TIP! Learn proper dribbling. Don’t use your palm to dribble, but use your fingertips instead.

Are you interested in basketball but just aren’t sure of where to begin with it? You’re not the first person that has felt this way! A lot of people watch others play the game and wish to know how to play just like them. This article contains tips used by them.

TIP! Learn the way to throw proper bounce passes. Bouncing the pass to the receiver should be at their waist.

Practice your defense more than your offense. Defense is what stands between you and a win. Even though everyone loves to watch offense, defense is what wins you most games.

TIP! Practice the skill of pass catching. When you’re practicing, you should drill in being able to catch random throws in addition to passes that are perfect.

Balance is vital to good shooting. You have seen how pros shoot a basket from thirty feet away and fall out of bounds, which is not the right technique. They are not doing it right. If you are able to improve your sense of balance, then you will find that your percentage of successful shots improves.

TIP! Would you like to pull one over on your opponents? Trick them using a back pass. Use your dominant hand to palm the basketball.

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. The best practice strategy is to go full tilt toward the hoop, then do a smooth jump shot. Jump to the net and concentrate on shooting the ball in a specific location on the backboard.

TIP! Footwork is the best way to find an opening shot. Although it’s important to have a physical presence underneath the basket, it’s more important that you get in a good place before your opponent can.

Bounce passes are extremely efficient when done properly. It needs to get to the player at their waist. One thing you should do is always remember the ball should be bounced three quarters on its way towards the person you’re passing too. It does depend on a variety of other factors, however.

TIP! Don’t play while injured or else your injury will worsen. It is possible to receive an injury when playing basketball because it is a sport that is physically challenging.

When posting up, solid footwork is essential to getting yourself into position to shoot. You must be certain to get the good spot ahead of your opponent. After grabbing the position, you need to hold the area. Footwork is the key to either of these.

TIP! Asking for feedback from coaches and teammates about your playing is important in order to become a stronger player. Can you get better at something? Knowing your strengths and weaknesses will allow you to develop your skills to become an all around better player.

To get better at shooting free throws, make sure to keep a consistent pre-shot routine. That could include a set number of dribbles, knee-bends or some other type of movement. If you make your routine consistent, your body will eventually know how to make the shot every time.

TIP! Where are your feet? Stepping even over a baseline when you’re in possession of the ball will have you called out of bounds. The ball will be turned over on a walking call if too many steps are taken with no dribble action.

If your opponent is pressing hard, you can give yourself some room to work by dribbling the ball between your legs. This can be practiced by dribbling the ball as hard as you can between the legs while you step in either direction. This is a tricky move, but it will provide you a good advantage when you play.

TIP! A solid routine is necessary for improvement in free throw shooting. Your shot could be off if you are inconsistent.

Build a consistent routine for your free throws. If you don’t have one, your accuracy may suffer. In order to make your free throw perfect, you’ll need to practice the shot many times and get into a routine. If you don’t do the routine right, then the shot won’t make it.

TIP! In order to become better at dribbling the ball you should learn how to practice using your weak hand. If both hands are useful for dribbling, your opponents will not stand much of a chance.

In order to be good at rebounding the ball off a missed free throw, you must be quick with your feet. The defender in your path will be moving at you, so be sure you’re thinking of how to get past that defender. This allows you to grab the rebound legally.

TIP! Use small weights and resistance training to build the muscles in both forearms and hands. Wrist curls are great for bettering your ball handling in basketball to the point where you could practically do it sleepwalking.

Dribble hard to avoid ball stealing. This means you get the ball back from your opponent faster. If you are being guarded closely, halt your dribble and pass to an open teammate.

TIP! Do not release your defensive stance. You need to learn how to slide your feet instead of crossing one foot in front of the other.

The tips you’ve just read can elevate you from a casual enthusiast to an effective basketball player. Now you are ready to stick a foot in and take on a game yourself. Now, use these tips and get on the court!