6. Defence - Fundamentals, Ballscreens, Off-ball screens, Transition, Pressing

See YouTube skills playlists (Defence).

Fundamentals

• Basic
  • On the ball
    • ball-you-basket
    • stance, slide, "dead", contest a shot ("shot"), box out
    • jump to the ball on a pass (give and go)
  • Off-ball
    • ball-you-man, see ball and man (point pistols), defensive triangle (below the ball)
  • Help and recover on dribble penetration
  • "High-school" close-outs
    • sprint, break down, high hands, touch distance
• Intermediate
  • Hot close-outs (shooters)
    • be there on the catch, one hand high, fly by if late
  • Cold close-outs (drivers)
  • On-ball
    • force or straight-up
    • trace the ball, ball-up ball-down, shot fake, absorb a jab step (pop off)
    • slide, hip turn or drop step, slide and run (recover)
  • Contesting passes
    • backcut, weakside flash, deny a lead (v-cut, blast cut)
  • One pass away
    • deny or gap
  • Two or more passes away
    • help position, e.g., midline
  • Help on penetration
    • stay at home, stunt and recover, or full help (stay, recover)
    • help the helper
    • rotation to and from help
  • Post defence
    • on top, in front, below, behind
    • choke, dig or trap on post entry, rotation out of trap
  • Slip screens - don't get screened
• Advanced
  • Taking a charge
  • Double-teams, run and jump
  • Finish the possession with a rebound

Ballscreens

• Switch
• Gap (through)
  • the on-ball defender goes under the screen and over the screen defender, who leaves a gap
• Squeeze (under)
  • the screen defender gets close to the screen, the on-ball defender goes under both
• Show and recover
  • the screen defender shows and recovers, the on-ball defender goes over the screen and over his teammate recovering
• Drop coverage
  • the screen defender zones up, the on-ball defender goes over the screen (or under)
• Trap
• Shock high-low
  • the screen defender shows high, the on-ball defender goes over the screen and under the screen defender
• Force baseline (lock)
  • the on-ball defender doesn't let the ball come to the middle using a screen, the screen defender protects baseline

Off-Ball Screens

• Switch, gap, chase over
• Squeeze (under)
• Staggered screen
  • over the first screen then under, through, over, or switch the second screen

Defensive transition

• Basic
  • Sprint back, find checks
  • 2 on 1, 3 on 2
• Intermediate
  • One or more safeties
  • Pick up the ball early, protect the basket
  • Jam the defensive rebounder
• Advanced
  • Deny the outlet
  • Trap the rebounder and/or outlet
  • Cross match-up (not their checks)

Pressing

• Basic
  • Pick up checks fullcourt
  • Line of ball (below ball level)
  • Split the floor
• Intermediate
  • Quick trap (inbounds pass)
  • Back-tip
  • Channel the ball, turn the ball
  • Run and jump switch
  • Trap from the front, turn and trap from the side
  • Trappers, interceptors, goalie
• Advanced
  • Inbounder defender - on the ball, shortstop (face guard), rover
  • Contest reversal
  • Zone press