Effective defense limits 'easy baskets' and open three-point goals, forces turnovers, and regains possession with defensive rebounding.
What sins prove mortal for basketball teams?
They generally fall into two categories - lack of effort and poor awareness/execution. These lists are not meant to be all-inclusive, but illustrative.
Lack of Effort
- Poor transition defense
- Failure to block out
- Failure to contest shots
- Inadequate ball pressure
- Allowing cuts to the ball (give-and-go, weakside cuts to the ball)
- Lethargy in defending the post
Lack of Awareness
- Missed assignments. If you can't cover your player, you can't play.
- Failure to help.
- Failure to rotate on the help.
- Lack of communication. "Silent teams are losing teams."
- Rotating away from open corner 3s.
- Allowing back door cuts.
When you demand ball pressure, players will get beaten off the dribble. Remind players that "the ball scores." It doesn't matter if your player doesn't score when you don't help or rotate. You are still responsible in the five-person task.
Players need to provide both 'coverage' and 'protection' and aggressive on-ball defenders need to know they will get protection.
Conversely, coaches appreciate the players who "get it", who play solid pick-and-roll defense, who help and rotate, who trap properly, who dig at the post when indicated, who do the 'little things' that add up. What kind of player are you?
Players need to provide both 'coverage' and 'protection' and aggressive on-ball defenders need to know they will get protection.
Conversely, coaches appreciate the players who "get it", who play solid pick-and-roll defense, who help and rotate, who trap properly, who dig at the post when indicated, who do the 'little things' that add up. What kind of player are you?