that a player protects the ball while attempting their layup.
Two things to watch out for:
a. Getting Stripped
Smart defenders will look to strip (steal) the ball from the offensive player during their two steps.
To prevent this from happening, the offensive player needs to (1) have strong hands and (2) keep the ball close to their body.
b. Getting Blocked
Tall defenders will attempt to block the shot during the upward shooting motion or as the ball leaves the offensive player’s hands.
To prevent this, the offensive players must use their non-shooting hands to protect the ball and increase the likelihood of getting fouled.
5.
Follow Through
The fifth step when learning how to do a layup…
Teach your players to bring the ball up above their head, extend their arm, and then flick their wrist to guide the basketball into the hoop.
The traditional overhand layup is very similar to a regular jump shot when it comes to this part of the layup technique.
Important Note:
If you’re coaching very young players, you might find they push the basketball up from their chest instead of bringing the ball above their head before shooting… this is due to a lack of strength.
This isn’t a big issue while they’re young, but make sure they’re growing out of this habit as they get older and stronger.
6.
Practice!
Now that your players understand correct layup technique, it’s time they start doing some serious layup practice!
A few important things for coaches to think about:
a. Different Angles and Speeds
Run layup drills that involve players attacking the hoop from different angles and at different speeds.
Left / right side
Front of the rim
Along the baseline
It’s important that they’re comfortable and confident driving to the hoop from anywhere on the court.
b. Right Hand and Left Hand
Allow players to mainly use with their dominant hand when they’re first learning how to perform a layup…
But make sure they start practicing with both hands once they understand correct technique and develop the strength to do so.
This is important to help them protect the ball and finish around good defenders as they get older and play against tougher competition.
c. Competition!
Almost immediately you should start running drills where players are required to attack the defense and finish with a layup against live defense.
Add both layup technique and layup competition drills to every practice.
For example:
Spend 10 minutes using a layup technique drill and then spend 10 minutes playing half court 2-on-1.
Your players might struggle against competition at first — they might commit a travelling violation, jump off the wrong foot, or rush their two steps — but they’ll benefit from the struggle in the long run.
Teaching Layups to Kids - The Process
I’m guessing that most people reading this article are youth basketball coaches wanting to know the best way to teach layups.
If so, you’re in the right place.
I’m going to provide you with the step-by-step instructions.
These steps should be used to teach “overhand” and “underhand” layups to all players who have signed up to learn the game of basketball.
One final piece of advice before we get started:
Be patient.
These steps might seem simple to you… but to a young kid who’s trying to understand footwork, ball pickup, where to focus, distance, etc… it’s hard!
Let’s get stated…
1.
One-Step Layup
The first step is to start players on the low block.
Since most players are right-handed, I recommend starting on the right block since this will be most comfortable for them.
Give everyone a basketball, line everyone up behind the low block, and then get them to execute the following:
a. Start with feet together
b. Take one step with their left foot (inside foot)
c. Jump off the left foot and shoot a layup off the backboard
2.
Two-Step Layup
Next, let’s add a second step…
Get everyone to start one step back from the low block.
Reminding them that they don’t need to dribble the basketball yet, ask them to do the following:
a. Start with feet together
b. The first step is with their right foot (outside foot)
c. The second step is with their left foot (inside foot)
d. Jump off the left foot and shoot a layup off the backboard
Players grab their own rebound before joining the end of the same line.
3.
One-Dribble Layup
Now let’s take another step back…
For the third step in this process, we ask players to take one dribble before completing their two steps and finishing with a layup.
Here are the instructions:
a. Start with feet together
b. The initial step is with their left foot. As this foot touches the ground, the player should take one dribble with their right hand.
c. As the player catches the ball, they take their first layup step with their right foot (outside foot)
d. The second layup step is with their left foot (inside foot)
e. Jump off the left foot and shoot a layup off the backboard
4.
Multiple Dribble Layup
The final step when learning to shoot off the dribble requires players to retreat back behind the three-point arc.
From here, players will before multiple dribbles before gathering the ball, taking their two steps, and laying the ball in off the glass.
Here’s how it works:
a. Start behind the three-point line with a basketball.
b. Take multiple dribbles towards the hoop (eyes up!)
c. At the low block, take the first step with the right foot (outside foot)
d. The second layup step is with their left foot (inside foot)
e. Jump off the left foot and shoot a layup off the backboard
5.
Catch and Layup
Another thing players must learn to do is receive the basketball while on the move and then finish with a layup without dribbling.
Players are put in this situation often during games…
They might make an off-ball cut to the hoop, receive a pass from a teammate on a fast break, or pass to a player in the post then cut off them.
My recommendation is to set up a quick “give and go” drill.
As follows:
a. Put one player on the free-throw line without a basketball.
b. Line everyone else up behind the three-point line with a basketball.
c. The player with the ball passes to the middle of the floor, sprints towards the hoop, and then receives the ball back for a no-dribble layup.
d. Change the “passer” every minute or two.
