TIP! It is important that you perfect dribbling the ball. Finger tips, not palms, are the key to successful dribbling.

Basketball has been popular for a very long period of time, as it allows folks a way to have fun and compete at the same time. If you wish to learn how to play your best basketball, you should practice often. You will receive the advice you’re looking for in this article, so keep reading.

TIP! You need good balance when you shoot. Your knees should be bent with your feet slightly wider than your shoulders.

Practice your layup shot as frequently as possible. Four out of every five shots taken in a given game will be layups. Run as fast as possible, while jumping and performing a smooth shot. Knowing how to run and jump quickly and smoothly will assist you in knowing how to leap and shoot more effectively while playing.

Catching Passes

TIP! Be sure to get lots of practice on layups. Since layups account for the majority of scoring in a game.

Work on catching passes frequently. During practice you should come up with drills where you perfect catching bad passes along with the good ones. During the course of a game, you can expect there to be many errant passes. Therefore, it pays to practice catching passes that are a bit off-target.

TIP! Learn how a bounce pass is thrown. Bouncing the pass to the receiver should be at their waist.

Do not practice solely against zone defense. While a great portion of a game will be concentrated in the zone, your rivals could opt to go to man-to-man covering to keep you guessing. If you haven’t practiced against it, you could end up losing your grip on the game quite quickly.

TIP! Successful free throws require you to be mentally and physically strong. You must be mentally strong to be a consistent free throw shooter.

Would you like to learn how to fool your opponent? Try a pass back! If you wish to try this pass, get the ball in your dominant hand. With that same hand, bring the ball around your back. Lastly, flick the wrist in the direction you want the ball to go. This should help to trick the other team.

TIP! Work on pass catches. Practice catching errant throws along with perfect passes.

Find out what your teammates like most about how you play? Are you really good at any one thing? Perhaps they see you as someone who is fast on the court, or that you’re a really good teammate. By understanding what your teammates see as your best skills, you can ensure that you keep a strong focus and hone these abilities even more.

TIP! Don’t spend all your time practicing how to confront a zone defense. While a good chunk of the game will most likely be played in zone, your opponent might flip the switch to man-to-man coverage just to change things up and surprise you.

You can improve your control of the ball by spreading your fingers. This will help prevent the ball from getting away from you while dribbling. Do not allow the palm of your hand to make contact with the ball. The only things that should touch the ball are your fingers, as you shoot or pass.

Free Throws

TIP! Good footwork is essential to escaping coverage and putting yourself in position to take a shot when you are posting up. Although a strong presence in the key is important, beating your opponent to good spots on the floor is more important.

If you wish to shoot free throws better, you have to have a routine that’s consistent. If you’re not consistent you’ll find yourself missing free throws. In order to make your free throw perfect, you’ll need to practice the shot many times and get into a routine. If you do not practice this shot consistently, you may miss it during an actual game.

TIP! What do your teammates admire about your skills? Do you do something really good? Maybe you are quick like lightening or maybe you are a strong defender. Improve the skills where you tend to be a bit weaker while maintaining your stronger skills.

In order to become better at dribbling the ball you should learn how to practice using your weak hand. You will be able to get past your opponent more easily if you can use either hand to dribble the ball. Hold the dominant hand behind the back and make certain you use just the weak hand. Very soon, you will develop dribbling skills with the hand you considered weak.

TIP! Quickness is a key skill in basketball. You need to be faster than the opposing team if you want the advantage.

Your forearms and hands should be strengthened in order for you to handle the ball better. Curling your wrists also help you improve your own dribbling. Don’t believe you will be able to simply plant yourself someplace, receive the ball and sink a shot. It is essential to move the ball around in order to succeed.

TIP! Passing between the legs is great when you are being closely guarded. Refine this skill by bouncing a ball with force between the legs while stepping backwards or forwards.

A good drill to try is the five dribble drill. You try to get the ball the entire length of the court in only five dribbles. This will help you to gain speed, stride length and control of the ball. You will have easy layups on fast breaks and you will be able to advance your team easily.

TIP! In order to do the best you can with layups, you’ll want to take off with the foot that is opposite of your shooting hand. So, your left foot should be the one you take off from if you use your right hand to shoot.

The game will be more fun if you keep the tips in your mind when you practice. Continue your quest to learn more by reading blogs and articles that will help you further your skills. Keep this advice in mind and keep working hard.