TIP! Practice your defense more than your offense. Many times, defense actually wins the game.

Basketball has been watched and played for many years. Just as with anything else, becoming good at basketball takes dedication and practice. Finish this article, because it has knowledge you can use.

TIP! Make sure you learn how to shoot free throws. These shots look easy on television, but are actually hard when you are doing the shooting.

Look forward when dribbling. If you are looking at the ball for any reason while dribbling, you have not put in enough practice. Bring the basketball with you everywhere you go. If you walk to the store, dribble the ball. If you are staring at the ball, there is no way you can know what else is happening on the court.

TIP! Learn how to maneuver a crossover if you have the ball fairly often. A crossover happens when you switch hands the ball is in.

Focus on your strong point to help you become a better ball player. Your skills might not make you an all-start every time out, but playing up your strengths makes you a great contributor. Focus on the skills you have and work to make them better.

TIP! A good tip is to practice your layups on a daily basis. During any game, layups make up about 75 percent of the game.

You can learn how to better pass the ball if you run drills without the dribble. Playing the game without the use of dribbling is a challenge, but it can help you and your team learn to make more precise passes. It may seem nearly impossible at first, but over time your team will learn to throw accurate passes and be in good position to receive them.

TIP! Every great player understands how to properly perform a bounce pass. In order for a bounce pass to be sufficient, the person should receive the ball around their waist.

You can play basketball solo before and during the season. These skills all help with muscle memory so you know just what to do when you’re playing in a game. That is not a problem. It is possible to get a lot done even when playing alone. Whether focusing on foul shots or how to pivot with the ball, you can look for ways to improve. Additionally, you can practice vertical jumping and dribbling.

TIP! You can learn how to pass well by drilling on it separately from dribbling. It is a challenge not to dribble while playing, but it will ensure the accuracy of your team’s passes.

Hand signals will help you avoid those errant passes. It’s frustrating to pass to your teammate at the very moment they’re heading toward the basket. The use of hand signals can help you avoid this difficulty. If the person doesn’t make a signal the person shouldn’t get passed to.

TIP! Jump shooters should not also be iron pumpers. Muscle strength can be great for basketball players, but it is actually possible to have excessive amounts for playing on the perimeter.

Ask teammates what they admire about your playing skills? Do they feel you are really good at something? Knowing your strengths and weaknesses will allow you to develop your skills to become an all around better player. Discover what other people feel are your strongest skills and then set about perfecting them.

TIP! See if your teammates admire something in particular about your game play. You may have a certain skill that you have perfected.

When exercising, concentrate on building up core strength and improving your footwork. Your body will be more stable and easier to move when you have strength in your core muscles. Don’t forget to also work out muscles in your back, buttocks, abdomen and hips. Similar to boxers, jumping rope can better your speed and footwork.

TIP! Avoid turning away from the ball so that you can always be prepared for what occurs on the court. You develop a good feel for the game around you, making it much easier to quickly react to your opponent.

Quickness is a key skill in basketball. Try to outplay your opponents by being fast to win the game. It takes steady drilling to play fast. Although being fast is important, avoid playing faster than your capabilities. If you play too quickly, you lose control over the ball and the match.

TIP! Get into a consistent routine to improve your free throw shots. If you aren’t able to be consistent then you’ll be off when you shoot.

Practice looking in the opposite direction when you make a pass. Doing this is a great way to confuse your opponents. If you can do this correctly, you’ll be able to free up time for the person that you’ve passed to. This can be a great play if it is done correctly.

TIP! Practice dribbling with both hands, dribble on both sides of your body and learn to dribble in front of you while taking large strides. Opponents are a lot easier to blow by when you can dribble with ease using both hands.

When moving in for a layup, push off from your weaker foot and lead with your shooting hand. This means that when you’re shooting from your right hand you have to use your left foot to take off. Your body remains balanced while you move towards the basket.

Free Throw

TIP! You can prevent other players from stealing the ball from you by dribbling hard. When you dribble hard, the ball bounces back to your hand faster.

In order to become a better free throw shooter you need to have a good practice routine. A routine that is constantly in flux will only open up more opportunities for failure. To better perfect free throw techniques, try using repetition via practicing one routine repeatedly. If your free throw routine is out of whack, you will miss.

TIP! In order to confuse the offense, try changing your pace. When you running towards the basket, try planting the front foot and start straightening up.

Drills should be done where you attempt to get your basketball up the court within five dribbles or even less than that. Although this might seem tricky in the beginning, this can really help your game if you can master this skill. This is a vital skill to give you points on fast break opportunities.

TIP! If you want a 2-3 zone to be turned into a machine that traps, your two defenders that are guarding should wait until your point guard is around ten feet past mid court. They can then trap the point guard.

Maintain a lower position as you play defense. You will be able to react more quickly and jump higher because of this. Remain in a good defensive stance always. If you break form in an attempt to shot block, return to the proper form as soon as you can.

TIP! When you dribble while playing basketball, focus on bending your knees. The farther the ball has to bounce, the less control you will have of it.

When you dribble, bend your knees. The ball is harder to control dribbling when you stand up straight. It also leaves you open to a steal from the opposing team. You will gain a lot of ball control by bending your knees just a bit.

Nba Range

TIP! When you’re in possession of the ball you have to know when a shot should be made or a pass needs to be. By ignoring other teammates who are open to hog the ball yourself, you could end up costing your team the game.

Try practicing three pointers from the NBA range in order to be a more effective three point shooter. All the other lines are closer. If you can hit from NBA range, you can get open looks at a deeper range than a defense is probably going to mind you (until you start hitting).

TIP! It’s important to communicate as a team. This should be done during your practices as well.

Make sure that you are exercising properly for basketball. Sprinting will help you develop speed, while running long distances will help you develop great stamina. Working out with weights helps to improve your muscles and the physical part of the game. The resulting sense of confidence and power will help when you shoot.

TIP! Don’t forget to hone your pump fake skills. The pump fake is an unrivaled shooting technique.

Remember that your diet has a great affect on your basketball performance. You need to eat carbs, fats and protein on game days. Good additions to your daily diet include whole grain bread, lean chicken and nuts. Sugars and salt should be used sparingly.

TIP! Contest all the shots your opponent is trying to take. Keep your arms up and spread out to protect the basket from a possible shot.

The game is much more enjoyable if you are able to understand and master some of the fundamental tips mentioned above. Take the time to read more articles and check out blogs and videos so that your learning doesn’t end here. Take in as much as you can in order for you to improve your game.