Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Basketball: A Dozen Dirty Defensive Mistakes (Low Hanging Fruit)



Ask players to list common defensive mistakes. They usually struggle. 

 Reducing mistakes is critical to basketball defense. Let's start with low hanging fruit, the failures to:  

 1. Find your player. Defending nobody earns a seat. Mortal sin. Call out numbers. Whatever it takes. But recognize that you are part of collaboration, five players working together. 

1b.Stay with your player. Head turners lose their players. Proper positioning depends on whether you're one or two passes away. Good offense sinks and changes defensive vision (above).
2.  Play in a stance. Play low. Low man wins. 
3.  Get back on defense. Failed transition D equals defending nobody. Be back engaged.
4.  See the ball. "The ball scores." If you don't see the ball, you cannot help. 
5.  Communicate. "Silent teams lose." We have to practice this more....lots more. 
6.  Pressure the ball. "Don't back down." No dead man's defense (six feet under). 
7.  Deny the face cut/front cut and give-and-go. "Jump to the ball." 
8.  Close out under control. Bad closeouts are personalized invitations to score. 
9.  Deny the post. No totem poles. Your problems begin (scoring, fouling) on entry. 
10. Contest shots without fouling. Don't foul jump shooters; never foul a 3-point shot. We can't defend free throws. 
11. Anticipate. "Bigs go away will come back into play." 

12. Be here now. Win this possession. "The defense never rests." 

There are many more. 

 Lagniappe: 

Radius Athletics shows defense away from a trap:
1) Helpside "I"
2) Covers the paint
3) Blocks and elbows 

 Lagniappe 2: hat tip, Zak Boisvert

Inside triangle with sequential screens by 5. 
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