TIP! You can easily focus on offense when learning to play basketball, however, you must really focus how playing defense. Victory requires the ability to play defense.

All around the world, millions of people enjoy the sport of basketball. You can almost always find a playground game going. You might even make a career of it if you have enough time. Use this article to learn more about basketball fundamentals.

TIP! Work on improving your strengths to become an even better player. Your team will benefit more if you stop trying to be the star of the game and work your best.

Practice your defense more than your offense. Many times, defense actually wins the game. The offense gets lots of attention, but if the defense is lacking no basketball team will ever win a game.

TIP! Any good basketball player needs to know how to make a layup. Layups sometimes wind up being 4 out of every 5 shots in basketball.

Dribble the ball the right way. When you dribble, use the fingertips, not the palm. This helps you to control the ball better. When dribbling the basketball you should bounce it to your side instead of right in front. Don’t look down, always look up.

TIP! Want to become a better basketball player? Watch the pros! Go to actual games or watch on TV. Every player has skills that make them good, and you can work on the skills they use.

A good tip is to practice your layups on a daily basis. You should expect layups to represent about 80% of all the shots you take in a game. Whenever you practice, approach the goal full speed, jump and take a smooth shot. Drill the jumping technique regularly so you can do layups very smoothly and always stay in control of where the ball is going.

TIP! Would you like to pull one over on the other team? Consider the back pass. If you wish to try this pass, get the ball in your dominant hand.

Don’t spend all your time practicing how to confront a zone defense. The majority of the game is in that area, but be careful about a team who changes things up. You might lose your control of the court if the other team use this technique, unless you are ready for this possibility.

TIP! Talk to your teammates and find out what they like about your game. They will probably notice the things you do best.

Do you want to fool the other team? Try a back pass. Use the dominant hand to hold onto the basketball when trying this pass. Pull it behind you. And last, flick the wrist in the direction you want the ball to go. You can use this action to deceive your opponents.

Core Muscles

TIP! Get someone to analyze how you play on tape. You can see where you can improve and what plays you missed.

Basketball players of all ages benefit from exercises that strengthen their core. These core muscles for basketball include your lower back, hips and abs. The core is what holds the body in balance and allows the limbs to work well. When your core muscles are strong, you become a more powerful force on the court. This means greater speed and higher jumping skills.

TIP! Make your forearms and hands stronger so you can handle the ball better. For example, you can improve dribbling skills by adding wrist curls to your routine.

If you’re posting up, good footwork is the key to getting open and getting a good shot. You always want to beat your opponent to the open spot. You need to be sure your spot is secure. Each of these skills is reliant on good footwork.

TIP! Dribbling the ball fast and hard will help you to keep better control of it. This speeds up the dribbling cycle, which means the person covering you has less of a chance to steal the ball each cycle.

The key to ball control is to spread your fingers out. This gives you better control of the ball. Don’t let your palm touch the ball either. Don’t let anything but your fingers touch the ball during passing or shooting.

TIP! Don’t break out of defensive stance always remain in the proper defensive position. Slide your feet to the sides or push off using the opposite foot to always be in position.

When exercise, concentrate on perfecting footwork and strengthening your core muscles. By developing strong core muscles, you will be able to recover quickly and keep your balance. Your muscles in your buttocks, hips, abdomen, and back should be worked. Just like boxers, you can improve your footwork and speed by jumping rope.

TIP! To trap someone in a 2-3 zone, get your guards to wait for the point guard to get about 10 feet past midcourt. Then your defending guards should encircle the point guard to trap him in place.

Pay attention closely to the shoulders if you’re starting to slump when you shoot. If you do not have your shoulders positioned properly, you will not make the shot. Be sure that your shoulders square up in front of the hoop. The shoulder that’s dominant should be in line with the rim.

TIP! To enhance your skills at shooting the ball from the outside, run drills every day from different locations on the court. Try to practice a hard dribble followed by a quick shot.

Make sure you know what is going on with your feet. You want to make sure you don’t step over the bounds by even a teeny bit. Going too many steps with no dribbling is a waking call and turnover situation. Also, moving either foot when trying to set a screen, pick or take a charge results in a foul call.

TIP! Practice all kinds of shots from various spots on the court. Balance and grip are the first two things to practice.

Watch tapes of yourself playing basketball to get a more objective perspective. Looking at tapes can help you identify strengths and weaknesses. Be honest with yourself but don’t be too harsh. It can help you to see how you really are instead of what you imagine you are.

TIP! For example, a misfired shot launched from the corner of a basketball court usually hits the net, bounces off the site, and lands on the opposite side. Anticipating this can help you score a quick rebound.

Changing pace can help you keep the offense guessing. When you’re going towards the net you should plant the foot in front and start straightening up. This will make the guard think you’re slowing down, then they will straighten their body too. Like them, push and run past them.

TIP! Take control of opposing players’ movements. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing defense of offense.

Practice your dribbling skills while shifting your momentum to alternate sides. When you’re playing a game, you have to dribble when you’re in a lot of different situations. Perhaps you will have open court; however, you might have bunches of opposing team members all around you. Practice dribbling while leaning in many different directions. By nailing this skill, you have a better chance to avoid a turnover.

A missed corner shot will usually end up on the opposite side of the basketball court. This knowledge will help you get more rebounds.

TIP! It is important to know when to make the shot and when to pass the ball to another player. It’s better to work with others to get a good shot than if you’re someone who ruins a game due to a poor shot.

Foster a strong team camaraderie both on the court and off. Basketball is something that can work in a team’s favor if they all work together well. If you know your team members intimately and everyone trusts each other, your game will be seriously enhanced.

TIP! Passing should be a focus if you want to improve your game. Passing moves the ball quicker and confuses the opposing team.

After reading this article, you should better understand how to play basketball effectively. It’s not that hard, but it requires a bit of work and proper knowledge. When you first start playing, you will want to keep doing it. You will learn more playing against highly-skilled players.