1. Basketball's "grand symmetry" tells us "don't do offensively what the defense wants you to do." Great players want to play in space. Great defense excels at help and recover.
2. Offense habitually run from the corners/side allows help defenders to play you 3 on 5.
3. What are the hardest defensive assignments?
- Defending the pick-and-roll
- Defending outstanding post players
- Containing the ball (against good penetrators)
- Closing out against ball reversal
The best offensive players usually excel in (some of) these situations. Force defenses to defend your strengths.
4. The best defenders understand their biggest problems happen once their assignment gets the ball. Stars have 'go to' and 'counter' moves. Elite players have more. But denying them the ball can limit the damage.
5. Forcing to tape restates the principle of "no middle". It encompasses no penetration, no paint touches, harder ball reversal, and fewer worries about uncontested threes. Remind players how this reflects "great offense comes from multiple actions and great defense from multiple efforts."
