The basics of paying basketball are not really hard to learn. You can pick up the basics in very little time. This advice helps you further your basketball skills.

TIP! A great way to learn how to pass is by doing drills often with no dribbling. Passing drills with your team is important for accurate passes during game time, and you can try doing them without dribbling at all.

Know how to dribble the ball in the correct way. Avoid using your palm while dribbling. Instead, use your fingertips. Doing so will allow you a greater degree of ball control. Dribble to your body’s side instead of doing it out front, and bounce the ball at your waist’s level. Don’t look down, always look up.

TIP! Make it your goal to never turn away from the ball on the court. This can help you to avoid surprises by fast passes, help you keep an eye on the rest of the court, and allow you to spot potential turnovers.

Focus on your strong point to help you become a better ball player. The best talent you have isn’t going to have you starring in every highlight reel, but having a good skill set can benefit your team. Knowing what you excel at and then practicing that can help you become perfect at it!

TIP! Focus on your footwork and your core strength in your workouts. Your body will naturally balance well if you have strong core muscles.

Constantly practice layups. Layups account for up to 80 percent of the shots taken during a game. When you practice, be sure to run at the goal with full speed, jumping and shooting in a smooth series of motions. This technique helps improve your on-court layup skills.

TIP! If you are shooting as well, pay attention to the position of your shoulders. When your shoulders are positioned improperly, you will never make the basket regardless of how good your abilities are.

You have to know how to bounce pass properly. Bounce passes should not go above or below the receiving players waist. Bounce the ball so that it lands near your teammate. There are many factors which come into play, though.

TIP! A great way to make sure you’re in a good position defensively is to keep yourself in the defensive stance. You can shuffle your feet to either side, or push with your opposing foot, so you will be ready and in position.

Be sure to watch professional games to learn some great tips and tricks to improve your game. It is important that you see how other people play the game. You are sure to notice the key skills each player has mastered, and from there you can start practicing.

TIP! Changing your pace is key to keeping the offense on their toes. Plant a foot and start to straighten your body.

Passing quickly without dribbling is a great way to practice. It is hard to play basketball without dribbling, and demands accurate passing and teamwork, so it will be a challenge. This is very challenging at first, but eventually it will really improve your entire team’s passing game.

TIP! When you are defending, keep your stance low. You will become faster and react faster.

Prior to basketball season, and even during it, you can play solo games. Basketball is a multiple player sport, but other people won’t always be around. That should not matter. It is possible to get a lot done even when playing alone. Work on your pivot moves or practice your free throws. There is always something to practice.

TIP! Have two of your guards wait for the point guard to go past midcourt for the best results. Then your defending guards should encircle the point guard to trap him in place.

The key for controlling the ball well is to spread your fingers. This will help prevent the ball from getting away from you while dribbling. Don’t let your palm touch the ball either. Whether you are passing or shooting the ball, your fingers are the only part of your hand that should be touching the ball.

TIP! Bend the knees when you dribble a basketball. The ball is harder to control dribbling when you stand up straight.

Your defensive game will be more successful if you know your opponents. Watch games if you can and look at their tendencies. Also know which is their dominant and weak hands. Once you start to get to know the other team, you can do a lot better when you’re on defense. A smart defender is someone who is good at his position.

TIP! If you wish to shoot on the outside better you should work on shooting hundreds of times every day from a lot of places on the court. To get even better, try to practice dribbling and quickly shooting.

Video tape your games, and then review your technique later. Do you see anything you could do differently? Assess yourself honestly, but don’t be a harsh critic. Sometimes it’s beneficial to look at yourself the way you really look and not just like you think you look.

TIP! Until the moment you are prepared to shoot or pass, you must dribble constantly. You are limited once you cease dribbling.

In order to be more reliable shooting free throws, practice your routine. For example, you might tug your ear, dribble three times, or flex your wrists. Keep it simple and consistent, and the routine will become a part of your muscle memory.

TIP! Practice all kinds of shots from various spots on the court. Practice your grip and proper balance.

Learn how to dribble and pass between your legs in case you are being guarded very tightly. Go forwards and backwards with the ball to practice bouncing it. If you get this down, you will have a major advantage on the court.

TIP! If someone shoots from the corner of the basketball court and misses, it will bounce over the net onto the opposite side. Anticipate where the ball lands and grab the rebound.

Whenever possible, take advantage of an attack. This play gets your team possession of the ball and a foul against your opponent. This can be devastating to the other team.

TIP! Take control of opposing players’ movements. Whether you are playing offense or defense, gaining control over the path of your opponent is a critical skill.

You can use your guards and point guard to trap an opponent with a 2-3 zone defense. Then your defending guards should encircle the point guard to trap him in place. Your forwards should sprint to cover the other players on the outside. The guard on point should make a pass that can easily be stolen by the forwards.

TIP! Don’t dribble twice in a row with a stop in between. This happens when you cease dribbling once and begin again within a few seconds.

If you want to improve your outside shooting skills then you need to take hundreds of shots each day from all over the court. To improve further, work on fast dribbling just before shooting. Look at your target while you’re in the air, but not before that. This helps to simulate game conditions and improving your accuracy.

TIP! Positioning is key in picking up an essential rebound. Jump with both feet for improved power and balance and retrieve the ball with both hands.

To keep your opponent on their toes, keep your dribbling steady and regular, then surprise them. Consistent dribbling disrupted by a sudden, fast pace will surprise your opponent, giving you the advantage. When they are focused on stealing the ball, your change in rhythm can really throw them off.

TIP! Understand when a pass is a better choice or when a shot is open. It’s much better being a piece in your team’s winning shot than being the one player with the shot that costs your team the game.

Manage your nerves whenever you shoot. Keep focused on the goal. The rim’s back should be a focus when shooting. If you want to make a layup, look where you need to bounce the ball.

TIP! Learn to master the art of passing during game play. Passing causes confusion among your opponents.

If you’re trying to guard a person that’s bigger than you are, try keeping between that person and the one in possession of the ball. This prevents them from becoming open for passes and makes sure that they do not get the ball, which they would be have the ability to shoot over you.

TIP! You need to bounce the ball hard when dribbling. The reason is that by bouncing it hard, you get the ball moving faster, and your opponents have less of a chance to grab it from you.

You don’t want to get in an argument with the game officials. It is OK to disagree, or even ask a question. However, confronting them angrily and getting all up in their grill is unsportsmanlike behavior. The referees usually adjudicate the best they can, so take it in stride and continue the game.

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TIP! There are quite a few different ways to do defense, but the two that are mainly used are man-to-man or zone. In “zone”, you are guarding an area and not a single player.

Maybe you recently started playing basketball. You may have started playing when you were a small child. Regardless of the reason, this article will advise you on how to improve your game. Take heed of what you learned here and bring it with you next time you head to the court.