Defense

This post contains some pressing principles employed by the Arkansas mens program.

Adjust these to fit your players and philosophy and/or take bits and pieces to combine with what you already run.

The diagrams and notes are from the “Full Court Pressing Defenses Playbook” assembled by Chris Filios.

It is paired with the Houston Rockets Playbook (also written by Coach Filios) as this week’s 2 eBook special.

You can find out more about what is included in the bundle at this link:

Houston Rockets Playbook and Full Court Pressing Defenses

You can also get any two of our eBooks for $25 at this link: 2 eBooks for $25

If you have any questions about the eBoooks, feel free to call/text me at ‪317-721-1527 or email me at [email protected]

Diagram created with FastDraw

Principles

1. Don’t gamble- be fundamental and disciplined. Let the opponent make the mistake. Making a play on the ball with a small chance of success will put you/defense out of position and give advantage to the offense.

2. Eliminate the forward pass to the middle of the floor- the middle of the floor should always be covered. Defenders should never leave unless a teammate has rotated to cover.

3. Be active! Be pro-active and anticipate. Don’t be reactive. Jump and rotate hard to the ball. Communicate loud and often. Give high effort.

4. Eliminate bad fouls- when trapping, don’t reach! It is not your job to get a steal while on the ball. Establish good positing with feet and hands with great activity.

Responsibilities after the ball is entered

x1-the player defending the ball (x1) forces the ball handler down the sideline alley. He must not get beat to the middle of the floor.

x2-the guard opposite the ball defends the pass to the middle of the floor.

x3-the ball side forward is in a ball-you-man position, ready to trap near half court when the ball is advanced in the sideline alley.

x4- moves to the middle of the floor. Helps pinch with guard on any offensive player in middle. Also prepared to rotate to basket.

x5- basket protector. Will rotate out to sideline if there is a trap.

All 5 players are in the “box” (same side of the floor).

The diagrams and notes are from the “Full Court Pressing Defenses Playbook” assembled by Chris Filios.

It is paired with the Houston Rockets Playbook (also written by Coach Filios) as this week’s 2 eBook special.

You can find out more about what is included in the bundle at this link:

Houston Rockets Playbook and Full Court Pressing Defenses

You can also get any two of our eBooks for $25 at this link: 2 eBooks for $25

If you have any questions about the eBoooks, feel free to call/text me at ‪317-721-1527 or email me at [email protected]

 
St. Louis Men’s Assistant Coach Zak Boisvert has put together some short clips with some NBA techniques for defending pick-and-rolls.

Coach Boisvert has posted several videos of some of the better schemes he has seen. His You Tube channel is: Zak Boisvert You Tube Channel

He also is also very active on Twitter: @ZakBoisvert

He has an outstanding resource site for coaches. You can access it here: PickandPop.net

The videos are You Tube videos, so please make sure that you are on a network that allows You Tube access. Some school networks may block You Tube access.

Click the play arrow to watch the videos.

Please make sure that your sound is on as Coach Boisvert has narration to go along with the video clips.

Pick and Roll Defense: Getting Through Screens

Pick and Roll Defense: Rearview Mirror Contest

 
This ideas was contributed by Randy Sherman to the FastModel Sports Basketball Plays and Drills Library.

Coach Sherman s the owner and founder of Radius Athletics – a basketball coaching consulting firm – where he consults with basketball coaches at all levels on coaching philosophy, practice planning, Xs & Os and teaching a conceptual style of basketball.

This post is to provide an idea to consider using in certain situations and against certain players as a part of the way you cover on ball screens. It is not meant to say that this is the only way you should defend ball screens or that it is right for every team at every level. As a coach, you have to make a decision as to whether or not it applies to your situation.

“Tilting” the offense to the left side of the floor and forcing players to use non-dominant hand in ball screens….

 

“TILT” – The purpose is to TILT the offense to left side of the floor and force ball handlers to use their left hand (assuming it is their weak hand)

 

 

 

Therefore, on any ball screen on the left side of the court we ICE the ball screen. Forcing them away from the screen makes the ball handler use left (weaker) hand.

X5 must alert the on-ball defender… “ICE! ICE!”

X1 adjusts to force the ball handler away from the screen

X5 gets in line between ball and rim to contain dribbler

On right side of the floor, we use OVER + DROP

X1 goes over the screen.

X5 provides a flat hedge and gives ground (drops) as dribble attacks. Keep an eye on the second hand of the dribbler touching the ball. That’s when you must contest the pull up.

Ball handler is attacking with left (weaker) hand and giving cushion baits him/her into the midrange two off the dribble.

 

By dropping, we’ve induced Player 1 into the midrange pull up.

