The most simple way to score more points in basketball would be to shoot more, but that might not always be in the best interest of your team. Instead, focus on shooting better. And the best way to do that is to practice. You might not score 100 points in a game -- as Wilt Chamberlain did for the Philadelphia Warriors in 1962 -- but if you are able to double your per-game scoring average, you're almost certain to help your team win more games.
Step 1
Improve your accuracy on free throws, which are the only shots that cannot be contested, making it essential that you are able to sink a high percentage of your attempts from what is known as the "charity stripe." Try to achieve a success rate of at least 80 percent on your free throws -- the benchmark for excellence. Practice free throws before and after practice or during your free time. Practice them in a variety of situations to prepare yourself for different game environments: in a quiet gym, with teammates yelling, when you are tired and when you are fresh. Try this simple drill at practice to simulate game-type pressure: Shoot 10 free throws; miss more than two, and every team member must perform 20 pushups.
Step 2
Improve your accuracy on 3-point shots, which were adopted in the early 1980s and revolutionized the game, placing more emphasis on perimeter shooting. Increase your success rate on 3-pointers, and your scoring average will go up simply because the shot is worth 1 point more than a regular field goal. Grab a partner, who will rebound your shots, and attempt five 3-pointers each from the right baseline, then the right wing, the top of the key, the left wing and the left baseline. Fire your shots in rapid succession to simulate having to get off a shot quickly as a defender approaches.
Step 3
Corral more rebounds. "Box out" your opponent -- place yourself between him and the basket -- whenever a shot is hoisted, because some of the easiest baskets are made on short putbacks off missed shots. Learn the shooting tendencies of your teammates -- for example, "Jimmy" tends to miss his shots long -- so that you can better position yourself to rebound the ball and score, a skill Dennis Rodman perfected to become one of the best rebounders in NBA history and increase his scoring chances.
Step 4
Play more. Find your niche on the team -- whether it is as a long-range shooter, the defensive stopper or the "hustle guy" -- to force your coach to put you on the court, because you are not going to score any points sitting on the bench. Identify what you do better than your teammates, and work as hard as you can to perfect your skills.
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