TIP! When learning the game of basketball, it’s easy to get caught up in offensive play. But you should also give plenty of attention to defense.

Millions of people love playing and watching basketball. To fully enjoy basketball, whether as enthusiastic spectator or player, you need to fully understand this game. This article below can help with that.

TIP! Make sure you are dribbling the right way. Don’t use your palm to dribble.

It is important that you practice layups. During any game, layups make up about 75 percent of the game. When you practice, run toward the net, and then get a high jump in so you can smoothly shoot. Practicing your running and jumping as a single motion will improve your technique faster than practicing them separately.

Bounce Passes

TIP! Are you interested in being able to fool the other team? Give the back pass a try! To properly perform this pass you will need to have the ball in your dominant hand. Then, move the ball so it is behind your back.

Teach yourself to throw bounce passes correctly. Good bounce passes need to hit the other player waist length when they receive it. It’s smart to get the ball to bounce about 75% to the receiving player. Practicing your bounce pass is important so that you can use it skillfully during games.

TIP! One good way to always be ready for whatever happens on the court is to never turn your back on the ball. You develop a good feel for the game around you, making it much easier to quickly react to your opponent.

Practice using different types of defenses. Learn how to play a man-to-man defense and a zone defense to get the best understanding of how the game works. This can cause your team to lose momentum to the other side if this isn’t something you’ve practiced.

TIP! When working out, focus on building your core strength and perfecting your footwork. Your body will retain balance and move quicker when you have strong core muscles.

Play games against yourself in and out of season. Basketball is usually a team sport, but just because you can’t find others, doesn’t mean you have to just stop thinking about it. That’s fine. There are many ways that you can improve your game alone. Work on free throws or three pointers. There is always something to practice.

TIP! You need to be quick to play good basketball. Make an effort to do all things on the court more speedily than the opposing team.

If you have a child who has expressed interest in becoming a basketball player in high school, make sure he trains his core muscles. These core muscles for basketball include your lower back, hips and abs. The core links the upper and lower extremities and without a strong one, their athletic performance will be limited. The stronger your core, the higher you will jump.

TIP! Be aware of your own actions and the position of your feet. If you have the ball and you step outside the baseline, then you’re out of bounds.

Passing between your legs can be helpful when the other team is riding you hard. Practice bouncing the basketball forcefully between your legs while stepping forwards and backwards. When you get this move down, you will have an advantage.

TIP! Videotape your games to see what you do right and wrong. While reviewing the tape, look for opportunities you may have missed during the game.

Work on passing in a direction you are not looking. This may confuse your opponents, greatly. When it’s done properly, it will cause the opponents to go to the wrong area so that you can pass to someone that has a good look at a basket before shooting. It can be quite powerful.

TIP! Practice passing while not looking in the direction of the pass. This will confuse your opponents.

Using a weaker hand helps improve overall dribbling skills. Opponents are a lot easier to blow by when you can dribble with ease using both hands. Tie the main hand you use behind your back so that you have to use the weak hand. In no time, the weak hand will also be useful for dribbling.

TIP! When you have the chance, take charge. Letting the other guy run into you stops the game without having to use a time out, and adds another four to the opponent’s total.

In order to play defense successfully, you must be able to disrupt the game of your opponent. Force them away from their comfort zone. Use aggression with your moves. Which plays are made shouldn’t be up to them. Otherwise, the opponents will win all the shots and dominate you. It’s important, then, to be aggressive and mess up their game rhythms.

TIP! A great way to make sure you’re in a good position defensively is to keep yourself in the defensive stance. To do this, avoid lurching or stepping across the floor; instead use smaller, shuffling steps to move with your opponent.

Good footwork can really help you to get those rebounds. Be aware that the defender who is below you will start moving in your direction. Slip past him, and you can get the ball. Then you gain the ball without the foul.

TIP! While you’re dribbling the basketball it is wise to bend your knees. Standing straight up lessens your ability to control the ball and increases the chances that it will be stolen.

The thrills and excitement that basketball hold for legions of fans worldwide is tough to match. However, if knowledge of the game is lacking, newbies might feel overwhelmed. Hopefully, the above tips can be of use to anyone wanting to learn about basketball.