The Fundamentals Of A Basketball-Defense.
In order to become an excellent basketball defensive player, you must master the fundamentals of how to play effective basketball defense. When you're playing defense in basketball, you're always trying to create scoring opportunities for your team by causing offensive turnovers. One way of creating an offensive turnover is by taking a "charge" without being called for a blocking violation. Successfully taking a charge as a defensive player is great for your team, because the offensive player is called for committing an offensive foul and your team gets possession of the basketball immediately. However, taking a charge is an art form. Shane Battier, one of the top NBA defensive players, explains in the following video how to take a charge the right way. Make sure that you take some notes.
When you're playing basketball defense, in addition to trying to create offensive turnovers, you're also trying to prevent your basketball opponent from scoring in your basket. One great way of doing this when your opponent is already in the act of shooting the basketball is shot blocking. Shot blocking is truly a powerful weapon for a defensive player who knows how to do it right. Emeka Okafor, one of NBA's best shot blockers, explains how to block shots effectively in the following video. Again, take some notes.
When playing defense, you simply cannot lay back and let the team with the ball do as it pleases. You must get very aggressive, and "outfight" the offense. At every opportunity you get, aim to take the ball away from the offensive team and disrupt their play. To score, you've got to have the ball. To get the ball, you've got to battle for it. When playing defense, you can disrupt the offensive play by stealing the ball, by interception of passes, by controlling the backboards, by fighting through screens, by forcing held balls,and by putting constant pressure on the offense. You can find a great selection of basketball defensive plays here. If you don't put pressure on the other team as they try to run their offensive plays, they will successfully execute one play after another with relative ease. If you apply sufficient pressure on the defensive end, the offense team will be more likely to make bad passes, commit walking violations, miss easy shots and lose confidence. This forcing of the offense is at the very heart of good defensive play. And that applies to team or individual.
The distance you stand from the offensive player depends on whether he has the ball... If he does, stand close enough to discourage an attempt to shoot over you. Still, stand back far enough to discourage an attempt to drive around you. Give him the impression you're able to cope with anything he’ll try to do. If the person you're guarding fakes a shot, never, never leave your feet. If he fakes a drive, simply drop straight back a step until you're sure of what he's going to do. If the offensive player is a faster player than you, play him looser than usual. If he's slower than you, close in a bit. An outside shooter wants to be played closer than a player whose best weapon is a driving layup.
• Never stop pressing the offense. In other words, don't quit! • Never tip the ball as it comes off the defensive basket. Always catch it. • Never pass the ball across the back lane. Take it away from the lane. First, by a quick pass out to a breaking teammate. Second, by dribbling. • When playing in the man-for-man defense, always stay between your opponent and the basket. • In a man-on-man defense, if you can't see the ball and your man at the same time, face the man and be mindful of the fact that the ball may be passed to him. • If you think you're being screened, close up on your man and crash through. If you're being used to screen out a teammate, loosen up and let your teammate slide through and be alert to the possibility of a switch. • If your man gets one shot and misses, don't let him get a second. • When playing two men, remember that the man closest to the basket is the most dangerous. Finally, at all times, “help out” the rest of your teammates on defense.
When playing defense, your feet should be a little better than shoulder-width apart, toes pointing straight ahead, heels off the floor slightly. Your knees should be flexed, and your trunk inclined forward. Watch the video below as Michael Jordan explains how you establish a correct defensive stance.
To move sideward, you should never cross your legs. At the end of the move, your feet should be at the original width. By handling your feet this way, you as the defensive player cannot be outflanked by the offensive player. And, you can also explode forward or retreat quickly as needed. If the man you're guarding has the ball, you should stretch one hand up (with fingers spread) to block a possible shot. The other hand should be stretched sideward. (Usually the sideward hand is the hand that is to the “in-side” of the court. In other words, if the defensive player is to the right of the court, his right hand is up, left hand side-ward. ) The position of your head when guarding an opponent is extremely important. You want to see the ball and as much of the court and offensive players as possible. To do this, you should make full use of your peripheral vision (sometimes called “split” vision).
Learning how to become an excellent defender in basketball requires both commitment and discipline. This means that you're constantly working on improving your defensive skills, especially in practice. Watch the following video to learn how Chris Bowen, one of the best defensive player in the NBA, guards the basketball dribbler or handler of the opposing team.
