TIP! Many people forget that defense is as important as offense during practice. You can win a game, thanks to good defense.

In order to succeed at basketball and attain your goals, you must be a good practice player. You should use your practice time wisely, and follow good advice from experienced teachers. The tips here are going to help you get the ball into the net every time.

TIP! Learn the best way to make your free throws. These shots may seem easy, but they can be quite difficult.

Figure out how to perfect your free throw. These shots look easy on television, but are actually hard when you are doing the shooting. This technique should be practiced often if possible. Start with the ball held out from your face. Focus on the ball and visualize it going toward the goal. Shoot the basketball exactly as you saw in your mind.

TIP! When dribbling, focus on what’s in front of you by keeping your head up. Anyone who watching the ball while they dribble surely needs to spend more time in the gym practicing.

You must learn how to dribble, how a crossover is done and other important ball handling skills. In a crossover, you transfer the basketball from hand to hand. The action needs to be performed quickly in order to be successful. Once you’ve learned how to use it, the crossover dribble makes it easy to navigate the court in a more effective way.

Free Throws

TIP! Work on catching passes frequently. You need to be able to retrieve perfect passes and not so perfect passes.

Free throws require both mental and physical abilities. Your body can be trained to make free throws, but your mind has to be focused on success if you want to make the basket. You are more likely to make more successful free throws if you relax and focus on the basket.

TIP! Don’t dribble during your drills. It is hard to play a game when you don’t dribble, but it will help you to be sure that everyone is passing accurately.

How would you like to trick the opposing team? Try doing a back pass! To start, grab the ball using your good hand. The next step is pull the basketball behind the back. Finally your wrist should be flicked towards where you want the ball to go. This should make it easy to trick the other team.

TIP! Jump shooters should not also be iron pumpers. Muscle strength is beneficial for playing any basketball position, but there is such a thing as too much.

Turning away from the ball can be a costly mistake in basketball. You will enjoy greater court awareness and avoid feeling surprised by rapid changes in game play. You will want to keep extra attention on areas that could improve your position as well.

TIP! Make sure, no matter what else happens, you can see where the ball is. This provides court awareness and prevents you from unexpected turnovers or quick passes.

When you work out, try focusing on building core strength and bettering your footwork. Your body will naturally balance well if you have strong core muscles. You must work out your hip, back and abdomen muscles. Jump rope can be used to speed up your feet.

TIP! Having a pre-free-throw shot routine will help you become dependable at free throws. This could mean dribbling twice, shaking out your head to loosen your neck or whatever else makes you comfortable.

When you want consistently good free throws, repeat your routine. This can be any combination of movements that makes you feel comfortable and prepare for the shot. However, they need to be the same combination of movements each time. Just make your routine quick, so that it can be consistent, and your body is going to remember just how to nail free throws following your ritual.

TIP! To make your layups count the most, take off from the foot opposite your shooting hand. Thus, if you tend to shoot with the right hand, make sure to jump off with the left.

To land your layups, jump off the foot opposite the hand you shoot with. Jump off your left foot when you shoot using your right hand. This can help you to remain balanced, continue moving toward the hoop, and will keep your body between the defender and yourself.

TIP! If you want to do well in basketball, you need to build your strength. Those who do very well at this sport have a combination of stamina and strength.

In order to become better at dribbling the ball you should learn how to practice using your weak hand. Being able to effortlessly dribble with both hands gives you the ability to run both sides on an opponent and keep them off guard. Try tying the dominant hand behind you and forcing yourself to just using your weak hand. You will improve dribbling with your weak hand soon enough.

TIP! When dibbling the ball, bend your knees. When you are rigid, the ball is not only hard to control, it is also an easier target for a rival to steal.

A good player on defense will annoy the heck out of the opponent and cause the other team to get flustered. Don’t let your opponent get comfortable out there on the court. Be aggressive in the moves you execute. Do not allow them to decide which plays to make. If you let them, you’ll be at their mercy. Rather, move first; attack their rhythm.

TIP! Work on dribbling the ball while switching the momentum of the body from side to side. You’re going to be dribbling in many different conditions during a game.

When you have the chance, take charge. Taking a charge allows you a chance to earn a defensive stop, take the ball for your team, and sets up one more foul against the opponent. That can be psychologically disturbing, and is a power play.

TIP! You’ll want to use the hand that you aren’t dribbling with as a barrier to protect the ball. It’s a foul to push your opponents, but using your arm as a barrier is allowed and will help you to secure the ball.

When you are on the defense, the key is to stay as low as you can. This will help you be quicker on the jump and react to the man in front of you easier. You must always utilize the proper defensive stance. If you break form in an attempt to shot block, return to the proper form as soon as you can.

TIP! Make strong team environments off and on the court. A team that works together is an unstoppable team.

To create a trapping machine in a standard 2-3 zone, have your two top defenders or your guards wait until point guard is about 10 feet from the time line or midcourt. After he crosses the midcourt line, they should run and trap him. As your guards are doing this, send your forwards out to the outside opponents. Point guards need to throw up passes that your team’s forwards can steal easily.

TIP! You will be more balanced when landing after catching a rebound if you will land with legs spaced wider than shoulder-width apart. Keep the ball to your chest and hold it with two hands.

In order to help develop your non-dominant hand, you should use that hand only when trying to open things, and also when brushing your teeth. The more dextrous you become with it in your daily life, the better able you will be to control it. As a result, your basketball game will significantly improve.

TIP! Keep your eye on the ball whenever it leaves any player’s hands. Rebounds and recoveries are important parts of a basketball game.

When dribbling you want to keep your knees bent. Standing straight up lessens your ability to control the ball and increases the chances that it will be stolen. Bending your knees slightly can really make a difference in the way you control the ball.

TIP! In terms of basketball, good communication is essential. This should be done during your practices as well.

Use the NBA three point line when practicing your shots. High school lines, international standard lines, and college lines are much closer. Hitting from the NBA range makes you get deeper-ranged looks than the defense will be guarding you at.

TIP! If you’re on the defense, put pressure on whoever has the ball. As long as you are fairly close, within about six feet, the player must follow certain rules as to how long he can hold or dribble the ball.

Whether you simply enjoy basket or live, breath, and eat the sport, you are sure to find value in what you’ve read. Try one tip at a time and you are sure to see improvement in your game. You can pass better, shoot better, rebound and make sure you get better all the time.