X1 makes a “rear contest” and attempts to swipe at, block or change the shot from behind

 

This post came from Army Men’s Assistant Zak Boisvert’s PickandPop.net site.

The site has a lot of quality coaching ideas and information.  Definitely worth a look!

Sean Miller – University of Arizona (Nike Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona).  Sent to Zak by Ash Arnott

DEFENSIVE PHILOSOPHIES
o Times are always changing.
o IMPORTANT when developing your defensive philosophies: “How you teach it, how you build it”.
o Question to ask yourself: Are you playing the way you have “built it”.
o The way we track success at University of Arizona is:
• Points per possession;
• FG% Defense;
• 3FG% Defense (Good teams are vulnerable) & attempts;
• Defensive Rebound %;
• Fouls – We don’t want to foul.
o 80-20 Rule – We use the same defensive principles 80% of the time, we leave 20% for adjustments.
o For Example: We don’t switch ball screens, we may need to make the adjustment during the game and start switching ball screens.
o DO WHAT WE DO!

CLOSE OUTS
Start every practice with close outs:
o Big step, we want to cover ground – Chop your feet, while chopping feet your butt goes down and your hands go up.
o Hands ! Elbows bent (makes it easier to get hands to passes, dribble and shot).
o One hand challenges shot.
o The distance the defender should be from the shooter = Reach out & touch him.
The defenders hand should not go past his opponent’s body; this is how defense fouls (too close to offensive player). Every player will have different distances due to his or her arm length.
o If CONTACT is made = Hands UP & OUT

ON FAKES:
o Back foot leads the way – JUMP BACK.
o Fake = Chop back, when ball is brought back to shooting position = Chop forward. Arms
are active at all times.
o We don’t get beat to the outside of our defense (baseline drive in this case)
= CARDINAL SIN.

Diagrams created with FastDraw

DRILL
Vegas Closeouts
• Lines start on the baseline. (Can have managers, coaches, other players at three spots around the three point line)
• First in line step out – Pass to the coach.
• Close out – Using our closeout rules.

Progression:
• Bring it back to one line.
• Have player on wing – Coach at the point.
• Defender works from “GAP” position to Closeout.

Progression:
• Can have Wing player cut up and down the sideline – Making the defender have to move.
• Defender needs to continue to see MAN & BALL, and adjust his/her defense when the ball is in the air.

BALLSCREENS
o We believe in keeping it simple with the way we defend our ballscreens.
o It can become confusing for a player trying to remember how to defend ball screens. An athlete can get lost trying to remember how to defend middle, wing, step up screens and remembering what defense is needed with each player; over, under, double or switch.
o We DO NOT go UNDER the ball screen unless it’s a STEP UP SCREEN. (Remember good teams are vulnerable to good teams shooting high 3FG %).
o THE FUNNEL.
If a screen is inside the funnel – Go back to your own man.

Keys
1. We want to be tough on the ball. Most important when defending the ballscreen.
2. We don’t need to bully through the ballscreen – It never ends well (FOULS). Don’t get hit & chase the ball handler.
3. Screener Defender – LOUD, EARLY & CONTINOUS.
The athlete needs to call the screen loudly, needs to be called early, and needs to continuously communicate that the screen is coming.
4. All 5 guys on the court help defend the ballscreen ! You see a ballscreen, sprint to it.

“JUMP”
o Vs. Pick & Pop
o We jump side ballscreens or a middle screen by a shooter.
o It allows us get back to a shooter quicker.

SCREENER’S DEFENDER
o Is loud, early & continuous. Call “JUMP, JUMP, JUMP”
o Match screener’s feet (VERY IMPORTANT).
The wrong angle of defenders feet can result in offensive player splitting the screen, or penetrating right past defender to the basket.
o “JUMP” = Take a big step out (Remember we are matching the screener’s feet) and then slide with high hands (No direct penetrations to the basket).
o Mindset – I am not fouling.

ON BALL DEFENDER:
o Tough on the ball
o No baseline drives.
o Go over the screen and under your teammate. (Very important)

IF SCREENER IS A SHOOTER:
o “X” Action.
o When guarding a ball screen the low man (in this case the 5) and the screener’s defender (in this case the 4) switch the men they are guarding. The bottom defender must be verbal and tell the man guarding the ballscreen where to go.
o The player X-ing out is the “The Taker”.
o The GUARD helping the posts by staying in front
of the opposite post is “The Holder”.
o The Screeners defender needs to sprint back as quickly as possible and defend the post (Defend the post by your ‘rules – ¾ front, full front etc.).

