Basketball is a time honored sport that people have loved for years. Becoming a good basketball player takes practice and plenty of practice.Reading this entire article can help you obtain the basketball knowledge that you need, so don’t stop now.

Do not practice by playing against the zone defenses alone. While you might see a zone defense mostly, your rivals could opt to go to man-to-man covering to keep you guessing. If you have not practiced against this, you may lose the match fast.

To maximize your layups, jump off the foot opposite the hand you shoot with. This will keep your body and allows you to use yourself as a barrier between the defender and yourself.

Your forearms and hands should be strengthened if you to handle the ball better. Wrist curls can work good if you handle the ball like you’re able to dribble in any situation. You can’t just stand and shoot. You need to be able to move the basketball around to get things happen.

Dribble harder if you want to avoid the ball hard to keep it from being stolen. If someone is guarding you closely, halt your dribble and pass to an open teammate.

Try to get the basketball from one end of the court to the other in no more than five dribbles. This might seem impossible at first, but if you achieve it, you’ll have great speed and stride length. This will help you to have success with lay-ups during a fast breaks.

Changing pace is key to keeping the offense guessing. When you’re moving towards the net, straighten up while planting the front foot. The guard is sure to anticipate a slow-down and will then straighten themselves. When that happens, run ahead and push yourself forward.

If you want to build the dexterity of your weaker hand, you need to use it to brush your teeth and to do other simple tasks.This will begin to spill over into your basketball game.

You have to practice hard every day if you desire to step up your shooting game. This is a good way to simulate game conditions of the game and increase accuracy.

Use the hand you aren’t dribbling with to keep the ball and the opponent. You can’t push on your opponent, but try using your non-dribbling arm like a separator for keeping the ball safe. Keep this hand up as you dribble with the other.

Keep dribbling in a rhythm until you think it’s time to trick the opponent. Changing your pace can take the other player by surprise and give you an advantage.

With the right tips used when playing, the game will become more fun and simpler. Keep learning all you can for as long as you need to. Keep the advice handy as you better your skills.