TIP! Practice your defense more than your offense. Defense is what stands between you and a win.

Basketball isn’t just a sport played in gym or organized leagues. The game can be played at a park or right at home. If you are an aspiring basketball players, it would be a good idea to read this article to learn some new skills.

TIP! Make sure you dribble properly by keeping your head held up, facing forward. If you’ve got your eye on the ball while you’re dribbling, you haven’t mastered it yet.

Focusing on the offense may come easily but you need to be able to focus on the defense as well., Victory requires the ability to play defense. Without good defense, a basketball team will lose the match.

TIP! Make sure that you practice your layups frequently. Eighty percent of the shots taken in a game are layups.

Correct dribbling is key. You want to dribble with the tips of your fingers, not your whole hand. Using your fingertips provides you with more control. Keep the ball by your side as you dribble instead of right in front your body. Instead of focusing on the ground, gaze upward.

TIP! You want to be prepared for any type of defense the other team plays. Most of the game is played in zone, but your opponent may try to switch things up to do man-to-man coverage.

If you want to improve your game, play up your strengths. You may not be the star player, but by contributing the best way you can you will win more games. Find you best position and then refine it until you are unbeatable.

TIP! When exercise, concentrate on perfecting footwork and strengthening your core muscles. When your core is strengthened, you will have more balance and be able to move more swiftly.

Be sure to watch professional games to learn some great tips and tricks to improve your game. Try to go to games, watch televised games, or check out videos of the pros playing. By doing this, you will quickly find that players all have their unique subset of skills, allowing you the best chance to see what areas are the best fit for your personal game.

TIP! To become a better free throw shooter, use the same routine prior to every shot. Whatever you do before each shot, from dribbles to body motions, should be the same each time.

Play games against yourself in and out of season. While basketball is a team sport, sometimes you just can’t find others to play with. This is perfectly acceptable. There are many ways that you can improve your game alone. You can work on pivots and free throws. There is always something to practice.

TIP! To generate consistency with layups, leap from the opposite foot from the hand you use to shoot. If you play to use your right hand to shoot, you’ll want to use your left foot to take off.

To properly handle the ball, you have to spread your fingers out. This makes sure that it does not escape away from your grip. Additionally, the palm of your hand should not come into contact with the ball. Whether you are passing or shooting the ball, your fingers are the only part of your hand that should be touching the ball.

TIP! To dribble the ball better, it is important that you practice dribbling with the hand that’s weaker. If you use both your hands to dribble, it is easier to control.

Work on passing through your legs to add another skill to your arsenal. To practice this skill, bounce the ball between your legs so that it passes through as you step back and forth. If you can master this move, it will give you quite the advantage when you are on the court.

TIP! Be sure your vision is unobstructed. This will enable you to make good shots as well as catching passes that come your way.

Dribble very hard to prevent the opposing team players from stealing the ball. The ball returns more quickly to your hand when you do this, giving the opponents fewer opportunities to steal it from you. When you are being guarded closely, pass the ball.

TIP! When you are on the defense, the key is to stay as low as you can. That helps you stay quick when it comes to the jump and will help you react more quickly to the person just ahead of you.

A good drill to try is the five dribble drill. You try to get the ball the entire length of the court in only five dribbles. This may not seem feasible, but once you master it, your speed and stride will be truly impressive. This drill can help you to have success with lay-ups during a fast break.

TIP! Use wrist curls to increase the strength in your weaker arm. By improving your weaker hand’s dexterity, your control over the hand will significantly improve.

Can you see well? This isn’t just for reading the scoreboard. Working to improve you peripheral vision will help you become a more successful player. Being aware of the entire court will help you to better anticipate who will move where.

TIP! When dibbling the ball, bend your knees. Standing while dribbling will make it much easier for the opponent to steal the ball from you.

Do not release your defensive stance. Stay in the right position by pushing off of your opposite foot. Avoid getting your feet cross as this makes it much more difficult for the opponent to get by you.

TIP! Until the moment you are prepared to shoot or pass, you must dribble constantly. Once you stop dribbling, you are extremely limited in your options.

Keep low when you play defense. This will let you get to the jump quicker and let you react to your opponent easier. Stay in a defensive stance. If you break form in an attempt to shot block, return to the proper form as soon as you can.

TIP! Keep the lines of communication with other players open. Each team has multiple players on it.

In order to better your shooting skills, you must practice shooting hundreds of times each day from various position on the court. Try to practice a hard dribble followed by a quick shot. While in the air check out your target, but never before that. Doing so allows you to move more precisely and with greater accuracy.

TIP! Switching up your dribbling rhythm can really throw the defense off. By dribbling consistently and then breaking it up into a different rhythm that’s fast, you can trick an opponent so you have more time to shoot.

Make sure the ball doesn’t bounce above your knees when you dribble. Doing this makes it more difficult for members of the opposing team to steal the ball from you. To help this occur, you must be bending, however it will speed up your efforts to move down the court.

TIP! You have to learn to get your opponent to alter their path. Regardless of whether you play defense or offense, the ability to control the other team creates a significant advantage.

Use your non-dribbling hand as a barrier between your opponent and the ball. You don’t need to push any opponents since that’s a foul, but try using your non-dribbling arm like a separator for keeping the ball safe. You should try to keep your barrier arm up slightly when you are dribbling.

TIP! Double dribbling is not a habit you want to get into. This is when you are dribbling, then you stop and then you begin again.

If you are serious about basketball then you should be serious about your diet. If you play all the time, you need to eat carbs on a regular basis. Don’t neglect protein and fat, though. Peanut butter and nuts are great choices. Sugars and salt should be used sparingly.

TIP! When coming down from a rebound catch, try to land and spread your legs wider than your shoulder span to better your balance. Keep the hands on both sides of the ball, and make sure it stays close to the chest.

Whether you’re playing competitions, H.O.R.S.E., or pick-up games, becoming better at basketball can help you enjoy it more. Use the information you have learned here. The more you pick up, the better you can play.