Practical Basketball rewards players who can move the ball creatively, and two of the most effective tools in your offensive kit are the Lob and the Self Lob. The standard Lob floats a pass over defenders to a cutting teammate, while the Self Lob lets you bounce the ball off the backboard, sprint under it, and finish with a layup or dunk. Both moves look clean when they land and both will get you burned when you misread the situation. Here's exactly how to execute them and, more importantly, when to actually try.
How to throw a Lob in Practical Basketball
The Lob is a high-arc pass that clears defenders standing in the direct passing lane. Instead of threading a tight pass through traffic, you throw the ball up and over, letting a teammate running toward the basket collect it for an easy finish.
Key input: Hold T, then press R
The ball travels a higher trajectory than a standard pass, which makes it much harder to intercept mid-flight. The trade-off is that a slow or stationary teammate will struggle to time the catch. Lobs work best when your teammate is already moving toward the rim, not standing still waiting for the ball.
Lob pass over defenders
When should you use a Lob instead of a normal pass?
Use the Lob specifically in these situations:
- A defender is directly blocking the passing lane between you and your teammate.
- Your teammate is cutting hard toward the basket and has a step on their defender.
- You need to skip the ball over a zone without risking an interception at chest height.
Avoid it when your teammate is stationary, surrounded, or positioned far from the basket. A Lob to a standing player in traffic is almost always a turnover.
How to perform a Self Lob in Practical Basketball
The Self Lob is a different beast entirely. You throw the ball off the backboard yourself, sprint to collect the rebound, and finish before any defender can react. It is one of the flashiest moves in the game and one of the easiest to botch.
Key input:Shift + F
Self Lob off the backboard
The execution order matters here. Start sprinting toward the rim first to build momentum, then press Shift + F to throw the ball off the backboard. Do not stop moving after the throw. Keep sprinting forward so you slide under the ball as it comes off the glass. Stopping or slowing down after the input almost always results in a missed catch.
How to finish a Self Lob in Practical Basketball
After catching the rebound off the backboard, you have two finish options depending on your position and what the defense gives you:
The layup is the safer default. If you are not sure whether you have enough space and speed for the dunk, press E. A converted layup beats a blocked dunk attempt every time.
What are the best situations to attempt a Self Lob?
The Self Lob is a high-risk move that punishes poor reads. Stick to these scenarios:
- Fast breaks where no defender is between you and the basket.
- Wide open lanes where you can maintain full sprint speed from throw to catch.
- Practice sessions to lock in the timing before using it in real games.
Never attempt it in a crowded lane or when a shot blocker is already set under the basket. The move requires both space and momentum to work.
Self Lob dunk in open lane
Getting better at both moves
After testing both mechanics across multiple match types, the biggest mistake players make is attempting the Self Lob too early in their learning curve. The standard Lob is forgiving because a skilled teammate can adjust to a slightly off-target throw. The Self Lob has no such safety net. The backboard angle, your sprint speed, and the finish input all need to sync up, and that only comes from repetition.
Start by drilling the Lob in normal matches. Once throwing over defenders feels natural, move to the practice court and run the Self Lob sequence until the timing clicks. From there, the fast-break dunk finishes will start converting consistently.
For more Roblox sports game guides and strategies across the platform's biggest titles, check out our full Roblox guides collection. If you enjoy mechanics-heavy games built around timing and progression, the Kick a Lucky Block beginner's guide covers a completely different but equally rewarding skill curve, and the Be A Lucky Block CoralBlox vs LukeBlox event guide is worth a read if you want to stack rewards while the event runs.