Basketball is a sport that is loved by millions. If you want to step up your game or get more out of your game-watching experience, consider taking the time to learn more about the sport. This article below can help with that.

Make sure you are dribbling the right way. Don’t use your palm, use your fingers. You’ll have a lot more control over the ball this way. Dribble along the side of the body, not immediately in front of it, and keep the bounce to the waist level or below. Instead of focusing on the ground, gaze upward.

TIP! Learn to correctly dribble the ball. Use fingertips to dribble.

Shooting has much to do with proper balance. Your knees should be bent with your feet slightly wider than your shoulders. They improvise to do that. If you have correct balance when you are making a shot, you will make more consistent baskets over time.

Frequently train yourself on your pass catching moves. You should practice catching errant passes, along with perfectly executed ones. In the middle of a heated game, not all attempted passes will go exactly where you want them to go. You can do the rest of your team a favor by practicing how you can best complete imperfect passes.

Practice using different types of defenses. Your opponent may change their game up to keep you on your toes. Practicing these techniques can give you a competitive edge over your competition.

TIP! Crossovers are key for ball handlers. This is when you switch hands while dribbling.

Learn good passing by drilling often without dribbling. It is hard to play a game when you don’t dribble, but it will help you to be sure that everyone is passing accurately. Do not get frustrated if it it seems difficult at first, over time your team’s passes will become more accurate.

Hand signals can help you to stay away from making bad passes. One things that’s frustrating in basketball is passing to a teammate while they try heading to the basket. Hand signals can be a great way to find out if a teammate will be able to receive your pass. If there is no signal, the player should not make the pass to them.

In order to get a good shot, good footwork is essential when posting up. You always want to beat your opponent to the open spot. If you are just stepping into position, you now have to secure the spot. Each of these skills is reliant on good footwork.

TIP! One of the most important skills when playing basketball is balance. Even though a professional can hit all sorts of crazy off-balance shots, it is not the ideal method of shooting that you want to learn.

You never want to have your back to the ball if you can help it. You develop a good feel for the game around you, making it much easier to quickly react to your opponent. When your eyes are constantly assessing the game, you will be better able to make easy shots.

If an opponent is staying with you, try passing the ball between your legs. You can practice this technique by stepping forward or backward and bouncing the ball with force between your legs. Mastering this skill will provide you with a major advantage on the court.

Look away when you practice passing. You can really confuse your opponents this way. When it’s done properly, it will cause the opponents to go to the wrong area so that you can pass to someone that has a good look at a basket before shooting. Practicing this pass can really help to give your team the winning edge.

TIP! To be a better basketball player you should concentrate on the things that make you great. Your best skills may not be center-stage every game, but knowing how to play the best angles can help you give more to your team.

To dribble the ball better, it is important that you practice dribbling with the hand that’s weaker. Getting by an opponent should be a lot easier if you can dribble using both hands. To help develop your weaker hand, avoid using your dominant hand. Your dribbling skills will improve with your weaker hand.

A good player on defense will annoy the heck out of the opponent and cause the other team to get flustered. Don’t let them get comfortable. Your defensive moves must be aggressive and executed properly. Don’t allow them to control the match. If you let them control the game, you will lose. Rather, you make the initial move and break up their flow.

Make your forearms and hands stronger so you can handle the ball better. One important exercise is wrist curls, which help you with your dribbling. Do not make the mistake of thinking you can stay stationary, catch all the ball, and shoot them from that same location. You have to start moving the basketball around to get things to happen.

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.

Basketball is so fast-paced, it can be difficult to take your eyes off the action for even a second. However, those who are new to the game may not really know what it is going on when they lack knowledge about the game. It is our sincere hope that this article contains information that will be helpful to basketball lovers of every skill and ability level.