TIP! You should practice pass catching regularly. Make sure you get used to catching less than perfect passes smoothly.

Have you every wished you were LeBron James or Michael Jordan? Instead of just aspiring to be a great, why not continue to learn more techniques and strategies that can help you out. Continue reading this article so that you can find out how to do that.

TIP! Avoid errant passes by the use of hand signals. You can become easily frustrated when a teammate does a poor job of anticipating your next passing move.

It’s easy to focus on offense when learning to play, but your practice time would be better spent on defense. Victory requires the ability to play defense. If your team doesn’t have a good defense, you’re not going to make it far in a game.

TIP! Good footwork is essential to escaping coverage and putting yourself in position to take a shot when you are posting up. Although physical presence under the basket is important, getting to a good spot before your opponent does is even more important.

It is important that you perfect dribbling the ball. You’ll want to use your fingertips to dribble instead of using your palm. This gives you the best ball control. Dribble to your body’s side instead of doing it out front, and bounce the ball at your waist’s level. Always look upwards, never at the ground.

TIP! One way to get a good understanding of your game is to ask your fellow players about your ability. Do you do something really good? Knowing your strengths and weaknesses will allow you to develop your skills to become an all around better player.

If you wish to do better with basketball, you have to focus on what you’re good at. You can contribute to the team by consolidating your best skills, even if these skills do not make you one of the star players. Know what you are good at, then practice it until you’re absolutely perfect at it!

TIP! Keeping your fingers spread will facilitate better ball handling. That makes it less likely that you lose control of the ball.

Observing what the professionals do can be a great way to improve your game. Go to a bunch of professional games in person, watch them on television, or just get online to search for basketball videos. You’ll be able to learn from the moves they make.

TIP! Practice passing while looking another way. You can really confuse your opponents this way.

Build hand signals so passes are more successful. It can be frustrating making a pass when a player moves away towards the basket. All of this confusion can be remedied through the use of hand signals when a player is opened. If they don’t signal, don’t pass to them.

TIP! Give your layouts the most by launching from the foot that opposes the hand you are shooting with. So, if you shoot using your left hand, launch with your right foot.

When injuries occur on the court, it is unwise to keep on playing. Basketball is physically challenging, and injuries are not uncommon. Trying to be tough so you can keep going, even when you’re just a little uncomfortable, can make an injury worse. Seek medical advice immediately if you have more than a minor muscle strain.

TIP! You need to put a damper in your opponent’s plan if you want to be successful with defending. Force them out of their comfort zone.

Quickness is something that’s desired in basketball. Try to outplay your opponents by being fast to win the game. You will have to do a lot of drilling to play faster. Never try though to get too fast that you can’t make any plays. If you play beyond your speed, the game gets out of control, with errant passes and turnovers.

TIP! Accept a charge when you can. A charge leads to a turnover by the opposing team and gives you the ball back.

Make it your goal to dribble the ball across the entire court in under 5 dribbles. This will help you to gain speed, stride length and control of the ball. If you master this, you will be able to quickly take layups.

TIP! When on defense, try to keep yourself low whenever you can. This stance will keep you ready for whatever comes your way.

The goal to improving a game is building conversation with your teammates. You are sure to understand that it takes teamwork to play basketball. This means that everyone on the team must work together to achieve a common goal. All players on your team are interdependent. Talk to them and let them know you need help and you will all play better.

TIP! You can use your guards and point guard to trap an opponent with a 2-3 zone defense. Then, they need to run at the point guard to trap him.

Now that you’ve finished this article, you can get out there and practice. You must practice every day and be confident that you can win. Show off your talents, and always implement good advice.