When you want to understand how to cook something, you look up a recipe online. As you continue cooking new recipes, you are better at it, and your food comes out tastier. The same goes for the game of basketball, so read the helpful hints below to better your game.

When you’re passing the ball, make sure that you pass the ball to the location of where the person should be headed. You don’t want your pass to be the reason a person needs to slow down or double back. Your pass should be aimed for a little bit in front of the person that you are passing to.

One of the most important things to understand is when to make the shot. Taking a dangerous shot can result in the ball being overturned. If you do not feel comfortable making the shot, pass it to a teammate and either let them make the shot or get into a better position to make the shot.

Make it your goal to dribble well with both of your hands. You’ll obviously start with your strongest hand when learning, but if you want to play basketball well, you’ll need to learn how to switch it up. This way you can keep your body between the ball and your opponent, no matter what the angle.

Remember to spread your fingers when handling the ball. That makes it less likely that you lose control of the ball. Do not allow the palm of your hand to make contact with the ball. Your fingers must be the only things contacting it when you shoot or pass the ball at the target.

Make sure you have prepared for your games by taking care of yourself. Don’t see your team short by staying up all night, eating junk food before games or skipping practice because you have things you would rather do. make a commitment to your team by being there for the team on the court and off the court.

If the basketball game is quickly getting out of hand for your team, find a way to slow the pace down. Your opponent wants to keep the chaos for your team going as it’s causing you all to make mistakes. You need to do the opposite. The minute you have the ball, dribble up court slowly. Or take a time out if you’ve got one available.

Videotape your games to see what you do right and wrong. Do you see how you could’ve handled a situation differently? Be honest when assessing, but avoid being overly critical. At times, it can help to see the truth of who you are, not as you imagine yourself.

To get an amazing arm workout, dribble the ball on a patch of dirt. This will take a lot of power as the dirt absorbs most of the energy you put into the ball when it hits. Do this for a few minutes, but don’t over exert yourself or you could hurt your arm.

When dribbling, try to make your moves below your knee joints. This will mean you have to bend over to dribble the ball and move, but there are advantages. It creates a little more personal space, making the ball harder for an opponent to steal. It also makes it far easier to shake off an opponent for a drive, a shot or a pass.

It is important that you learn to dribble the ball without staring at your hand as you do it. If your eyes are always on the ball, you can’t see who is around you. That will leave you open to having the ball stolen by a defender when you are least expecting it.

Repetition in shooting is important to success. Once you perfect your shot, being able to repeat it will ensure you can score often. Practice repetition by laying on your back and resting the ball on the fingertips of your shooting hand. From this position, “shoot” the ball and practice getting the proper spin and rotation.

Don’t think that a shot has to be perfect to be taken. A lot of good shooters constantly remind themselves that the standard goal is large enough to take in two balls at once. There’s also a backboard that sometimes gives a lucky bounce. That leaves a good margin for error where you can make a less than perfect shot and still get points.

Never watch the opponents feet, always watch their chest instead. Many players have learned how to fake out opponents with their feet, so it is better to focus your attention on their chest. It is much more difficult to fake upcoming movements with the chest than it is with the eyes or feet.

Basketball is a sport anyone can enjoy, but only those who take the time to learn about it will find success with it. From practicing daily to reading expert advice, the more work you put into your game, the more you will get out of it. Today, use these tips and work towards success.