Video:
To help you better understand the whole process, check out this brilliant video from FIBA that shows the first four progressions:
Seven Layup Variations
As I spoke about in the step-by-step section, it’s important for players to master more than one type of layup.
When you’re playing a real 5-on-5 game, there will be help defenders trying to block / alter your shot when you get to the hoop.
Being comfortable with a variety of layups will allow players to finish around any kind of defense that’s thrown at them.
Here’s the must-know list:
1.
Overhand Layup
This traditional layup is often the first one we teach young players. It’s similar to a regular jump shot in that a player gets their hand under the ball and “shoots” it off the backboard.
2.
Underhand Layup (Finger Roll)
Also known as the “finger roll”. This involves players putting their shooting hand under the ball with their fingers facing forward, and then rolling the ball off their fingertips as they extend their arm to the hoop.
3.
Floater
The floater is a great way for smaller players to score inside against bigger defenders. It involves a player “pushing” the ball up over the defense.
4.
Off-Foot Layup
If you really want to catch the defense by surprise, an off-foot layup should be in your bag of tricks. This involves jumping off the same foot you’re shooting with. For example, jumping off the right foot for a right-hand layup.
5.
Euro Step Layup
The Euro Step involves taking your first step in one direction, and then changing directions for your second step. This is a great way to step around defenders and change the angle as you complete a layup.
6.
Reverse Layup
A reverse layup allows the offensive player to attack the hoop and finish on the opposite side of the rim. For players at high levels, the rim acts as protection from shot blockers.
7.
Power Layup
A power layup involves performing a 2-foot jump stop before raising up to shoot. The benefit of this variation is it will give the player a stronger base, which is essential if you’re anticipating contact.
Advanced Layup Tips
Before you go, here are a few extra layup tips that will help players be more successful when attacking the hoop.
Some of the tips I’ve mentioned already throughout the article (but they need repeating), and some of them I’ve saved for this section.
Onward:
a.
Slow Down!
One of the main reasons for missed layups at the youth basketball level is players are going way too fast.
If you were to spend just 2 minutes sitting on the sidelines of an U10’s game, and I guarantee you’ll see a 100mph fast break that results in the shooter slamming the ball off the backboard.
Encourage players to slow down, use a long first step to gain control of their body, and then jump high off the second step to finish.
Control is key.
b.
Create Space to Finish
Once a player gets past their defender off the dribble, teach them to step in front of the defender to “lock them behind”.
This creates space in front to finish with a floater or to draw the defense before dropping the basketball off to a teammate.
c.
Swish or Backboard?
Coaches will often get players asking whether they should aim to swish the ball or use the backboard on their layups…
This is an impossible question to answer as every situation is different.
The best advice you can give players is to practice finishing with a swish and off the backboard from all angles and at all speeds.
The more finishes a player is comfortable with, the more options they’ll have when confronted by a defender during games.
d.
Keep the Ball Tight
This is something I spoke about in the “protect the ball” section above…
When going through the two-step motion of a layup, keep a strong grip on the ball and hold it close to your body.
Smart defenders will attempt to strip the basketball before you go up into the shooting motion of the layup.
e.
Don’t Be Scared of Contact
Getting fouled on a layup will give you a chance at a three-point play (or free throws) and will push your opponent one step close to foul trouble.
But many young players are scared of contact.
To avoid contact or getting blocked, they angle away from the defense giving themselves a much more difficult shot attempt.
Encourage players to embrace contact and attack the defender!
f.
Practice Against Real Defenders
Learning layup technique is important, but all the individual layup practice in the world isn’t going to make you an elite finisher at the rim.
You must practice scoring against live defenders.
Once you’re comfortable with technique, it’s time to add defense take your finishing skills to the next level.
1-on-1
2-on-2
2-on-1
etc
These will all help build the skills you need.
Conclusion
Learning how to do a layup is crucial for all young players.
Because they lack strength to make outside shots consistently, 90% of points scored in youth basketball are from layups.
Start by using the four progressions outlined in this article to teach them the basics, and then progress to teaching them the seven layup variations and also adding defenders.
If you do this well, your team should have no trouble attacking the hoop and scoring against any defense.
Live and dead ball in basketball: offensive foul
To fully understand the rules of the game, you need to understand what a foul in basketball means. This concept refers to a violation of the game rules caused by unsportsmanlike behavior or physical contact with a representative of the opposing team. A foul is assigned by the referee to the offending basketball player.
The degree of punishment is determined by the provisions prescribed in the rules of the game.
Understanding the inevitability of personal contact, for which fouls are given in basketball, is of great importance.
Since there are 10 players on the field at the same time, collisions will certainly occur.
By definition, which follows from the rules, one can briefly understand when the sentencing occurs. Knowing this, one of the player's tasks will be to avoid a foul. Many are interested in how many fouls are removed from the field. In basketball, after 5 personal fouls, the player must withdraw from the game. For the NBA, this figure is 6 fouls.
Given how many fouls a basketball player can get, if there are a lot of fouls, the coach will usually bench the player to prevent him from being sent off.
