TIP! Dribble properly. When you dribble a basketball you have to use the fingertips instead of the hand’s palm.

Basketball is a time honored sport which offers entertainment to those playing as well as those watching the game. To become a better player, you must regard the game seriously and practice. You will receive the advice you’re looking for in this article, so keep reading.

TIP! Free throw practice is vitally important. This may seem like an easy task, but in reality, things prove otherwise.

Know how to dribble the ball in the correct way. Use fingertips to dribble. This helps you to control the ball better. Avoid dribbling in front of you and only dribble to the sides of your body. Instead of focusing on the ground, gaze upward.

TIP! You can improve your passing skills by practicing a simple drill where dribbling is forbidden. While this may be difficult, it gets you used to finding teammates and thinking on the run.

Get good at making free throws. This may seem like an easy task, but in reality, things prove otherwise. Practice a lot with the following method. Hold the ball level to your face. Maintain focus on the basket and try to visualize your basketball falling through the hoop. Then shoot! Shoot the ball in the trajectory you imagined.

TIP! Make sure, no matter what else happens, you can see where the ball is. This will help you stay on top of quick changes in possession or plays attempted by your opponent.

To improve your game, concentrate on your strong points. If you can rely on your strengths, you will become a better player. Understand your strengths and use it to your advantage to help your team win!

TIP! If you’ve developed somewhat of a shooting slump, focus on your shoulders. Shoulders are the key to a consistently successful shot.

Don’t pump a lot of iron if you wish to become a jump shooter. Muscle flexibility is more important than muscle mass. If your arms are too big, your field goal percentage will go down.

TIP! Having a pre-free-throw shot routine will help you become dependable at free throws. Whatever you do before each shot, from dribbles to body motions, should be the same each time.

Would you like to completely fool the opposing team, making them look silly? Trick them using a back pass. To properly perform this pass you will need to have the ball in your dominant hand. Then you will want to pull the ball into position behind your back. The last step is to flick your wrist in the direction you want the ball to land. This should be helpful in tricking them team.

TIP! Improve both forearms and hands to improve ball control. Wrist curls are great for bettering your ball handling in basketball to the point where you could practically do it sleepwalking.

If there’s no one around to play with, it is okay to play a basketball game by yourself. Though basketball is surely a team sport, there may be times when you have nobody to play against. That is okay. It is possible to get a lot done even when playing alone. Practice pivoting and free throw shooting. Many things can be practiced.

TIP! To get a rebound of a free throw that one of your teammates is taking, you need to be sly with your feet. The defender below you will be moving toward you, so find a way to slip around him and get to the ball.

You should ask your teammates about your strengths and weaknesses. Are you skilled at something? Perhaps they see you as someone who is fast on the court, or that you’re a really good teammate. Find out what your strong points are in the eyes of others. This way you can develop your most valuable skills.

TIP! To improve 3 point shooting, practice from NBA distance, at least. High school lines, international standard lines, and college lines are much closer.

If you have someone who can tape your game, you can view the recording to see how well you performed on the court. You may see things differently as you observe the game and notice things you missed in the game. Appraise your performance honestly but don’t be overly harsh with yourself. The reality of your play is often very different from your perception.

TIP! 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.

Give your layouts the most by launching from the foot that opposes the hand you are shooting with. If you play to use your right hand to shoot, you’ll want to use your left foot to take off. Also, this will improve your balance as you approach the basket.

Free Throw

TIP! Try different shots from different places on the basketball court. Practice your grip and proper balance.

Create a routine to improve your free throw success. If you aren’t consistent, you will find that your shooting is off. Free throw shooting is best improved by lengthy sessions of repetitive practice. If the routine is off in any way, then you’ll miss the shot.

TIP! Many shots from the court corner end up sailing right over the basket. If this is the case, you need to guess where it will end up and catch the rebound as a result.

Your forearms and hands should be strengthened if you wish to handle the ball better. An exercise to help develop your basketball skills is to perform wrist curls. Making a goal isn’t just standing there as the ball miraculously comes to you and then shooting it at the basket. The best way to get into the flow of the game is to be in motion.

TIP! If you want to be an excellent basketball player, you have to learn to pivot. You need to practice your footwork able be able to pivot without having to think about it or getting disoriented or tangled in your own feet.

Dribble with force to prevent the ball from being stolen. When you dribble hard, the ball bounces back to your hand faster. That means there is less time for the other side to grab it. If you have somebody guarding you very closely, pass the ball to an open teammate.

TIP! Understand your weaknesses. And that starts with being honest about your skills.

Can you see well? This is not just to make reading the scoreboard easier, but also to facilitate the making of shots and catching of passes. You have to build your peripheral vision. This will help you to find open teammates and keep an eye out for the defensive players.

TIP! You want to try to force your opponent out of bounds when playing defense. If you allow your opponent to work along the center of the floor, there’s no telling what will happen.

If you see a chance to gain control of the ball, take it. 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. This can hurt the other team’s players psychologically and can also be powerful when you’re creating plays.

TIP! For advanced basketball players, dribbling becomes a mental as well as a physical task. You need to control the basketball spin, just how hard the contact is with the court and even where exactly it lands relative to your feet.

If you want to make a 2-3 zone into something special, have the guards remain put until the opposing team’s guard makes their way about ten feet in from mid-court. They can then run toward the point guard to trap him. Your forwards should sprint to cover the other players on the outside. The point guard will then probably throw an easily interceptable pass.

TIP! Practice the fake pump. This is one of the best offensive maneuvers to keep you opponent off guard.

If you know some good techniques for practicing basketball, then you’ll find playing easier and more fun. Look at videos and blogs, and make sure you read more articles, so you can always keep learning. Find out everything you can, and you can improve your game.