If you're guarding the player handling the ball on offense or the dribbler, you must never slap at him as he goes by. You should turn and go with the dribbler, get one step ahead and deflect or steal the ball by reaching underneath the dribbler's hands with the inside hand. If this tactic fails, you should wait for the dribbler to either shoot or stop before making another move. If the offensive player attempts a jump shot, close with him as he puts both hands on the ball—-stop the shot before it gets started. On a layup, reach over with the outside hand and try to block the shot at the top of the offensive player's jump. Do this without making contact. If you make contact, the shooter may get the field goal and a free throw. If you don't make contact he will only have the opportunity for two points. The other alternative, of course, would be to block the shot.
A pass and an immediate cut to the basket is the oldest maneuver in offensive basketball. Called the “give-and-go,” it can create some problems for you as the defensive player, if not guarded properly. When defending the give-and-go, take a quick step backward and keep your eyes glued to the cutter's midriff. The step back will give you a chance to find out which way the cutter is going to go—the ball side, or the far side. By watching the cutter's midriff, you can't be faked out of position on defense. Despite tricky head, shoulder and hand movements, a cutter's stomach will indicate his direction. If the cutter goes to the ball side, you should turn and go with the cutter. If you can get one step ahead, you have a chance of intercepting the pass. If the cutter goes to the far side, you should turn that way, stay half a step ahead and look for the pass.
Defending after the shot is similar to defending against the give-and-go. If you as the defensive player have the shooter, you should anticipate a drive for the rebound. As with guarding against the give-and-go, you should take a step backward and watch the shooter's midriff. As the shooter begins to break in for the rebound, turn directly in front of him. Do not hold the shooter off physically until about 10' from the basket. Then hold your ground and hope the ball rebounds your way. Naturally, if all five defensive men “block out” on shots from long or medium range, they will have the best opportunity to catch rebounds because each will hold an inside position. As a defensive player, you should attempt to block out whether you are playing a man with, or without the ball. If your man doesn't drive, however, don't stay on the outside too long. Go in and help out. Since you will outnumber the opposing team, you will have a good chance to get the ball. Incidentally, should the ball bounce “long”—to midcourt, for example—the defense will still be in position. In the course of blocking out, three of the defending players should try to form a triangle beneath the boards; one man in the lane and one on each side. If the triangle can keep from being pushed under the net and keep opponents from getting inside, they will get most of the rebounds. There is one positive rule about attempting to recover a foul shot from the defensive basket. Someone must always cover the shooter. If this rule isn't followed, the ball may hit the outer rim, bounce right back into the shooter's hands and present him with an easy field goal attempt. Instead of losing a point, he's apt to gain two. So, as you line up with your teammates, be sure someone— usually the last man on the line—steps directly in front of the shooter as the ball hits. If the ball bounces straight back, your team will have it. When lining up on the foul line at either basket, be certain the man next to you—especially if he's taller—doesn't hook his arms over yours. If he does, you'll never have a chance at the ball. And remember, when at the defensive basket, don't tap the ball on the rebound, catch it. And don't pass across the lane to start the offense up court. Go directly forward, or to the sideline. In basketball, the offense has one big advantage over the defense; it knows in advance just what it is going to do. This fundamental fact makes it obvious that the five men on defense must always give their very best if they hope to keep the opposing team from scoring. Individual effort alone won't be enough to halt an organized, offensive attack. The defense must work as a team, a unit, if they are to be successful. As there are planned attacks, there are planned defenses.
1) Man-for-Man. 2) Zone. 3) Combination man-for-man and zone. In each of these defenses the objective is the same; to take the ball away from the opponent; to halt and disperse the offensive move. The methods and principles, however, differ with respect to how each type of defense is executed. These differences present certain advantages and disadvantages.
As the phrase “man-for-man” indicates, each guard is assigned to an offensive player. The guards “pick up” their opponents as they cross the center line into the front court. In doing so, the guard tries to prevent his man from catching a pass. Should the offensive player catch the ball, the guard then does his best to prevent a shot or another pass. The guard, in effect, hounds his opponent wherever he moves in the front court. In addition, each guard attempts to help out his teammates. There will be countless opportunities to knock down passes, pick up loose balls or tie up an opponent for a held ball.
1) Every man in the front court is covered. 2) The defensive players can be matched to the offensive players by size and ability. 3) The size and shape of the court cannot work against the effectiveness of the man-for-man. 4) The man-for-man can easily be converted to an all-court defense. 5) It can be adjusted quickly to the jump ball situation. 6) It helps develop individual ability. While it has many strong points, the man-for-man has some weaknesses. 1) It is vulnerable to screen plays. 2) It is not much stronger than the individuals from which it is formed. The “team” aspect of the defense, in other words, cannot compensate for weak defensive play on the part of any individual. 3) It can be tiring.
