The right advice and professional information is all it takes to get started in the right direction. Are you lost? Don’t worry about that. Basketball is a fun game that is simple to learn. Keep reading for slam-dunk tips you can use as you play or watch.

TIP! Practice your defense more than your offense. Defense is essential to winning these games.

Dribble the ball correctly. Avoid using your palm while dribbling. Instead, use your fingertips. This allows you to control the ball much better while you dribble. Keep the ball by your side as you dribble instead of right in front your body. Keep your head up, do not stare down towards the ground.

You must learn how to dribble, how a crossover is done and other important ball handling skills. A crossover means moving the ball between your hands. That action has to be done fast to be successful. A good crossover dribble can give you the opportunity to switch directions and progress on the court much faster.

TIP! If you get possession of the ball a lot, you must learn the crossover technique. In a crossover, you transfer the basketball from hand to hand.

If you want to improve your game, concentrate on your strengths. You might not have star ability, but you can be an outstanding team player. Ask others to help you identify your strengths and practice until you fully master these skills.

Bounce Pass

TIP! You need to keep your balance if you’re shooting. You’ve seen the pros fall out-of-bounds and shoot a basket up to 300 feet away, however, this isn’t proper technique.

Practice your bounce pass. Bounce passes should not go above or below the receiving players waist. The ideal bounce pass should land about 3/4 of the way between you and the receiver. This all depends on many factors.

If your kid is going to try out for the basketball team, they should be properly training their core muscles. Show them how to exercise their hips, lower back and abs. The core is the muscle group that links the arms and legs together. If their core strength is poor, then so will their athletic performance be. By developing a strong core, your legs will follow suit.

TIP! Free throws are mental as well as physical. You’re able to train your whole body to do full free throw motions, but if you’re not mentally prepared, you will fail.

Practice passing while looking the opposite direction. Doing this is a great way to confuse your opponents. If you can pull it off, it’s effective to draw your opponents away from the shooter. That way the shooter gets a great look before shooting. It can be a really powerful move in the game.

Free Throws

TIP! A good tip about passing is try doing it without dribbling the ball. It is hard to play basketball without dribbling, and demands accurate passing and teamwork, so it will be a challenge.

You must have a consistent practice routine if you want to learn to shoot free throws well. If you’re not consistent you’ll find yourself missing free throws. Practice and repetition are the only way to become a consistent free thrower. Failing to stick with your routine can adversely affect your shooting accuracy.

Using a weaker hand helps improve overall dribbling skills. Being ambidextrous on the court makes it more difficult for defenders to figure out what you will do next. Tie the main hand you use behind your back so that you have to use the weak hand. In no time, the weak hand will also be useful for dribbling.

TIP! Don’t play when you are injured! It’s easy to be hurt when playing basketball. Trying to play through the pain could just cause more damage.

To be a strong defender, you must have the ability to disrupt and interfere with the opponents’ plans. Get them outside their comfort zone. Be assertive and focused within the rules, aggressively keeping your player off balance. Don’t let them choose what plays to make. This will give your opponent the chance to run over you. You make the moves, which helps shift the momentum.

Make sure that you can see clearly. While it will allow you to catch passes and read the score, there is more to it than that. You need to have the best peripheral vision possible. Having good court awareness to see everything around you lets you see plays develop before they happen, either by warding off the defenders or getting the ball to open teammates.

TIP! Have your games taped so you can play them back later and observe your court presence. Do you see how you could’ve handled a situation differently? Be honest when assessing, but avoid being overly critical.

When you have the chance, take charge. This play gets your team possession of the ball and a foul against your opponent. This does great harm to an opponent’s psyche, and is a truly powerful play.

When dibbling the ball, bend your knees. If your knees are not bent, the basketball will be more difficult to control. Just a little bending at the knees can make a huge difference in your overall ball control.

TIP! Workout to increase flexibility and strength in your hands and forearms. Wrist curls can work good if you wish to start handling the ball like you’re able to dribble in any situation.

Work on your 3 point shot by shooting from the established NBA distance. The line in every other league is closer. If you can score from NBA range, you’ll enjoy open looks at deeper range than your opposition.

Use exercises that are adapted to your level and needs. Work on sprints to make you faster and build your stamina. Working out with weights helps to improve your muscles and the physical part of the game. You will also gain aggression and confidence that will help you when shooting.

TIP! Be sly on your soles to catch rebounds from free-throws your own team members are making. The defender below you will be moving toward you, so find a way to slip around him and get to the ball.

Be sure that you’re not double dribbling. This happens when you cease dribbling once and begin again within a few seconds. Once you stop dribbling, you choices are to either shoot or pass the ball. You cannot start dribbling again. This will cause your team to lose the ball.

That wasn’t too bad, right? After taking in the above article you should be aware of the incredible amount of joy it brings to people. Use what you’ve just learned to enhance your game or to be a better fan.