The delight and enjoyment countless people get from playing and watching basketball cannot be overstated. In the game of basketball, there is much to learn about. Keep reading to find out great ways to bring your game skills to a whole new level.

You need to learn the correct way to dribble the ball. Proper dribbling technique involves use of the fingertips, not the palm of the hand. This gives you the best ball control. Avoid dribbling in front of you and only dribble to the sides of your body. Keep your eyes up.

TIP! When you dribble, look forward, keeping your head up. If you have to keep your eye on the ball when you’re dribbling, practice can remedy that.

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. They are improvising. When you shoot, you should always be properly balanced, which will help you make more baskets more consistently.

If you want to improve your game, play up your strengths. You may not be the star player, but by contributing the best way you can you will win more games. Figure out what you do well at and then you can practice that until you perfect it.

Be sure to get lots of practice on layups. In a typical game, up to four-fifths of all shots are layups. Don’t just walk through a layup drill. It is key to go at game tempo to practice the timing needed to maintain accuracy. Jump to the net and concentrate on shooting the ball in a specific location on the backboard.

Zone Defense

You need to practice more than defeating a zone defense. While you might see a zone defense mostly, a team can switch defenses to man-to-man quickly in order to confuse you. Practicing these techniques can give you a competitive edge over your competition.

You can learn how to pass well by drilling on it separately from dribbling. This helps to develop passing skills with your teammates, making it much more difficult if you’re standing in one spot and not dribbling. Don’t let it frustrate you, just be patient.

TIP! Every great player understands how to properly perform a bounce pass. It is best when the ball hits the receiving player near the waist.

If you get injured while playing basketball, do not try to play through the pain. This is an aggressive sport, and injuries happen often. If you continue playing, you could make the injury even worse. If you are seriously injured, obtain medical care.

If you need some help seeing where you need work, try to get a friend or relative to record your games. Are you able to look at your skills in a different light? Appraise your performance honestly but don’t be overly harsh with yourself. It can help you to see how you really are instead of what you imagine you are.

In order to be good at rebounding the ball off a missed free throw, you must be quick with your feet. The defender below you will be moving toward you, so find a way to slip around him and get to the ball. This allows you to secure the rebound without finding yourself penalized.

TIP! Practice playing a man-to-man defense and 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.

Remain low when playing defense. Staying low will help you to be a more swift opponent when you mirror the man standing in your path. Always maintain a defensive position during game play. If you break the stance to shot-block, then recover the proper form immediately after the pass or shot.

Basketball offers benefits to both players and spectators. To be the best player you can be, you must know the basics. The above information should be helpful for anyone who is interested in learning more about the game.