It is also worth knowing how many substitutions can be made in basketball. In general, the rules of the game do not limit the number of substitutions, but a substitution can only be made when the ball is dead or play is stopped. In this regard, it is convenient for the coach to save his players from removal from the court.
The rules of the game provide for a huge number of varieties of personal remarks. The main ones are:
A double foul is awarded when both contacting players have committed fouls at the same time.
Technical foul - a violation that is not fixed due to contact with the opponent, but is issued for unsportsmanlike behavior.
An intentional foul is committed intentionally by an athlete.
Team foul - a violation that is assigned to the entire team.
A disqualifying foul is issued for serious misconduct and results in the removal of a player from the field.
A personal foul is issued to the specific player who committed the violation.
An unsportsmanlike foul is awarded if the referee considers that the player did not properly participate in the rally.
Offensive foul - Interfering with a player during an attack on the hoop.
The presented types of violations are the main ones in the game and occur in almost all matches, regardless of the tournament or league.
Some excerpts from the official basketball rules.
Basketball is played by two teams, each with five players. The goal of each team in basketball is to shoot the opponent into the basket and prevent the other team from getting the ball, and shoot it into the basket.
The winner in basketball is the team that has scored the most points at the end of playing time.
The basketball court must be a flat rectangular hard surface without any obstacles. Dimensions must be 28 meters long and 15 meters wide.
Basketball backboards must be made of an appropriate transparent material or painted white. Basketball backboards must measure 1.80m horizontally and 1.05m vertically.
Basketball hoops must be of strong steel, with an inner diameter of 45 cm. The hoop bar must have a minimum diameter of 16 mm and a maximum of 20 mm. On the bottom of the ring there should be devices for attaching nets.
The basketball must be spherical and orange in color with the traditional pattern of eight inlays and black stitching. It must be inflated to such an air pressure that, when dropped onto the playing surface from a height of about 1.80 m, measured from the bottom of the ball, it will rebound to a height, measured to the top of the ball, of not less than about 1.20 m and not more than about 1.40 m. The circumference of the ball must be at least 74.9cm and not more than 78 cm. The weight of the ball must be not less than 567 g and not more than 650 g.
According to the rules of basketball, the game consists of four periods of ten minutes with breaks of two minutes. The duration of the break between halves of the game is fifteen minutes. If the score is tied at the end of the fourth period, the game is extended by an additional period of five minutes, or by as many periods of five minutes as necessary to break the balance in the score. The teams must switch baskets before the third period. The game officially begins with a jump ball in the center circle when the ball is legally tapped by one of the jumpers.
In the rules of basketball there is the concept of a live and dead ball.
The ball becomes live when:
- During the jump ball, the ball is correctly hit by one of the jumpers.
- During a free throw, the referee places the ball at the disposal of the player taking the free throw.
During a throw-in, the ball is at the disposal of the player taking the throw-in.
The ball becomes dead when:
Any ball scored for a field goal or free throw.
The referee's whistle sounds when the ball is live.
It is clear that the ball will not enter the basket on a free throw followed by:
Another free throw.
- Further punishment.
The signal sounds for the end of each game period or extra period.
The device alarm sounds for 24 seconds when the ball is alive.
A ball that is already in flight at the shot for the basket is touched by a player of either team after:
The referee blew his whistle.
- The time period or additional period has expired.
Device beep sounded for 24 seconds.
The ball does not become dead and the field goal, if true, is valid when:
The ball is in flight on a shot from the court when the referee blows his whistle or the game clock or 24 seconds signal sounds.
The ball is in flight on a free throw when the referee blows his whistle for any infraction other than that of the player taking the free throw.
An opponent commits a foul while the ball is still in control of a player who is in the process of shooting for the basket and who ends his shot with a continuation of the motion that started before it was taken.
In basketball, the ball is played only with the hands. Running with the ball, intentionally kicking it, blocking it with any part of the foot, or punching it is a foul. Accidental contact or touching of the ball with the foot or leg is not a violation.
The shooting process begins when a player makes a normal movement prior to that throw and, in the opinion of the referee, he has started an attempt to score the ball into the opponent's basket with a shot, a throw or a rebound. The throwing process continues until the ball leaves the thrower's hands. Sometimes the opponent holds the thrower's hands in such a way that he cannot release the ball, however, even in this case, in the opinion of the referee, the player may attempt a throw. In this case, it doesn't matter if the ball has left the thrower's hands. There is no relationship between the number of steps taken correctly and the throwing process.
In the case of a jump shot, the throwing process continues until the shot attempt is completed (i. e. until the ball has left the thrower's hand and both feet of the player have touched the floor.
For a foul to be committed against a player in the act of shooting, the foul must occur, in the judgment of the referee, after the player has begun continuous movement of the arm and/or body in an attempted field goal.
Continuous motion:
- Starts when the ball is in the player's hands and the throwing motion, usually upward, has already begun.
- May include hand and/or body movement used by a player in a field goal attempt.
- Ends if a new move is made.
If the criteria for continuous movement listed above are met, the player is considered to be in the act of shooting.
