TIP! Focusing on the offense may come easily but you need to be able to focus on the defense as well., In the end, it’s defense that consistently wins you games.

It’s time for you to learn more about basketball. As a devotee of basketball, your goal is to become the best. However, you can’t know everything, and every good basketball player knows that. There’s an excellent chance that you’ll acquire a few skills here. Continue reading so that you can find some new ways to play this great game.

TIP! Every great player understands how to properly perform a bounce pass. Bounce passes need to be at waist level when received.

Make sure to practice catching passes. You should practice catching errant passes, along with perfectly executed ones. In the middle of a heated game, not all attempted passes will go exactly where you want them to go. Be a better teammate by anticipating a bad pass to make sure it doesn’t get into the opponents hands.

TIP! Want to become a better basketball player? Watch the pros! Watch pro games on TV, or attend games in person. You’ll see that every great player has specific skills that cause them to be great and you have the opportunity to practice what you’re watching them do.

Would you like to learn how to fool your opponent? Back passes can give your team the opportunity to score while the other team is still wondering what happened. To accomplish this pass, grasp the ball using your dominant hand. Next, pull the ball behind your back. Lastly, flick the wrist in the direction you want the ball to go. You can use this action to deceive your opponents.

TIP! Work on catching passes frequently. Try to catch all of the passes that are thrown to you.

Your fingers should always be spread out when handling the ball. This can help you to remain in control of the ball at all times. Don’t allow yourself to have your palm touching the ball either. Your fingers should be all that is holding the ball when you pass it or shoot it.

TIP! Lay off the weights if you are trying to become a jump shooter. Muscle strength is beneficial for playing any basketball position, but there is such a thing as too much.

It is important to be aware of the location of your feet and just what they are up to. You want to make sure you don’t step over the bounds by even a teeny bit. In addition, if you move your feet and you don’t dribble, you will be called for walking. Moving your feet as you are setting a screen or pick usually results in you being called for a foul.

TIP! Before, during and after the season, play out games by yourself. Basketball is sport played in teams, but there are times when no one is around to play with you.

Learn how to dribble and pass between your legs in case you are being guarded very tightly. You can practice this technique by stepping forward or backward and bouncing the ball with force between your legs. When you’ve mastered this step, you will be at a great advantage.

TIP! You need to put a damper in your opponent’s plan if you want to be successful with defending. Make them uncomfortable.

The key to great defense is being a nuisance to the player you are guarding. Getting them to do things they aren’t accustomed to doing is ideal. Make aggressive plays. Do not let them choose the plays to make. If you allow this to happen, your opponent will have the upper hand. Instead, take the initiative and disrupt their rhythm.

TIP! To rebound a free throw, you have to be quick. You’ll have a defender coming at you and this means you have to figure out what can be done to get around them.

Ensure that you have good court awareness. This is so that you’re able to catch passes, get shots in, and look at the scoreboard. Peripheral vision is important during game play. This will help you see the whole game better and anticipate openings and defense players.

TIP! Dribbling hard keeps the ball from being stolen from you. A hard dribble returns the ball back to you faster, leaving less chance of it being snatched by the other team.

Take a charge if you can. When you take a charge, you have the opportunity to get a defensive stop, your team gets the ball and an additional foul is set up against the other team. This can make for good psychological warfare.

TIP! Don’t leave your defensive stance. Slide your feet from side to side or push off with your opposing foot so that you are always in position.

In order to confuse the offense, try changing your pace. When you’re moving towards the net, act like you’re going to straighten up. The guard will think you are slowing down and will also straighten themselves. When that happens, push ahead and run past.

Strength Training

TIP! Use the non-dribbling hand to create a buffer between the ball and your opposition. You can’t push on your opponent, but you should use your non-dribbling arm to protect the ball.

Strength training can be a major help in basketball. In order to be the best you can at basketball, you need to be strong and hardy. Even smaller children can use fitness routines to build stronger arms and legs. If you have been exercising regularly for years, it might be time to introduce weights into the mix. When you’re an adult you have to be sure to do strength training to do well on the court.

TIP! To become a great player talk with your teammates and learn what they have planned. Basketball involves playing on a team.

For your weaker hand, to build skills, use it off-court for as much as you can, from brushing teeth to opening jars. Being able to dribble and shoot the ball with both hands will make it much more difficult for opponents to defend you. Soon enough you will see great improvements on the court.

TIP! Be sure to practice shooting from a variety of spots on the court. You should first practice on balancing and your grip.

When you dribble while playing basketball, focus on bending your knees. If your knees are not bent, the basketball will be more difficult to control. A bit of a bend will boost your control.

TIP! The position you are in before and after your rebound will determine whether you get to keep the ball or not. For better power and balance, jump using both feet and take the basketball with both of your hands.

Practice dribbling while you switch your body’s momentum from one side to the other. During game time, you’ll find yourself dribbling from all sorts of positions. You need to feel as comfortable with defense closing in on you, as you do in the open court. You will have to know the right way to dribble when the body is doing different things. This can help you find your way out of trouble.

TIP! If a team plays a good zone defense you can beat them with a penetrating dribble. Breaking through your opponents defenses and getting into the paint will cause your opponent to change what they’re doing.

Now that you’ve come to the end of this article, you are ready to get out there and play. When you learn something new, you can see how they will work. Remember all the information that has been presented so that you can show off your skills. Basketball is a sport that is loved all over the world.