Get Better At Basketball By Following These Tips!

TIP! It is easy to be focused on offense when you are learning how to play basketball, but you really should focus your practice on defense. Defense is what keep the other team from scoring.

Basketball is one of the most popular sports around. Regardless of if you are a spectator, a coach or a player, you know how exciting basketball can be. Of course, most people who play wish to learn to do their best at the game so they can win. The tips below can better your game dramatically and help you score many winning points.

TIP! Keep practicing your layups. During any game, layups make up about 75 percent of the game.

Keep your head up when you dribble. Looking directly at the ball means you aren’t good at the game yet. Bring the ball no matter where you go. Dribble on your way to school. If you’re looking at the basketball, you won’t be able to see what is coming at you.

TIP! Free throws are as much mental as they are physical. Training your body is important, but you also have to be mentally ready for the shot.

Jump shooters should not also be iron pumpers. While muscle mass is good for any basketball position, perimeter play requires less than other positions. Some professional shooting guards made their arms so big that it started decreasing their field goal percentage.

TIP! A great way to learn how to pass is by doing drills often with no dribbling. Playing the game without the use of dribbling is a challenge, but it can help you and your team learn to make more precise passes.

Build hand signals so passes are more successful. One things that’s frustrating in basketball is passing to a teammate while they try heading to the basket. Players should use hand signals often when available for a pass. If there is no signal, the player should not make the pass to them.

TIP! Play basketball against yourself even during the off-season. Though basketball is surely a team sport, there may be times when you have nobody to play against.

Make sure your fingers are apart from one another when dribbling. This keeps it under control. Do not allow the palm of your hand to make contact with the ball. Only your fingers should touch it during a pass or when dribbling.

TIP! Footwork is the best way to find an opening shot. While physical positioning is important, it is even more essential to move quicker than an opponent.

Clearly, there are quite a few ways to help yourself play a better game. Some techniques are easy to learn through practice. Practice is the key to learning anything, so practice often to help improve your game. No matter if you’re practicing with a group of friends or your team, the more chances you get to perfect your skills, the better you become as a player.