A goal scored from the pitch is credited to the team attacking the basket into which it is scored as follows:
- One point is scored for a free throw goal.
- For a goal scored from the field, two points are counted from the 2-point zone.
- Three points are scored for a ball thrown from a 3-point zone.
If a player accidentally shoots the ball from the court into his own basket, the points are recorded to the opposing captain.
If a player deliberately shoots the ball from the court into his basket, it is a violation and no points are scored.
If a player causes the ball to enter the basket from below, it is a foul.
A player is out of bounds when any part of his body touches the floor or any object other than a player on, over or behind the boundary lines.
The ball is out of bounds when it touches:
- A player or any other person who is off the court.
- The floor or any other object on, above or behind the bounding lines.
- The structure supporting the shield, the back of the shield, or any object above and/or behind the shield.
Under basketball rules, a dribble begins when a player who has gained control of a live ball on the court throws, hits or rolls it on the floor and touches the ball again before another player touches it. The dribble ends when the player touches the ball with both hands at the same time or allows the ball to be held in one or both hands. While dribbling, the ball may be thrown into the air provided that the ball touches the floor before the player touches the ball again with his hand. There is no limit to the number of steps a player can take when the ball is not in contact with his hand. A player who accidentally loses and then regains control of a live ball on the court is considered to have committed an accidental turnover.
A player must not dribble a second time after his first dribble has ended, unless this is after losing control of a live ball on the court due to:
basket shots,
ball touched by an opponent,
passes or accidental loss of the ball which is then touched or touched by another player.
Running is the illegal movement of one or both feet in any direction while in control of a live ball on the court, beyond the limits set out in this article.
A turn occurs when a player has a live ball on the court and steps one or more times in any direction with the same foot while the other foot, called the pivot foot, maintains its place of contact with the floor.
If the player then slides, rolls, or attempts to stand up with the ball in their hands, it is a foul.
A player must not remain in the opponent's restricted area for more than three consecutive seconds while his team is in control of a live ball on the court and the game clock is running. An exception must be made to a player who:
- Attempts to leave the restricted area.
is in the restricted area when he or his teammate shoots and the ball has left or is leaving the thrower's hands.
- Being in the restricted area for less than three seconds, dribbles the ball in order to shoot.
Whenever a player gains control of a live ball in his backcourt, his team must bring the ball into their frontcourt within eight seconds.
Whenever a player gains control of a live ball on the court, a shot attempt must be made by his team within twenty-four seconds.
A foul is an infraction of the rules due to personal contact with an opponent and/or unsportsmanlike conduct.
These are just some important excerpts from the basketball rules. In general, the official basketball rules of the International Basketball Federation are a large one hundred-page manual that outlines all the nuances of the rules.
On average, a basketball team makes 65-70 basket shots and up to 20-25 free throws per game. At the same time, the preparation for the throw itself is the main content of the entire game. But getting into the basket is the main goal in basketball. There are several types of throws for different positions and situations. During the game you can observe their diversity. At the same time, each player has his own technique, both dribbling and throwing the ball. All of this combined with a healthy competitive feel makes for a spectacular show.
Basketball throws
1. Throw with two hands from the chest
This type of throw is actively used to throw the ball into the basket, mainly from long distances. Also, such throws take place in the absence of active opposition from the defender of the other team. In preparation for such a throw, the ball is clasped with the fingers of both hands, after which it is carried to the level of the face, when the arms are straightened, the ball is sent to the basket along a given arc. If all the calculations of the player are correct, and the throw is accurate, then the ball will fly straight into the opponents' basket.
2. Two-hand overhead throw
This type of basketball shot is used from medium distances. Also, this throw is relevant when the opponent is closely guarded. To perform a throw of this kind, the ball is carried overhead, while the arms are slightly bent at the elbows, when the arms are straightened, the ball is sent to the basket. During the straightening of the arms, the ball is given the necessary acceleration and trajectory, allowing it to hit the target exactly - into the "enemy" basket.
3. Throw with two hands from below
This type of throw is actively used in the game during a quick pass to the backboard, as well as during basket attacks in a long jump. To shoot, the player takes the ball in motion under the foot, after which he takes a wide step and makes a jump. With straight arms, the basketball player throws the ball into the basket, while fully extending his body. When straightening the arms, acceleration is given, due to which the ball flies into the basket. It is also extremely important to land correctly after performing this maneuver.
4. Throw with one hand from the shoulder
This is one of the most common types of ball throws in basketball. Applicable at medium and long distances. In this case, the player holds the ball in his right hand at head level, while straightening his arm, the ball goes into the basket.
5. One hand overhand throw
This type of basketball shot is used quite often to attack on the move from close range and also from under the backboard. In preparation for the throw, the ball is placed under the right foot. At the highest point of the jump, the player's arm is extended and the ball is pushed into the basket by the fingers.
6. Throw with one hand from above - “hook”
This type of throw is used by the central players to attack from close and medium distances. To throw, the player turns his left side to the shield, pushes off with his left foot, makes a jump, while the right hand with the ball rises in an arcuate motion and throws it into the basket.
