TIP! Know your strengths and they’ll help you become a better player. Your best skills may not be center-stage every game, but knowing how to play the best angles can help you give more to your team.

Basketball is something that can be played by men or women. People of all ages can enjoy a fun and exciting basketball game. Get your friends together and impress them with your new moves. Maybe you are wondering, what moves? Read the tips in this article to find out how to improve your moves on the court.

TIP! Make sure that your regular practice includes catching of passes. When practicing make sure you drill yourself to catch errant throws as well as picture perfect passes.

If you want to improve your basketball game, you must identify and intensify your strengths. You may not be the star player, but by contributing the best way you can you will win more games. Understand your strengths and use it to your advantage to help your team win!

TIP! Don’t just practice your game against the zone defense. Learn how to play a man-to-man defense and a zone defense to get the best understanding of how the game works.

Practice your passes and catches frequently. While you are practicing, you should be sure to drill yourself on catching errant throws, as well as catching those perfect passes. In the middle of a heated game, not all attempted passes will go exactly where you want them to go. Make sure that your teammates also practice this type of pass with you.

TIP! If you have student that wants to play basketball for their high school team, they will need to spend some time training their core muscles. The concept encompasses the abdominal muscles, the hips and the lower back.

You want to be prepared for any type of defense the other team plays. Zone play will be important, but man-to-man will pop up from time to time, too. This can cause your team to lose momentum to the other side if this isn’t something you’ve practiced.

TIP! Hand signals can help you to stay away from making bad passes. Passing is tough, especially if you and your teammate are not in sync with one another.

You can learn to trick the opposing team. Try a back pass. To do this pass, hold on to the ball with your dominant hand. The next step is pull the basketball behind the back. Then do a wrist flick in the same direction that you want the ball to end up. It’s a great way to trick your opposing team.

TIP! A smart tip to follow while playing basketball is to always keep your eye on the ball and not away from the play. This provides court awareness and prevents you from unexpected turnovers or quick passes.

Quick and solid footwork is what it takes to make the shot when your posting up. Focus on positioning yourself more quickly than the opposing player is just as important as having someone beneath the hoop. Once you have a location, it is important that your feet are firmly planted there. Footwork, therefore, is crucial.

TIP! Keeping your fingers spread will facilitate better ball handling. You are more likely to hold onto the ball this way.

Boost your defensive abilities by studying the opposing team and its players. Follow the scouting reports and watch tapes of their games. You should know if a player is right or left handed. When you know some of the other player’s moves, you’ll have a leg up during a game as you’ll be able to predict what he is going to do. A defender with an education will be good at what they do.

TIP! Play a good defense by knowing your opponent. Follow the scouting reports and watch tapes of their games.

Work on core strength when you work out. This allows your body to be in balance and be more explosive on the court. You must work out your hip, back and abdomen muscles. Similar to boxers, jumping rope can better your speed and footwork.

Free Throw

TIP! In order to do the best you can with layups, you’ll want to take off with the foot that is opposite of your shooting hand. Thus, if you use your right hand for shooting, you need to push off using your left foot.

To become a reliable free throw shooter, always go through the same routine before each shot. 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. Following the same routine gives your body will maintain muscle memory for more consistent free throw shooting.

TIP! Practice dribbling with your weaker hand. If you’re using both hands to dribble the ball well then you can get by an opponent easily.

When you are passing the ball, get used to looking in the other direction. It can be very confusing to your opponents. If you do it right, this draws your opponents’ focus the wrong way. If you can master this move, it can really work in your favor.

TIP! Be sure your vision is unobstructed. This isn’t just for reading the score, but for catching passes and making shots.

Your routines must be consistent for free throws. If you’re not consistent you’ll find yourself missing free throws. The most effective method to achieve a great free throw is by practicing it repeatedly until you get it right. If you do not practice this shot consistently, you may miss it during an actual game.

TIP! To better three-point shooting, try using NBA distance as the minimum. High school lines, international standard lines, and college lines are much closer.

Practice dribbling with your weaker hand. Getting by an opponent should be a lot easier if you can dribble using both hands. To help develop your weaker hand, avoid using your dominant hand. Eventually, your weak hand will be trained to dribble properly.

TIP! Work on dribbling the ball while switching the momentum of the body from side to side. Games require you to be able to dribble under all types of conditions.

Confidence is key in the game of basketball, and everything you’ve read here should have improved yours. You may even know information now that your friends do not. Keep in mind that basketball should be fun at all times. Of course, winning is always pretty fun as well!