TIP! Practice your defense more than your offense. Defense ultimately determines the winner of a game of basketball.

Basketball is a game which is enjoyed by many people in many countries. Everyone that plays it has specific skills that they can do to boost their team’s chances of winning. If you would like to learn about a few ways to help improve your skills, continue ahead to the following article.

TIP! To get better in your basketball game, focus on your strengths. You might not have star ability, but you can be an outstanding team player.

It is important that you perfect dribbling the ball. Proper dribbling technique involves use of the fingertips, not the palm of the hand. Using your fingers allows you to better control the basketball. Avoid dribbling in front of you and only dribble to the sides of your body. Keep your head up and do not look at the ground.

TIP! A great way to bolster your basketball ability is to observe those who are considered to be the best in the sport. Try to go to games, watch televised games, or check out videos of the pros playing.

To be a great basketball player you need to work on your balance. Of course, pros may make baskets from a great distance while falling off the court, but this isn’t standard. They are not doing it right. You should have proper balance when making your shots, and over time this will lead to consistently making baskets.

TIP! If you aren’t shooting the ball well, you need to concentrate on your shoulders. If you have bad shoulder position it doesn’t matter how great you are the shot isn’t going to go in.

If you want to take jump shots, don’t spend time pumping iron. Although it’s true that strong muscles are beneficial, additional bulk can impede your ability to play effectively along the perimeter. Some shooting guards worked on their arms so much that they started lowering their percentage of field goals.

TIP! One of the most vital attributes one needs to play basketball is quickness. You need to be faster than the opposing team if you want the advantage.

Find out what your teammates like most about how you play? Do you do something particularly well? Perhaps you are quick footed, or you are always ready to lend a hand on the court. See what others view as your own natural skills, then be sure you retain and develop them more.

TIP! To increase the efficiency of your layups, begin your takeoff on the foot opposite from the hand you’re shooting with. If you normally shoot using your right hand, jump with your left.

Always have an awareness of the location and movement of your feet. Stepping your toe in a baseline with a ball in your grip will mean that you’re out of bounds. In addition, if you move your feet and you don’t dribble, you will be called for walking. Also, when you’re moving your feet when a screen is being set, you can take a charge or pick to try and get a foul.

TIP! Perform exercises to strengthen the muscles in your forearms and hands in order to maximize your ability to handle the ball. Exercises that involve strengthening the wrist are especially helpful for dribbling.

Work on passing in a direction you are not looking. This can go a long way toward confusing the opposition. If you do it right, the look makes members of the opposing team look in the wrong direction, which gives the person to whom you passed the ball plenty of time to make the shot. When done smoothly it can be a game changer.

TIP! The trick to grabbing a rebound on a teammate’s missed free-throw is to plan your footwork in advance. Defenders will start to move at you, so you need to get around them to grab the ball.

In order to be good at rebounding the ball off a missed free throw, you must be quick with your feet. You’ll have a defender coming at you and this means you have to figure out what can be done to get around them. You are able to rebound the ball without fouling someone.

TIP! To help make the offense flow better it is a good idea to alter the pace. As you run towards the net, plant your front foot and begin to straighten up.

Do drills where you try and get the basketball up a full-court in five dribbles or less. This initially seems undoable, but it helps build speed and stride. If you master this, you will be able to quickly take layups.

TIP! Basketball players can greatly benefit from strength training. Strength, flexibility and stamina are all important things to have in basketball.

Can you see well? This isn’t just for reading the score, but for catching passes and making shots. You want your peripheral vision to be as good as it can. Having good court awareness to see everything around you lets you see plays develop before they happen, either by warding off the defenders or getting the ball to open teammates.

TIP! Keep your knees bent while dribbling. It makes it much easier to control the ball while dribbling as opposed to standing straight up, which makes controlling the ball much harder.

If you wish to shoot on the outside better you should work on shooting hundreds of times every day from a lot of places on the court. To improve even more, practice preparing for a shot quickly after dribbling the ball. Focus on the target when airborne, but never before. This will help improve your accuracy during a game.

TIP! Concentrate your ball-handling below knee level whenever possible. This prevents your opponents from stealing the ball.

Keep on dribbling until your shot or passing opportunity is imminent. Standing there without dribbling takes away most of your options on offense. You can’t do anything but pivot if you don’t shoot or pass. You leave the ball vulnerable to possible steal attempts and yourself open to being double teamed.

TIP! For example, a misfired shot launched from the corner of a basketball court usually hits the net, bounces off the site, and lands on the opposite side. If that happens, you need to anticipate when it will land so you can catch it on the rebound.

You should make sure when practicing dribbling that you shift from one hand to the other. Games require you to be able to dribble under all types of conditions. You need to feel as comfortable with defense closing in on you, as you do in the open court. Because of this, you must be able to dribble efficiently regardless of your body’s position. This can help you out of jams.

TIP! You don’t want to double dribble while on the court. This occurs whenever you resume dribbling after a brief pause.

Understanding your teammates is a vital part of basketball. A good basketball team consists of players who understand that this is not an individual sport. This means that everyone on the team must work together to achieve a common goal. This knowledge makes it easier for you to assist each other. Constantly let your teammates know when you are open or in need of some assistance.

Basketball Player

TIP! Having good positioning on the court when trying to grab a rebound will help you keep the ball. Jump with both feet for improved power and balance and retrieve the ball with both hands.

Every basketball player want to master the right skills. Once you have read these tips, you will be able to improve your game immensely. Work hard, keep a positive attitude and you can be a better basketball player in no time.