7. Finishing the ball
When the ball is rebounded from the backboard, in case of an unsuccessful attack of the basket, the player can catch the ball and throw it into the basket again.
All statistics are current as of February 9, 2019
In the last big article about floaters, I already wrote that one of the reasons why there are more and more floaters is the increase in the number of passes (drives). The pass itself gives many advantages: it allows you to complete attacks with shots from the “highly effective” zone under the basket, “draw” fouls on the opponent and get the most effective shots in the game - free throws. The passage forces the defensive defenders to shrink into the paint, which opens up opportunities for a pass to open partners and subsequent throws without resistance.
When passing, the player must evaluate many factors that positively / negatively affect the final result (complete the attack with a set of points), and sometimes make the passage impossible at all. To begin with, the player must find the space where he will actually make the passage. The “quality” of this space depends on whether it is on the “strong” or “weak” side, a pass will be made under a strong or weak hand (for a right-hander, a strong hand is right, a weak one is left, for a left-hander, vice versa), are there options for protective safety net in the direction you are going to go.
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It would also be nice to beat your defender. You can try to do this in many ways: go ahead if you have a mismatch and the defender is inferior to you in size (bull-rush), try to unbalance him with quick dribbling and the same quick stop (stop-n-go), show a fake throw ( pump fake), make a crossover (transferring the ball from one hand to another with a change in movement), etc. The first step is very important, it must be long, strong and fast in order to gain an advantage over your opponent already on it.
On passes, you are usually in close contact with one and surrounded by several other defenders. In such situations, it is important to "protect" the ball, from loss or block. The following two techniques can be used to prevent you from being knocked out on a dribble:
After finishing dribbling, take the ball with two hands (one on top of the ball, one on the bottom), similar to American football runners. So knocking the ball out of you without a foul will be very problematic (the main thing is not to take extra steps so as not to get a run).
videos from 0:29
Passing the ball overhead. Usually when passing, defenders concentrate "down" in order to interfere with your dribbling and clear the ball. Therefore, raising the ball to head level will be unexpected for the opponent. Combined with a change of direction (like a Eurostep) this will not only help protect the ball from interception, but also beat the defender so that he cannot recover position and prevent you from shooting.
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Video from 2:40
Also, as you will see later in the data, it is important to be able to finish attacks well from under the ring. First of all, you need to throw layups well and correctly (because these are the most popular throws during passes), as well as assess the situation on the site in order to choose the right type of throw.
There are 4 types of attack completion with the help of a layup:
Normal lay-up: The most standard and simplest type of lay-up, good for when your own defender is beaten and no one comes out to secure him (big players finish such passes with a dunk). Here, the side of the court, the side of the finish with respect to the ring, and the hand you throw with are the same, i.e. when passing to the right side, you throw with your right hand on the right side of the ring.
Inside hand lay-up: Translates as “layup with the inside hand”, but this is something from the Space Jam, it is probably more correct to say about the throw with the inside hand to the ring. Can be used when a defender is behind you, but still in close proximity, so it can block your throw. In this case, throwing with the near hand will create additional distance between the ball and the defender in the form of your body and arm length, making it very difficult to block without a foul. Here the hand changes, i.e. when passing to the right side, you throw on the right side of the ring, but with your LEFT hand.
Reverse lay-up. Using the previous version of the layup becomes dangerous if you get a safety net from the weak side. In this case, we just fly past the defender and finish on the other side of the ring. When passing from the right side, we throw from the left side of the ring with the left hand.
European reverse lay-up. This is the completion of the passage on the right side with a throw from the left side of the ring with the right hand with a turn of the body. Technically not the easiest element, but it is useful to use when there is a safety net against a mustache. The goal is the same - to fly past the defending defender and throw without resistance.
You can watch all 4 types in the video below, starting at 4:01
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The presence of a safety net is one of the most unpleasant moments during the passage. For the best protection against this, you should, as mentioned above, clearly fix the ball after the last dribbling, cover it, use reverse lay-ups and floaters. Ball fake can also help, i.e. showing a pass, for example, to a player who was "thrown" by the insurer. This will "freeze" his movement towards you, which will give you the opportunity to calmly throw on the ring. In the case of continuing the movement, you can already make a non-fake pass for an open throw, so the ability to competently pass and see the court well is also important.
When playing 1-on-1 against your opponent, the ball must be kept on the “outside”, i.e. far hip from the defender, thus covering the ball with the body. When you have passed your defender, you can take a step towards him to provoke contact. This is done in order to unbalance the defender and with your repeated jerk to the ring, he could no longer resist you, as well as to provoke a foul. In general, the ability to "draw" fouls is a very important component of the game in the aisles, because. gives you the opportunity to perform the highest quality shots in the game, free throws. The opponent, in turn, receives an extra foul, which may affect his aggressiveness in defense in the future.
With the introductory part about the passages finished, now let's go directly to the numbers.
