"Basketball is a game of mistakes." - Coach Bob Knight
Coach Knight wrote the exceptional, The Power of Negative Thinking. Knowing what not to do has great meaning.
1. "Don't allow easy baskets." Winners don't give away hoops. Shorten it to "no easy baskets" or "hard twos."
2. "Foul for profit." - Kevin Sivils Don't put opponents on the line where the points per possession are most unfavorable for the defense. Note the exception for the "Hack-a-Shaq."
3. "Don't foul perimeter shots." That's an extension of number two. Grayson Allen leads the NBA in three-point percentage at over 47 percent. That translates to just over 70 percentage at the free throw line. Why convert a harder shot into easier ones?
4. Don't play "dead man's defense," six feet under the ball. Defense begins with ball pressure. Dead Man's Defense converts weak ball handlers into adequate ones. "Don't back down."
5. Don't allow second shots, restating "ONE bad shot." Second shots are higher percentage shots.
6. Don't be a head-turner. See both...the ball and your assignment.
Brunson left him in the dust 💨 pic.twitter.com/ZPBR0teq3m
— Knicks Nation (@KnicksNation) March 17, 2024
7. Don't be silent. Talk on defense. "Silent teams lose."
8. Don't "buddy run." Get back faster in transition and be fully alert and engaged. Bad transition defense shows both lack of concentration and/or lack of effort.
9. "Don't just guard your man." The ball scores. Cover 1.5, your assignment and half of another.
10."Don't allow easy cuts." Fight for space.
Lagniappe. Staying under control...from Coach Dags
What do you do with your hands on D?
— Steve Dagostino (@DagsBasketball) March 19, 2024
I’m a big fan of a boxer stance with your hands. It allows you to quickly contest, pull your hands back and show them to the ref on drives, and poke the ball out.
The worst thing we can do on defense is lunge with long movements. Try this… pic.twitter.com/OSSyOXEcXF
Lagniappe 2. Teach floaters better...not my area of expertise.
How to make more floaters 🏀🫡
— Shane Hennen (@Hennen_Workouts) March 19, 2024
A quick tutorial on floaters! 👇
- Open palm release:
- Deceleration
- Pickup timing
Best floater types:
- Skip step 2 foot
- First step
Check this out and go try some of these drills next time your in the gym! pic.twitter.com/NVjWLcxW33
Lagniappe 3. Think zipper away, pin-down near.
Great BLOB if you need a 3 from Steve Kerr (Golden State Warriors) pic.twitter.com/Z41OhaTt0s
— PickandPop (@PickAndPopNet) March 19, 2024