“PLUG”
o Vs. Roller
o We plug screens that are set in the middle of the floor
Ash Arnott
o It allows the defender to get back to the roller quicker.
SCREENER’S DEFENDER
o The defender who “PLUGS” is in a boxer’s stance – Outside foot and hand up – Active.
o Doesn’t let the roller get below him. (Kaleb Tarczewski did a great job for us).
o Match the screener’s feet.
o Stop the ball – Your job is to contain and wait till the guard can get back to man, then you worry about your man.

You can read the rest of the post and download the notes and diagrams at this link: Sean Miller Arizona Defense

This post was originally from Zak Boisvert who is an Assistant for the St. Louis Men.

His YouTube channel has several videos with various types of man-to-man plays, zone sets, and inbounds plays. You can subscribe to receive an update when he posts a new video Zak Boisvert You Tube Channel

You can follow him on Twitter at this link: @ZakBoisvert

This is how Coach Boisvert described the video:

Embedded below is a video I put together exploring the NBA defensive concept of “Veer-Backs.” Through the first 5 days of the playoffs, you’re seeing a ton of these teams executing veer-backs on a lot of middle pick & rolls.

Make sure that your sound is on and that you are connected to a server that gives you access to YouTube Videos.

The first few clips are using a Veer back

I have also posted some notes below the video from as well as some links to other resources from Pikandpop.net from NBA coaches on defending pick and roll.

The video includes clips of Veer Back vs. 1) Snake on a Middle Pick and Roll, 2) Pick and Pop 3) Side Pick and Roll 4) Icing a Side Pick and Roll and finishes with a triple switch.

Ron Adams, Golden State Warriors Defensive Guru, FIBA Basketball Coaches Clinic

Diagrams created with FastDraw

-As soon as the guard hears the “Flat” call by his teammate, he presses into the ball-handler and directs him towards the screen and then he chases the ball over the top of the screen.

-In “Flat,” the screener’s defender slides with the ball. The worse the screener is as a shooter, the deeper the big defender gets on this “Flat” coverage. The shooting ability of the screener dictates the depth of our “Flat” more than the shooting ability of the ball-handler (although against a great shooting point guard, we won’t utilize “Flat” much).

-Veerback: If the ball-handler gets too deep and attacks the big, the guard calls “Veerback” to tell the big (x5) that there’s a switch. X5 will keep 1 in front while x1 veers back and drives his butt into 5 on his roll.

-Big-to-big communication is so vital. They’re playing defense together.

Click for Complete Ron Adams Clinic Notes

Click for Complete Brad Stevens Clinic Notes

This conversion defense drill was contributed by Mo Dahkil, former video coordinator for the Clippers and Spurs to the FastModel Sports Basketball Plays and Drills Library.

You can also find out more about FastModel Play Diagramming software by clicking this link: FastDraw

These were Coach Dakhil’s comments about the post:

Rotations are extremely difficult to nail down and teams must drill constantly to make sure there is an understanding of who is rotating. The other factor that makes these rotations work is constant communication. The best defenses are constantly talking and communicating with each other. Another note when practicing the rotations, it is important to have all players practice every position in the rotation. It helps them learn what their teammates are doing but situations may occur where they will be in position.

Editors Note from Brian: A point of emphasis on helping or trapping and then rotating from Kevin Eastman is that you want your defense to rotate and not scramble. Rotation implies having an organized system. Scrambling implies disorganized chaos.

With more emphasis being put on “one more pass” from an offensive standpoint, it is even more important that defensive rotations be organized and practiced.

Not to say that this is the exact system you should use, but my hope is that it will give you some ideas to apply if you do double the post and rotate out.

1 enters the ball into the post and then cuts to the WS corner.

X4 can tag the 1 as they cut but should remain at the low HL position.

X1 will go with the 1 and stop at the WS key.

As the 2 will slide over, X2 will become the one responsible for doubling the post.

 

When X2 goes to double, this forces a few rotations.

X3 will move to the high HL position and is responsible for any pass to the 2.

The X1 will slide and maintain an equal distance between the 3 and 1; they are responsible for any pass out that way.

X4 will remain in the low HL spot.

 

The defense is willing to concede the pass to the 2 because it is the easiest to recover to.

The second rule defines who is rotating where.

In the previous example X1 rotated to the 1 because he was in between the SS elbow and the sideline.

If the 2 passes the SS elbow then the first example of rotations is intact and X2 will rotate to his man.

 

The ball is kicked out to the 2, and as the offense swings the ball, X3 takes the 2, X1 takes the 3, and X2 leaves the double team and sprints to the 1 in the corner.

Whoever doubles the post will have the longest distance to cover but should be able to get there as the ball is swung.

An adjustment can be made, and teams could have X4 take the corner and X2 rotates to the 4 if the team is comfortable with the match up.