Let's start with general information about throws and their types. In games played through last Sunday, there were 26,486 shots that were recorded "as shots after passes." This is almost one in five shots in the game (18%, 146449 shots in total). As you can see, throws after passes make up a significant part of all shots in games. In the play-by-play magazine on the NBA website, there are 9 types of shots after passes, but due to the small number of some of them, I combined the two categories of dunks and hooks into one Dunk shot and Hook shot, respectively. This resulted in the following seven categories:
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Dunk Shot
Hook Shot
Layup shot
Reverse layup shot
Finger roll layup
Floating Jump shot
Floating Bank Jump shot
I will not dwell on the description of each in detail, information about each type of throws can be easily found on the Internet. Here is a video of one example of each type of throw.
First, let's look at the average range of each type of throw.
There is a clear division into close throws (dunks and layups) and long throws (hooks and floaters). There is nothing surprising in this, except that there is a noticeable difference of 2 feet between normal floaters and shield floaters. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the closer to the ring the player performing the floater is, the more he needs to lift the trajectory in order to avoid the block, hence the closer floaters more often hit the shield.
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Now a plot of medium accuracy.
Closest throws are predictable at the top, furthest throws are predictable at the bottom (and in general a floater is a poor throw in terms of efficiency). Also, less than 50% of the hooks reach the target. We know from the previous chart that shield floaters have a shorter average range, hence the 11.5% advantage. But what is really unexpected is the spread in the accuracy of the layups. Regular layups are only 48% accurate, reverse 57% accurate, and finger roll 65% overall. And if you can at least say about reverse that they are performed almost 50% closer to the ring, then the difference in average range between ordinary layups and finger roll is only a few centimeters. Apparently, accuracy is affected by the fact that reverse and finger roll layups are much more difficult throws for interference and blocking by defenders.
As for the frequency of use, then layups are beyond competition. Three varieties account for two-thirds of throws after passes. About 23% more are floaters, and dunks and hooks in total do not even reach 10%.
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There is a negative correlation between throw distance and accuracy, but it is not as strong as it might seem from the graphs above. The following graph is a scatterplot with average accuracy and distance scores for all 30 teams. The correlation coefficient is only -0.25.
Since we switched to team indicators, we will stay here. It is worth noting that passes do not only consist of throws, very often the player making the pass makes allowances for a partner, earns fouls and free throws, or loses the ball. The next group of graphs shows the value of this or that passing indicator for the team, its place in the NBA according to this indicator, and how much it is more / less than the average for the League.
Let's start with precision.
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Milwaukee and Golden State lead by a wide margin, followed by a "chasing group" from Philadelphia and New Orleans. Sacramento and Cleveland are worst of all with accuracy. The top 4 teams shoot so much better than the rest after passes that only 12 teams are above the league average.
In terms of mid-range, it's not surprising to see Milwaukee on top, unlike Golden State, who at 29 (over 4 feet from the rim) shoots almost as accurately as the Bucks. Apparently, this is the same reason why GSV shoots much better than average from the mid-range range: the level of players. Also notable is Indiana, who manages to do so 5% below the league average when shooting from less than 2.5 feet.
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90,002 Utah leads with Rubio and Mitchell in the lead. But the GSV is trying to look for other ways to complete the attacks. Warriors made half as many passes as Jazz and as many as 300 than 29th place in the ranking, which, despite the presence of Ben Simmons, is Philadelphia.
These graphs show the frequency with which passes of one team or another end with a throw. Most often, Portland, Denver, Phoenix (who throw more than once in two) and New York make the throw after the pass, but Utah and Atlanta, who are the leaders in the total number of passes, close the table here, preferring other developments of the draw.
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And these are the graphs of the ratio of shots after passes with the total number of team shots. Brooklyn leads by a margin, making almost every fourth throw after passes, which fits well with the philosophy of Atkinson and their recruitment. At the other end, the FGP and Philadelphia are logically located. If you rarely make passes, then you cannot have many throws after them.
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Jazzmen do not like to quit, but prefer discounts on partners. Also in the top 5 is another leader in the number of passes, Atlanta. On the other hand, New York and Phoenix prefer to throw to the detriment of passes.
The percentage of assists seems to be distributed fairly evenly, but this is primarily due to small values. Only the top two teams make more than 11% of assists. It is not surprising to see Indiana and Utah as the leaders in the top discounts. The Pacers seem to have set up the Oladipo-Turner assembly line well, which was hampered by Victor's injury. At the bottom of the table are the same patients as in the %PASS graphs except for Pistons. Detroit discounts 2.26% more than average, entering the top 10 by this indicator, but only 8% of passes end in assists and here Detroit is ahead only of Cleveland.
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I forgot to correct the chart here, so the "lead" of Atlanta and Utah is actually the bottom two. In general, the graph correlates well with TOV%: the Hawks and Jazz occupy 30th and 25th places in it, and the leading Denver and San Antonio 11th and 2nd, respectively.
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Here the chart also had to be reversed. Fouls are mostly received in the New York area, with the Rockets joining them. But Utah is in the lead here without any reservations.
