The backboard in basketball is often an underused piece of the court. Many beginners or novice players are not experienced with using the glass to bank a shot. However, seasoned veterans will tell you that the backboard not only helps you make shots, but it makes many shots a lot easier.
Makes Certain Shots Easier
The backboard makes certain shots a lot easier than they would be if you just had to put the ball straight in the rim. According to Youth Basketball Tips, accuracy is increased and you have a wider shooting angle when you use the glass on shots that are close to the basket. Former NCAA Division 1 basketball coach Bob Foley adds that bank shots are easier to make if you are getting fouled and using the glass allows you to shoot quicker when you are moving full speed toward the basket because you do not have to worry about softening the shot as much.
Helps Some Shots Roll In
The backboard can help make some of your shots go in even if you did not intend for the shot to use the glass. A soft shot off the front of the rim can roll around and in off the backboard but would not do so if there was no board. In fact, a lack of a board would mean that every shot would have to go straight in the hoop or it would roll off the rim. On shots that you aim for the backboard, the board can also help you get a friendly roll.
Gives an Easier Aim
On short shots or shots with the proper angle, the backboard gives you an easier aiming target or point to shoot for. On standard basketball shots, many players have a hard time picking a target and must pick an imaginary point to shoot for, such as aiming for just over the front of the rim. When you use the glass, you can shoot for the exact point you want the ball to hit to bank into the hoop. This means that the shot is easier to correct and make adjustments for when compared with shooting straight for the hoop.
When to Use
Certain instances demand that you use the glass. Any lay-up should be put off the backboard if possible to increase the margin for error and the chances that it will go in. In certain cases such as fast breaks or closely guarded inside shots this might not be possible. Foley recommends using the glass on any shot within 10 feet around a 45-degree angle with the basket. In many cases, players cannot decide whether to bank the shot or not and simply training to use the glass helps eliminate that problem. As players age and improve, any shot within 20 feet with a near 45-degree side angle to the basket can be banked. It is difficult to use the glass from the middle or front of the court and impossible to use the backboard from the corners of the floor.
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