What hard things, done better, turn failures into success?
- Ball containment
- Closeouts
- Transition defense
- Defeating defensive pressure
- Defending the pick-and-roll
- Making a higher percentage of free throws
Share a few specific ideas to improve each.
1. Ball containment
- Improve lateral quickness with jumping rope
2. Closeouts
- Review principles of helpside defense of your coach (e.g. what is your rule for helping off the corner three?)
- Know the personnel...are you closing out on a shooter or a driver
- Consider using fly-bys against selected shooters
3. Transition defense
- Shape up (e.g. defensive alignment - stack, triangle)
- Know your assignment (are guards back, how many to the glass?)
- Set a goal - no more than three transition baskets/game
4. Defeating defensive pressure
- Advantage-disadvantage practice (5 v 7 no dribble)
- Get the ball in quickly after a made basket
- Survive the gauntlet (28 special)
5. Pick-and-roll defense
- Be on the same page, planning and communication
- "Work the coverage, trust the protection"
- Vary the coverages depending on opponent (hedge, drop, blitz, ice)
6. Make more free throws
- Improve targeting (e.g. the word on the plate...e.g. Spaulding)...Bill Bradley aimed in the middle of the four bolts attaching the rim to the back board and shot over 87% in the Ivies and 84% in the NBA
- Pressure free throws (partner can harass but not touch)...
- Sprint between series to simulate game fatigue
- Track daily progress (set a target for consecutive swishes)
Lagniappe 2. Down 1, the Bulls go post entry to inside out...3 instead of 2