Brooklyn does not make the most free throws (all of Houston is only in fifth place). Moreover, the difference between them and Washington is the same as between the Wizards and the average. Among the outsiders are Portland and GSV, who simply make few attempts to pass themselves (I remind you that PTB are third from the end, GSV are the worst by a margin).
The last team graph is a bar chart with the accumulation of all team shots after passes, divided into seven types of shots. Here everyone can see the team he is interested in. It is not very convenient to do this, due to the unequal length of the columns (it would be better to convert the number of throws into frequency), but it is clear that Milwaukee most often completes passes with dunks, Indiana finger roll layups, and Brooklyn with floaters.
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From the teams, let's move on to the players and see from what distance, how accurately and how often NBA players throw after passes. To exclude 100% accurate shooters with one attempt, I set the filter to 100 shots made after passes. 9 got into the sample1 player.
Link to the full size chart.
The graph above shows what percentage of his throws the player makes after passes. The leaders are entirely guards, only Hollis-Jefferson can be classified as large. Dante Exum from Utah is the only one who makes more than half of the total. At the bottom of the list you can see people who just throw a lot and managed to meet the selection criteria of 100 throws, but at the same time neither throws after the pass nor the passes themselves are used as their main weapon.
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Link to full size chart
In terms of accuracy, two Milwaukee players lead the way. This is not surprising because as you can see from the following graph, both are in the top 10 for shortest average throw distances. Durant is not in any tops, moreover, his average shot after the pass comes from almost 4 feet, but Kevin is third in accuracy. It's just that if he does something, he does it well. Also worth mentioning is Steph Curry. He's only 15th in accuracy, but given how far he throws (3rd in average range) this is commendable. For example, Satoranski throwing at about the same range is almost 15% less accurate (scatter plot). In general, when going from the furthest average throwing distance to the closest, only Durant and DeRozan, who are more than a foot closer to the basket, start to throw better than Curry. In this regard, things are pretty bad for Alonzo Trier and Russell Westbrook. Both have the shortest distance, but hang out only in the third ten in terms of accuracy. But even against this background, Tyreke Evans stands out, who, having 5 the shortest throw range, manages to make them the worst of all. Evans, with an accuracy below 40%, it makes sense to think about the need for such rolls.
Link to full size chart
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Link to full size chart
In the end, I will do a little analysis of one player. Let's take Milwaukee leader Giannis Antetokounmpo as an example. To begin with, let's compare how his shots after passes are distributed in comparison with the average NBA player.
You can see from the chart that about a quarter of Giannis' throws after passes are dunks. This is very different from the average 5% in the League. Giannis also does finger roll layups more often than the other two types. He throws hooks less than average, and much less often both types of floaters. This picture fits in well with his accuracy and shooting distance, as well as his strengths as a basketball player: if you already gave Giannis time and space to pass, then get a dunk for highlights.
In regards to his score in passing play overall, Giannis, out of 109 players who have played at least 25 matches and made 5 passes or more in them, ranks 17th in passes per game, 33rd in number of shots, but first in their accuracy. , he is also seventh in free throws made, eighth in points and 16 in their PTS%, 59 in discount percentage and 72 in assists. He is only 97 in turnover percentage and 101 in foul percentage. Giannis passes a lot and goes well, but his passage is sharpened “for himself”, the Greek flirts with partners a little. Perhaps this should be done more often to reduce the percentage of situations where he simply "gifts" the ball to opponents, losing or committing a foul.
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If you liked the article (or just want to read about the world of NBA numbers and more), subscribe to my NBAatlantic telegram channel. There are my small studies that do not pull on full-length blog posts, a review of articles and statistical calculations by American authors, a digest of interesting statistical facts for the day has appeared.
The language of basketball. Lay-up, Jumpshot, Alley-up
August 19
Our site presents the fourth issue of section The language of basketball . In it, we talk about basketball terms - borrowed words, specific expressions and jargon - the language that all participants and fans of the game speak. Each word is accompanied by a video tutorial with illustrative examples.
We bring to your attention the fourth series of the project The Language of Basketball , in which we will analyze three terms in detail: lay-up, jumpshot and alley-up.
Lay-up (English - lay up ) Lay up is one of the most common types of throws in basketball. It must be performed close to the ring in motion with one hand. In the classic version, the ball, when attacking, is carried upwards with one hand, and it enters the ring after rebounding from the shield. Lay-ups are the realm of back-row players. With rare exceptions, it is the defenders who execute this throw. The proximity of the ring makes lay-ups an extremely effective means of hitting someone else's ring. If the player manages to make this throw without impediment, then it is almost certain that the ball ends up in the ring. Despite this, lay-ups are often blocked. Centers of the defending team try to catch the opponent's “kids” rushing to the shield and often succeed in this. Lay-up masters include Nando De Colo, Keith Langford, Tyrese Rice and Walter Hodge. Last season, they repeatedly showed the effectiveness of this shot in action.