In the zone defense, each player is assigned a section of the front court. The way the front court is blocked off, indicates the type of zone being used. For example, three men may be strung across the court just inside the half line. The two other defensive men may be stationed behind the first three; one on each side of the foul lane. This would be called a 3-2 zone. By dropping the middle man in the front line back to the foul line, you create a 2-1-2 zone. If you placed the middle man between the two back men and pulled the two front men closer together, you would have a 2-3 zone. Whatever the formation, the defensive player plays the ball, not the man. Usually, the entire defense shifts as the ball shifts. If the ball is to the left of the defense, each man moves to the extreme left portion of his particular zone. In the 2-1-2, the shifting is often more pronounced than in other types of zone defenses. The players in the zone constantly “hawk'' the ball, concentrate on interceptions and rebounds. They constantly hurry and harass the offense. It's rush, rush and get the ball! get the ball!
1) It is good against an inside or short range attack. 2) Very strong on rebounds as the defensive men can quickly form a powerful triangle under the basket when the ball goes up. 3) Ideal set-up for a fast break attack. 4) Players can't be screened in most situations. 5) Easy to learn and not tiring. 6) Cuts down fouling. Like the man-for-man, the zone defense has weaknesses. Here they are: 1) It is usually weak from the outside. 2) Zones can be overloaded so one defensive man is forced to play two offensive men. 3) It is useless when the defense is behind, as the offensive team need not attack. 4) Players cannot be matched according to size and/or ability. 5) Tends to weaken individual defensive play and does not contribute to all-around ability.
In these defenses, each man plays in a specified zone. Each guard also plays a man. Thus, two of the major features of the zone and man-for-man are combined. The defense may have three men up front and two back as in the 3-2 zone, or two men up and three back as in the 2-3 zone. By sagging off on the side farthest from the ball (weak side), the defense is always in the heart of the scoring area. As a result, each defensive man almost always finds an offensive man in his zone.
1) If the attacking team attempts to use a man-for-man attack it won't work very well as the defense can apply zone tactics let the offensive men run and play and ball). 2) If the attacking team uses a zone offense, the defense can apply man-for-man tactics. (Since the offense will spot pass, each defensive man need only stay between his man and the basket to halt the attack.) While the combination defenses have all the strong points of the man-for-man and zone (including good rebound strength), it does have weaknesses: 1) Combination defenses are difficult to teach. 2) Since a great deal of “switching” is involved, the weak¬ness of switching shows up. 3) The defenses are somewhat weak against outside and corner shots. 4) The defensive players in the combination defenses tend to become “passive,” which is a grave weakness. The PressAggressiveness is the real key to successful defensive play. Take the initiative away from the offensive player. Make him guess what you are going to do. This aggressiveness, which takes courage and stamina, is a must in the pressing defense. The pressing defense is normally an all-court, man-for-man defense, although zone tactics are sometimes used. Usually, the press is used when the defensive team is behind as the last few minutes of the game tick by. To have a chance to win, the defense must get hold of the ball. Assume for the moment that the offensive team has the ball out of bounds at the far end of the court. If the defense ignores the man out of bounds, five men will be playing four in-court. Thus, when the ball is thrown in, two men can double-team the receiver, while the others adjust. It is this double-teaming that makes the press effective. It leads to many interceptions of the throw-in. Double-teaming must be done quickly and intelligently. The team putting on the press should make every effort to panic the opposition. Force the team with the ball to make mistakes, especially bad passes. A good press can give you a win, just when it seems you've lost the ball game. But, remember, a pressing defense will fail unless every player goes all out.
Stop the fast break before it starts. How? First by fighting harder than usual for rebounds on the offensive board. Second by halting the “pitchout”—the first pass made by the rebounder. Thirdly, by always keeping one man in defensive position as you attack. To start a fast break, your opponents must have the rebound off your basket. To keep it going, they must have a clear path down court.
When choosing a defense, you must be guided by the following: 1) The type and caliber of players that make up the opposing team will tell you which defense to favor. If the other team is composed of five small, fast men, the man-for-man defense would seem best. Five big, slow men, on the other hand, would be better suited to a zone. 2) You must always consider the kind of game played by your opponent. If you know your opponent does not have an organized zone attack, throw up a zone. If he has a weak man- for-man attack, go to the man-for-man. Finally, a good team should be able to adjust its defense to situations that develop during the course of the game. If it is using a man-for-man defense, but losing the ball game on inside shots—switch to the zone. If you're using a zone and find that the opposition is killing you with outside shots, switch to the man-for-man. Always switch defenses when the opposing team's set plays are working. The best way to beat your opponent is to upset his attack —an attack he probably has worked hard to develop. If you can't do it with one defense, you should have the ability to change to another.
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