Jumpshot Jumpshot literally means jump shot. It was first performed back in 1934 by Ken Sailors. A little over eighty years later, the jumpshot is the most popular throw in modern basketball. For its execution, the player, holding the ball with both hands, pushes off the floor, flies up vertically, raises his hands with the ball, after which, with the movement of the brush, sends the projectile in the direction of the ring. Jumpshot - a throw from a distance. For a long time he remained the path of "small" players. However, over time, under the influence of new basketball trends, forwards and even some centers mastered this throw. Therefore, there is nothing surprising in the fact that Sergei Monya, Valery Likhodey or Andrey Vorontsevich attack in a jump no worse than most defenders.
Alley-oop Alley-oop is one of the most spectacular shots in basketball. It is the result of the interaction of two players on the attacking team. One of them gives a hinged pass towards the ring, and the other catches the ball in one jump and, without landing, sends it to the basket, as a rule, with a throw from above.
This helps stabilise your shot and accelerate you to the basket. 
The basketball lay up can be done with or without the backboard. 
Here, the lay up is faked to bring the opponent out of position. 
Then repeat step 2.
”
Start with feet together
As this foot touches the ground, the player should take one dribble with their right hand.
Catch and Layup
This involves jumping off the same foot you’re shooting with. For example, jumping off the right foot for a right-hand layup.
Practice Against Real Defenders
This concept refers to a violation of the game rules caused by unsportsmanlike behavior or physical contact with a representative of the opposing team. A foul is assigned by the referee to the offending basketball player. 
Basketball backboards must measure 1.80m horizontally and 1.05m vertically. 
If the score is tied at the end of the fourth period, the game is extended by an additional period of five minutes, or by as many periods of five minutes as necessary to break the balance in the score. The teams must switch baskets before the third period. The game officially begins with a jump ball in the center circle when the ball is legally tapped by one of the jumpers. 
e. until the ball has left the thrower's hand and both feet of the player have touched the floor. 
The dribble ends when the player touches the ball with both hands at the same time or allows the ball to be held in one or both hands. While dribbling, the ball may be thrown into the air provided that the ball touches the floor before the player touches the ball again with his hand. There is no limit to the number of steps a player can take when the ball is not in contact with his hand. A player who accidentally loses and then regains control of a live ball on the court is considered to have committed an accidental turnover. 
In preparation for the throw, the ball is placed under the right foot. At the highest point of the jump, the player's arm is extended and the ball is pushed into the basket by the fingers. 
The passage forces the defensive defenders to shrink into the paint, which opens up opportunities for a pass to open partners and subsequent throws without resistance. 
The first step is very important, it must be long, strong and fast in order to gain an advantage over your opponent already on it. 
Can be used when a defender is behind you, but still in close proximity, so it can block your throw. In this case, throwing with the near hand will create additional distance between the ball and the defender in the form of your body and arm length, making it very difficult to block without a foul. Here the hand changes, i.e. when passing to the right side, you throw on the right side of the ring, but with your LEFT hand. 
The goal is the same - to fly past the defending defender and throw without resistance. 
This is done in order to unbalance the defender and with your repeated jerk to the ring, he could no longer resist you, as well as to provoke a foul. In general, the ability to "draw" fouls is a very important component of the game in the aisles, because. gives you the opportunity to perform the highest quality shots in the game, free throws. The opponent, in turn, receives an extra foul, which may affect his aggressiveness in defense in the future. 
This resulted in the following seven categories: 
About 23% more are floaters, and dunks and hooks in total do not even reach 10%. 
Sacramento and Cleveland are worst of all with accuracy. The top 4 teams shoot so much better than the rest after passes that only 12 teams are above the league average. 
At the bottom of the table are the same patients as in the %PASS graphs except for Pistons. Detroit discounts 2.26% more than average, entering the top 10 by this indicator, but only 8% of passes end in assists and here Detroit is ahead only of Cleveland. 
At the bottom of the list you can see people who just throw a lot and managed to meet the selection criteria of 100 throws, but at the same time neither throws after the pass nor the passes themselves are used as their main weapon. 
In this regard, things are pretty bad for Alonzo Trier and Russell Westbrook. Both have the shortest distance, but hang out only in the third ten in terms of accuracy. But even against this background, Tyreke Evans stands out, who, having 5 the shortest throw range, manages to make them the worst of all. Evans, with an accuracy below 40%, it makes sense to think about the need for such rolls. 
This picture fits in well with his accuracy and shooting distance, as well as his strengths as a basketball player: if you already gave Giannis time and space to pass, then get a dunk for highlights. 
There are my small studies that do not pull on full-length blog posts, a review of articles and statistical calculations by American authors, a digest of interesting statistical facts for the day has appeared. 
In the classic version, the ball, when attacking, is carried upwards with one hand, and it enters the ring after rebounding from the shield. Lay-ups are the realm of back-row players. With rare exceptions, it is the defenders who execute this throw. 
A little over eighty years later, the jumpshot is the most popular throw in modern basketball. For its execution, the player, holding the ball with both hands, pushes off the floor, flies up vertically, raises his hands with the ball, after which, with the movement of the brush, sends the projectile in the direction of the ring. 
